And while we tend to get plenty of titles from indie studios that will often combine great shooter gameplay with interesting stories, ones with high production values have been seemingly just left to some studios, like id Software. However, Reburn – formerly known as 4A Games Ukraine – wants to bring in some of its expertise in the genre from games like Metro Exodus with a new narrative-focused single-player and co-op title: La Quimera.

"La Quimera is, at its core, a linear shooter that has an emphasis on story."

Throughout my time with La Quimera, one of the key things that stood out to me was that the game could definitely have used some more time in the oven for the sake of polish. A lack of polish felt like something of a running theme throughout the game. This extended all the way from how the story is told through its cutscenes, audiologs, and dialogue, to the mission structure and pacing, and even things that affect minute-to-minute gameplay, like animations and weapon swapping.

Throughout the game, there are aspects that feel rather lacking, giving the indication that the goals of Reburn with La Quimera may have been a bit beyond the time and budget that the studio was able to put behind its development. This feels like a bit of a shame, since almost everything about La Quimera is quite compelling.

La Quimera is, at its core, a linear shooter that has an emphasis on story. This puts it in line with games like classic Halo, albeit without the combat sandbox that Bungie’s seminal franchise is famous for. Rather, the combat scenarios in La Quimera are more akin to corridor shooters, where you follow linear paths into arenas where you then have to take out a bunch of enemies, before yet again following the next linear path.

Now, this is by no means a bad thing; La Quimera is clearly more interested in telling its story while still offering serviceable gameplay, and in that regard, there is little to complain about. Exploration isn’t a big factor in the game, and ultimately, the level design does its job of offering some fun scenarios where you get to blow things up. There is little to complain about here.

"La Quimera is, at its core, a linear shooter that has an emphasis on story. "

The core combat in La Quimera works well enough; guns feel good to use, and coupled with some of the exosuit powers you start getting as you progress through the game, it becomes very easy to start feeling like an unstoppable murder machine. Mobility is simple too; while you don’t get fancy jets or double jumps, you do get a quick dodge, a tall jump, and the ability to completely ignore fall damage. Unfortunately, none of the levels feel like they were designed to take advantage of any of these mobility options, and even the grappling hook you get early on is seldom used outside of cutscenes every now and then.

The progression feels pretty well done too. Taking on missions and finding collectibles will earn you cash, which you can then spend between missions to unlock new weapons and other tools. While far from being a radical new method of player progression, the system in La Quimera works well thanks to its simplicity.

You can carry two weapons at any given time: a primary and a secondary. Each weapon is also further divided into what kind of ammo it uses, be it regular ballistic ammo, or energy ammo. While the former is good for general-purpose shooting, the latter becomes useful to take down enemies that have shields. In gameplay terms, you use ballistic weapons for enemies with red health bars, and energy weapons for enemies with blue health bars. Things can get slightly more complex with enemies that have an energy shield that has to be depleted before you switch to doing damage with your ballistic weapon.

Ultimately, this ammo-type system doesn’t really matter much in the long run. Once you unlock powerful-enough weapons, you don’t really have to care about switching between your primary or secondary weapons. Rather, that decision will often come down to how much ammo you have left in which weapon. I personally found myself sticking to a single weapon regardless of what kind of damage was expected of me, only switching to my secondary when I ran out of ammo.

"Ultimately, this ammo-type system doesn’t really matter much in the long run."

La Quimera is plagued with issues, ranging from random dips in frame rate, to poorly-animated cutscenes. While I first believed the dips in frame rates might be because the game might be too heavy for my relatively beefy rig – a Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, 32 GB of DDR5-6000 RAM, and a Radeon RX 7800 XT GPU – other, busier parts of the game still playing out fine with the frame rate staying well over 60 indicates that there might be some deeper optimisation issues. The early-game base you get is especially problematic in this regard; there is little in the way of gameplay elements in the base, and yet the frame rate often struggles to maintain a stable 45 FPS. Generally speaking, the overall poor performance, along with animations that often glitch out, feel more symptomatic of the studio not getting enough time to further polish the title.

The game also loves to constantly steal control away from the player in order to play out a cutscene that often feels quite unnecessary. Even the first level of the game is full of this; while it is supposed to be a tutorial of sorts, you seldom get more than two or three minutes of play time before yet another cutscene plays out. Sure, this sounds like a rather minor complaint overall, but when you add it all up together, minor annoyances start turning into major issues.

One department where La Quimera definitely deserves praise is its world. Its vision of a dystopian cyberpunk Latin American country is incredibly interesting, especially since Latin America is seldom represented in games in general. While we don’t really get to explore too much of Nuevo Caracas and its surrounding areas, the world still feels like one I’d love to check out more with future titles. While the story isn’t quite as good as it could have been considering the setting, some of the more mystical aspects also tended to add quite a bit of flavour to what is already shaping out to be an incredibly interesting setting.

"Its vision of a dystopian cyberpunk Latin American country is incredibly interesting"

Speaking of the story, the premise is quite interesting. You are a fresh recruit in a PMC (private military company), Paloma, that is constantly on the brink of bankruptcy. Luckily for you, your very first real mission puts the PMC in an awkward situation between the members of the upper class of Nuevo Caracas, a shady corporation that is not above partaking in unethical human experimentation for the purposes of war profiteering, as well as other PMCs that are trying to make a name for themselves. While the overall setup for the story is quite interesting, especially from the second mission onwards, the story feels quite poorly paced overall. Things often move along at what feels like the speed of light, and aside the time you get between missions, major plot beats rarely ever get the chance to breathe.

How the story is told also feels quite awkward. While there are a lot of cutscenes in La Quimera, they all tend to be quite poorly animated, and sometimes, even have incredibly weird-looking characters that tend to veer off into the uncanny valley. Dialog lip syncing is also terrible, with characters exaggerating the lip movements that one would otherwise expect from the words they are trying to say, and the game will happily play dialog from different characters over each other at the same time without caring about what is important plot information and what is just background banter between two unnamed NPCs.

Ultimately, La Quimera feels like a game that may have been too ambitious for the time that Reburn had to make it. Whether played solo or in co-op, La Quimera delivers the same story-driven, combat-focused experience.While there is a decent enough foundation underneath all of the problems that we could get a good game eventually, in its current state, the fact that La Quimera doesn’t overstay its welcome thanks to its short campaign (roughly 5 hours) is a good thing. The host of quality issues throughout the title would have made it quite difficult to recommend the game, were it not for its interesting world, serviceable gameplay, and short runtime.

This game was reviewed on PC.

CEO Dmytro Lymar apologized on the game’s Discord, stating that the team has been “working hard” on the title. “We are trying our best to address the matters as quickly as possible while also navigating the circumstances we’re faced with here in the Ukraine.”

In an update, the developer noted that it’s “still working” with Steam on technical issues. It hopes to share an updated release date “soon,” though there’s no ETA.

The exact nature of the issues is unknown. However, initial reviews for the title were negative, with WCCF Tech criticizing the story and various bugs that plague the experience. XboxEra was similarly scathing, noting 125 minutes of total playtime (a stark contrast to the previously touted five hours) across three missions with “on-the-nose writing” and “zero likeable characters.” Both publications scored it a four out of ten.

Stay tuned for updates on La Quimera and its release date in the coming days. In the meantime, check out our feature for everything you should know.

Here are 15 things you need to know about it before you pick it up.

From the Devs of the Metro Series

The studio behind this new FPS has a history developing the Metro series. Just this year, 4A Games (the Metro studio) split into two groups, with one continuing development of the Metro games in their main Malta location and the other working on La Quimera. La Quimera is being developed under the re-branded Reburn studio in Kyiv Ukraine.

Uses the 4A Graphics Engine

Like the aforementioned Metro games, La Quimera utilizes the team’s proprietary 4A graphics engine to good effect. The destructible environments characteristic of 4A’s PhysX engine seem to be absent from the gameplay that we’ve seen, though. At least destructible bottles and elemental effects such as fires burning oiled surfaces are present. La Quimera looks graphically impressive, but time will tell if it really runs as good as previews suggest at release.

3-Player Co-op

One of the most promising features of La Quimera is the 3-player co-op campaign. That’s right, like the glory days of the Halo series, La Quimera’s primary campaign is fully playable with two other players. The catch is that co-op functionality is relegated to online only. It doesn’t seem like Split Fiction is getting another couch co-op contender this year after all.

Story-Driven FPS Similar to Halo

And since the campaign is the catch-all mode of the game, naturally there’s a lot of story focus. Heck, the game’s advertising labels it as a ‘story-driven FPS’ first and foremost. And one look at any promotional material instantly gives off Halo vibes; this is by design. They both have similar sci-fi settings and prominently feature exosuits in a graphically intensive FPS game.

Plot is About Mercenaries in a Dystopian Sci-fi World

But what’s the story about? Well, it’s set in a dystopian future (shocker) within Latin America (okay, that’s more unique). Global infrastructure has been upended by a litany of disasters, both natural and self-inflicted, causing mercenary groups to police the many microstates. In the story missions we’ve seen, there appears to be lots of internal quarreling between factions and an emphasis on government intrigue.

Set in a Sci-fi Latin America

I can’t really think of the last time a game was set in Latin America, so La Quimera provides some unique flavor in that regard. The game has contrasting biomes to vary up the scenery, ranging from wild jungles to a dense megalopolis concrete jungle.

Lots of Mobility

Such an untamed landscape requires mobility, something this game provides plenty of. As a PMC mercenary, your exoskeleton allows for quick movement not unlike that found in Halo games. There’s your usual sprint, but also a quick lateral side step in either direction, vaulting over platforms, and a high jump. We haven’t seen any jetpack ability yet or an upgraded double jump, but here’s hoping we can level up our traversal further in some way.

Customizable Exoskeleton

There’s been a lot of emphasis put on the superhuman exoskeletons in La Quimera, and rightfully so. Exoskeletons are a beloved component of many sci-fi games and players haven’t really experienced such a mechanic in other FPSs lately. In this game, there’s four exoskeleton pieces: head, body, arms, and legs. It’s possible to mix and match these pieces for a range of different stat bonuses fashion purposes. In the armory menu, helmets each have a cool visor animation as you select the head piece. Here’s hoping the HUD changes based on head piece too.

Missions Are Taken as Contracts From a Hub Area

As a mercenary PMC (private military company), you return to the local base of operations after every contract. The gameplay demonstration doesn’t indicate just how explorable the hideout is due to story and character moments railroading the sequence, but it’s likely you can roam around this area. The contracts themselves contain a list of parameters for each mission. These include the client name and order type, which basically indicates the objective. There’s also urgency, which tells you when the mission disappears, level of payment, time of day, and forecast. Each contract has a difficulty you can set before heading out too. Before going on a mission, it’s important to check out the Armory.

Loadouts Can Be Customized From the Armory Menu

Within the Armory, you can name each of your loadouts. Loadouts are comprised of a primary weapon, secondary weapon, all four exoskeleton pieces, an assault device, support device, and grenade type. It’s also here in the Armory where you get a good view of your character and their cosmetic exoskeleton. The special animations for each exoskeleton piece is a nice touch.

All Equipment Can Be Upgraded. And You Get Exp for Everything You Do

Every individual weapon, exoskeleton, and device can be leveled up. This is not such a difficult thing to do considering all the constant experience obtained from every little action done within contract missions. During combat, experience numbers pop up after every well-aimed shot and kill. We don’t know if these numbers can be turned off yet, but we can expect quite a bit of grind to upgrade the best equipment to a high level.

Numerous Devices To Use in Combat

La Quimera isn’t just resting on its shooting laurels; there’s lots of other ways to engage in a firefight besides neat sci-fi guns. The scanner device is particularly interesting as it seems to allow penetration through thin walls and enemy cover (though, this is not yet confirmed). A neon outline is  shown around enemies, allowing the player to easily track enemy movement. Camouflage is another device shown, and it acts just like you’d expect, cloaking the player briefly with invisibility. We see some other devices like hacking and drones within the Armory menu, so there’s plenty of ways to engage in the battlefield besides just guns and grenades.

Enemy Types

If you like sci-fi robot enemies, you’re in luck. La Quimera promises to be chalk-full of cool mechanical menaces. Some of the most dynamic moments of the gameplay involves getting jump-scared by wall-climbing spider drones and whizzing flying bots. Some of these robotic enemies seem to behave like insects. What’s more, as the Steam page points out, most robot enemies are resistant to conventional weapons, requiring tools such as hacking or elemental damage to disable them for good. Of course, you’ll be fighting plenty of other humans too; a good variety of them considering the range of factions vying for dominance in the setting.

AI Combat Assistant

I hope you’re fond of AI voice assistants in games because La Quimera features one in a prominent way. The female voiced AI assistant gives intel about combat encounters in real-time. Super low on health? No need to look at the HUD since the assistant will chirp in warning you to heal. What may ruin some of the challenge and immersion is how the combat assistant alerts players about snipers nested just out of sight. It’d be cool if there was an option to toggle this combat assistant on and off for those who want a less hand-holdy experience.

Platforms, Price, and Release Date

As of the date of publishing this video, Reburn hasn’t updated us yet on the console platforms La Quimera is aiming to release on. It currently only has plans for a PC launch. It will release on April 25 date and will be priced at $29.99. Time will tell when we’ll get an update regarding the potential console launch details of La Quimera.

When asked about La Quimera‘s focus on narrative might mean that it won’t have a semi-open world like we saw in Metro Exodus, Kostiuk said that it was a conscious decision by the studio to focus on making use of narrative acts that will guide players through the story.

“Yes, we are highly focused on delivering a tight, story-driven experience where the narrative acts as a guide for the player through the world of the game,” said Kostiuk. “As a result, we’ve chosen a more linear approach for the design of our locations. That said, players will still be able to discover secret areas and optional zones that aren’t required for the main storyline.”

Kostiuk also spoke about how the studio is approaching the idea of developing more content for the game. Since it is a much tighter and more linear experience than the studio’s previous works, it is currently considering how it can bring in more content for players while still sticking to its narrative focus.

“The development of additional content for La Quimera is still in progress, and we’re carefully considering how best to expand on the experience while staying true to the core narrative,” said Kostiuk.

On the question of how long La Quimera will take to finish, Kostiuk said that the studio wanted to focus on making a shorter game that offers up a tight experience. He explained that this comes from the hardships and challenges the studio faced due to the war in Ukraine.

“Given the challenges we faced during the development of La Quimera due to the war in Ukraine, we made the decision to focus on a more compact experience while still including the most essential elements of the game,” explained.

According to Kostiuk, the main storyline of La Quimera will take seasoned FPS players around 5 hours to finish. He does point out, however, that more content is available in La Quimera in the form of additional challenges, as well as co-op gameplay that can also do quite a bit in extending play time.

“The main storyline for a solo player will take seasoned FPS fans around 5 hours to complete,” said Kostiuk. “If you are looking for some additional challenge with your friends playing cooperatively, this should extend your playtime by quite a few hours.”

La Quimera will be coming to PC on April 25. Leading up to its release, this weekend, the shooter will also be giving players a taste of things to come through a 24-hour closed beta that will throw players in the middle of a “pivotal mid-game mission”. This beta will be playable both solo as well as in co-op.

Retailing for $29.99, the first-person shooter will receive a closed-beta test for limited participants on April 12th at 7 AM PT. It includes a “pivotal mid-game mission” playable alone and in co-op but only for 24 hours. 

In a press release, Dmytro Lymar, studio CEO and co-founder, said, “Our Reburn team can’t wait to finally share our hard work and vision for La Quimera with players on April 25. Ahead of our release, we invite players to join us in our closed beta to get an early look at the co-op experience for our vision of Nuevo Caracas and far beyond.

“As a development studio operating out of Ukraine, the last several years have been extremely challenging in terms of bringing any artistic creation to life while contending with the realities of war and dramatic shifts in the games industry. Through it all, we stayed focused on what we love: Creating immersive, story-driven experiences.

“Our work wouldn’t be possible without the bravery and sacrifice of those defending Ukraine, and we’re profoundly grateful for their strength and resilience. We’re also truly thankful to everyone who supported and believed in us along the way.”

Set in 2064 Latin America, consisting of multiple microstates, players control an operative embroiled in a “web of lies and deception.” Players will venture across a megalopolis and jungle, taking on other factions with a customizable exoskeleton, various abilities (like outlining enemies through walls) and weapons. Between hostile robots and elite mercenaries, there are a lot of enemies to deal with.

Stay tuned for more details on La Quimera, especially when its closed beta goes live. You can also learn more about Reburn and its transition from the 4A Games Ukraine here.

Metro developer 4A Games has since stated, “We are 4A Games. We are the team that created and built the Metro games you know and love. We’re still making the next Metro with Dmitry Glukhovsky, the same core founders, leadership, developers, and nearly 20 years of experience on the series. We also have our other new IP project in the works. We’ll reveal more about both when we’re ready.”

4A Games is Ukraine-based, with studios in Kyiv and Sliema. While there are remote workers and developers in Malta, about 150 of its 200+ team members reside in Ukraine.

“In 2014, we, led by the original ‘four A’s’ – the founders of 4A Games – formed ‘4A Games Limited’ and created a new HQ in Malta with roughly 50 of our fellow team members. We have since grown and work to this day on Metro under contract with Deep Silver and Plaion.”

It revealed a close working relationship with 4A Games Ukraine, who also assisted with Metro Exodus. After the title and its DLC were released, 4A Games formed another studio in Kyiv with “roughly” 50 more developers. Meanwhile, 4A Games Ukraine sought to pursue La Quimera as a “completely separate entity,” which it renamed to Reburn.

“We wish them every success,” said 4A Games. However, it assured fans, “The 4A Games you know and love have not changed, and we are not rebranding. We are the same developers of Metro that brought you Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, Metro Redux, and Metro Exodus.” The developer is looking forward to the 15th anniversary of Metro 2033 later this month and showcasing what it’s been working on at a “later date.”

La Quimera is in development for PC, though it doesn’t have a release date. As for the next Metro game, Deep Silver assured in February 2024 that its development will continue. Stay tuned for updates in the coming months.

La Quimera will use Latin America as its main setting, with the game taking place in a megalopolis alongside a lush jungle. Its story is written by Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, The Neon Demon), and E.J.A. Warren. According to the press release announcing La Quimera, its story will combine advanced sci-fi weaponry and technology with Latin American folklore.

The story takes place in the year 2064, in a world where most nations have gone extinct thanks to a series of catastrophes that took place between the 2030s and 2040s. While most of the world is ruled by microstates, there is constant conflict between them and corporations.

“Reburn is proud to introduce La Quimera, which draws upon our success crafting narrative-driven shooter games for the Metro game series,” said Reburn founder and CEO Dmytro Lymar in the press release. “We look forward to sharing this mysterious new world with players and hope they revel in suiting up to join the fight.”

While primarily a story-driven shooter, La Quimera will also feature co-op multiplayer for up to three total players. Players will get to make use of a host of different weapons and abilities as they make their way through the game’s story, thanks to the exosuit that the player’s character is equipped with. These exosuits can be customised for different needs, depending on the needs of the mission.

Currently in development for PC, La Quimera doesn’t yet have a release date.