The Land Beneath Us Review (PlayStation 5)

The Land Beneath Us Review is a turn-based rogue-lite dungeon crawler rooted in Welsh mythology. Unleash skill combos and wield stylish weaponry in Annwn’s Underworld. Conquer the Seven Lords, save The Creator, and retrieve vital Soul-Tech.

The Land Beneath Us Review Pros:

  • Decent graphics.
  • 554.2MB download size.
  • Platinum trophy.
  • Controller settings – can remap controls.
  • Gameplay settings – movement mode (hold/toggle), camera glitch effect, and vibration.
  • Three save slots.
  • In-game cutscenes and character interactions.
  • You can skip the cutscenes.
  • Basic tutorial choice at the beginning.
  • Weapon slots have a system where you can replace the equipped weapon with a new one, if it’s the same weapon then it upgrades that weapon.
  • You have four weapon slots and this means whichever direction you move or are facing then that’s the weapon you use.
  • Attacking is done automatically and you just have to walk into them.
  • The actual attacking loop is real-time and you see the red squares where you push enemies and the yellow squares show where an enemy will attack and you have time to move out of the way sometimes.
  • Skip turn allows you to avoid a yellow square but enemies can get closer to you.
  • The lab is your central hub area where you can use the soul tech upgrade station.
  • Abred progress is the upgrade tree you put chips into to increase stats and health and add modifiers and abilities to future runs.
  • Soul tech upgrades let you upgrade armor, earn more gold, and start a gold amount increase.
  • The whole game plays out on grids within a room or arena setting.
  • Roguelike gameplay.
  • At the start of a run, you get a choice of three starting weapons and choose one of three random artifacts.
  • Very addictive.
  • It sounds a lot but it is broken down in such a way that it’s accessible and you are able to pick it up pretty fast.
  • Beautiful locations.
  • Has a real puzzle feel to it as you plan your movements because enemies move after you move and attacks matter.
  • The archives details and catalogs all encountered – weapons, relics, enemies, and bosses. It also houses logs and tutorials.
  • Brilliant soundtrack.
  • Simple controls to learn.
  • Earn cash and buy new items at the merchants you encounter.
  • Icons above exits tell you what to expect on the other side.
  • Treasure chests can be found and you use coins to unlock them.
  • Big boss encounters.
  • Possible to enhance relics to make them better.
  • End of run breakdown after death.
  • There is a quest computer in the lab and you get bonus rewards for finishing them and you get a running progress report.
  • Gold is used in runs, and S (soul) credits are earned at the end of the run and used for the permanent upgrades in the lab.
  • Every run, level, enemy, etc is randomized.
  • There is a run based progress bar at the top of the screen as you play.
  • Very moreish game.

The Land Beneath Us Review Cons:

  • Found it really easy to miss pick-ups.
  • Initially, the pool of weapons and relics is small, and runs all feel the same.
  • Wish the game went into more detail about upgrades and that.
  • At times it can be hard to judge combat placements.
  • Boss fights are huge steps up in terms of difficulty.
  • It never really felt like I knew the story or characters.

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The Land Beneath Us:

Official website.

Developer: FairPlay Studios

Publisher: PID Games

Store Links – 

PlayStation

  • 8/10
    Graphics - 8/10
  • 8/10
    Sound - 8/10
  • 8/10
    Accessibility - 8/10
  • 8/10
    Length - 8/10
  • 8/10
    Fun Factor - 8/10
8/10

Summary

The Land Beneath Us boasts decent graphics and a brilliant soundtrack that enhances the overall gaming experience. It has a download size of 554.2MB and offers a platinum trophy. The game provides controller settings where you can remap controls and gameplay settings like movement mode (hold/toggle), camera glitch effect, and vibration. It offers three save slots and features in-game cutscenes and character interactions, which can be skipped if desired.

The game starts with a basic tutorial and has a system where you can replace or upgrade the equipped weapon. The attacking loop is real-time, and the game plays out on grids within a room or arena setting, giving it a roguelike gameplay feel. The game is very addictive and has beautiful locations. It also has a real puzzle feel to it as you plan your movements.

The game offers a lab as your central hub area where you can use the Soul Tech upgrade station. The Abred progress is the upgrade tree you put chips into to increase stats and health and add modifiers and abilities to future runs. The archives detail and catalog all encountered – weapons, relics, enemies, and bosses. It also houses logs and tutorials.

Despite its many positives, the game does have some drawbacks. It can be easy to miss pick-ups, and initially, the pool of weapons and relics is small, making runs feel the same. There’s a desire for the game to go into more detail about upgrades. At times, it can be hard to judge combat placements, and the boss fights are a huge step up in terms of difficulty. The game’s story and characters could be better developed as it never really felt like you knew them.

Overall, The Land Beneath Us is a game that offers a unique blend of features that make it stand out. It’s an addictive game with decent graphics, a brilliant soundtrack, and a variety of gameplay settings. However, it does have some drawbacks, such as a lack of detail about upgrades and difficulty judging combat placements. Despite these issues, the game is a must-play for fans of the genre as they have made not only an accessible game but one with a lot of charm and depth with unique mechanics that make it a standout in the field.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!