Review of "Reincarnation of Life and Death": This cyber detective only likes to fight

Before officially starting the game, I wasn't really optimistic about it. In recent years, there have been too many games with "cyberpunk" as the main element, many of which have good creativity, but the final implementation of the idea has performed very poorly. So when I first saw "Saibo" and "meat pigeon" in "Life and Death Reincarnation," I didn't have much expectations either.

After getting started with the game for a while, I found that it was better than I had imagined. Excellent scene art, fast-paced and tactile battles, and a more sophisticated plot all make me more willing to endure some of the shortcomings of the game. I want to see how the protagonist crosses life and death, searching for the secrets behind the case in endless cycles.

Chinese elements in Cyber City

Starting with the review, I would like to talk about the Chinese elements in this game. Although "Reincarnation of Life and Death" does not focus on "national style" as its main selling point, it is still evident that a lot of effort has been put into details such as art, music, and dubbing.

For example, the story stage of "Reincarnation of Life and Death" fictionalizes the city of Longcheng, and the detective Xiang Zixu, played by the player, needs to go to various parts of the city to find the key to solving the case. Among them, the scenes of "Longxi Town" and "Tang Dynasty Hotel" have a strong Chinese flavor.

, this game art is really good

Longxi Town is the first map of the game, so it left a deeper impression on me. The aging buildings and small advertisements on the walls, as well as the layout of streets and shops, are familiar no matter how you look at them. The only difference is the addition of a thick layer of cyberpunk filters.

Very familiar street layout

The dazzling neon lights may be the most common cyberpunk element, and "Reincarnation of Life and Death" is not uncommon, but upon closer inspection, it is not difficult to see that the production team has also planted some memes inside. For example, the scene of "Deng Dalang Bookstore" is just a meme of "Deng Dualang". Looking at the "Fu Ge Rui SPA" above, the word "Ge" still malfunctioned and didn't light up. They are really skilled at playing jokes.

There are many interesting memes buried in the scene of

The map of Tang Dynasty hotels follows a different style, like a bustling commercial square. The huge sculptures in the vicinity are very unique to China, and no matter what, there must be a prominent sculpture on the square. Farther away are towering buildings by the river, and the huge holographic projection highlights the futuristic sense of technology in the city.

is the bustling city center in the distance

, it's like the entrance to a square or shopping center

In the latter half of the hotel, there is also a stunning scene that I find very stunning. The game scene in this area will be blocked by the calligraphy and paintings on both sides, and I cannot directly see the characters, only their shadows. At this point, Xiang Zixu's smooth attacking movements became the finishing touch of the scene, with each move having a unique Eastern charm.

The combination of literature and martial arts in

After discussing the scene, let's talk about other Chinese elements of the game. In the game, the protagonist Xiang Zixu needs to deal with a large number of gang members, most of whom are "elegant and easy-going". To show etiquette, they will greet Xiang Zixu's family when meeting, so the most essential thing in the game is various vulgar language. The production team even specially recorded vulgar language with different accents, which can be said to be flashy and also in line with the background of the mixed population of Cyber City in the setting.

, after all, is the leader of the mafia, full of vulgar language

Although I personally find these details quite interesting, not everyone can accept being scolded by NPCs while playing games. At first, they were questioned by some players. So the production team quickly reduced the frequency of enemy shouting in the first update of the game and added the "civilized language" option. Players who don't like to listen to vulgar language can simply turn on the switch in the settings.

Of course, not all familiar elements are so down-to-earth. For example, the music performance on the second floor of a Tang Dynasty hotel is a relatively high-end example, which left a deep impression on me. When Xiang Zixu arrived at the Tang Dynasty hotel, he happened to encounter the famous "Women's Forty Eight Music Studio" playing "Jasmine Flower". Coupled with the magnificent scene, every time I passed by, I couldn't help but stay and listen to the music for a while longer.

, take a break and listen to the melody

As the background of the story, this Chinese style cyber city actually blends many elements, including some interesting small details. However, the real motivation that attracts me to repeatedly explore the secrets of cases throughout the city is still detective Xiang Zixu, who is the protagonist.

A detective trapped in a case

In "Reincarnation of Life and Death," the protagonist Xiang Zixu receives an urgent task to investigate a disappearance case related to a female journalist. The tricky thing is that this disappearance case is related to the local gang, so it is appropriate to hand it over to Xiang Zixu.

Across from , it looks like there are some hard stubbles

In my impression, detectives in games usually investigate the crime scene, gather clues, and then deduce the full picture of the case. If it is necessary to demonstrate the extraordinary skills of the detective, this setting will arrange several battles for the protagonist, but they will all be focused on solving the case.

But "Reincarnation of Life and Death" is different. This game emphasizes combat rather than detective work. As a detective, the protagonist Xiang Zixu relies not on reasoning but on fighting to solve cases. Every time, he directly targets suspicious individuals, breaks through numerous defenses, and interrogates them face-to-face, without playing any tricks.

However, this time Xiang Zixu was ambushed while investigating the disappearance case. He was supposed to die and woke up in his apartment in an instant. Time returned to the morning when he accepted the commission of the case, and everything that had just happened seemed like a dream. This case is very dangerous, involving too many forces behind it. The ability to make a comeback after death is exactly what Xiang Zixu needs. He plans to use this ability to uncover the truth hidden behind the event.

: Every time a reincarnation occurs, one person wakes up in their own apartment

However, the setting of reincarnation is relatively rough in the game process. In theory, every time Xiang Zixu reincarnates, he will gain some new intelligence, try to change what will happen in the future through different choices, or think about the limits of his abilities in continuous reincarnation. This setting will also be displayed multiple times in the plot.

can obtain some new intelligence through reincarnation

However, due to the limited production scale, the number of related dialogues is not as large, which occasionally makes me feel that this is not a new cycle. For example, weapon merchants and intelligence officers will appear continuously 3 to 4 times in a scene, sometimes guiding Xiang Zixu's battles, and sometimes bringing new intelligence to Xiang Zixu. They can be said to be the most familiar NPCs in the game. But some conversations have already taken place in the previous cycle, and the protagonist still remains unchanged, just like when we first talked about this topic, which greatly affects my sense of immersion.

, please. I've heard these reminders before. Can you talk about something else

In addition, the game has a linear process, and except for different endings, the entire investigation process will not have significant changes. In each cycle, you must first investigate the gang leader Wei Long, and then he will definitely escape from your hands, and then he will appear in another scene waiting for you to defeat him. No matter how many times I challenge myself, I have to investigate this case in the established order.

This feeling, rather than starting a new cycle, feels more like Xiang Zixu being trapped in an infinite cycle of cases.

trapped in it but unable to escape

Fortunately, the multi ending design of the game can still reflect the theme of reincarnation. Players can ask Xiang Zixu to collect clues from different places at specific points in time based on the intelligence obtained. These choices will affect the development of the case like a butterfly effect, and ultimately guide Xiang Zixu towards different outcomes.

Collecting clues from different places can indeed affect the subsequent development of the game

In a certain ending, Xiang Zixu was eager to solve the case and failed to protect his family, regretting the choice he made; In some cases, Xiang Zixu chose to give up solving the case in order to protect his family, which led many innocent citizens into the conspiracy of the villains. His family also fell into the trap of the enemy by chance, and he realized that everything was useless.

I can only say that the quality of these endings may vary from person to person, but for me, trying different options to have the best family happy ending was a major motivation for me to play the role of Xiang Zixu in investigating the disappearance case again after completing a cycle, and another major motivation came from fighting.

This detective is particularly skilled at fighting

As mentioned earlier, although Xiang Zixu is a detective, he is particularly skilled at fighting. Other detectives may carry investigative tools, at most a handgun for self-defense. But carrying a bunch of weapons on his back, like a detective in a mobile arsenal, Xiang Zixu is probably the only one left.

Xiang Zixu has a total of four different weapons, namely melee weapons, firearms, tactical props, and chip skills.

consists of melee weapons, firearms, tactical props, and chip skills from left to right

Close combat weapons are the main means of output during combat. Not only do they have a solid attacking feel, but they also have a wide variety of weapon types. You can see different types of weapons such as fists, clubs, and swords. Moreover, there are significant differences in the combat styles of weapons with different positioning. Weapons such as fists and short knives have low single damage but fast attack speed, while long handled weapons have long attack distances but are easily hit hard by enemies. There are also weapons like golf sets that can hit a golf ball after swinging, with damage suitable for medium, far, and close range.

The positioning of firearms and combat props is to contain enemies and perform certain damage output. Although they perform well in debuffs and controlling enemy positions, and their damage is considerable, the ammunition quantity of these two weapons is limited, and there are not many supply points in the scene, so they cannot be fully used as the main weapons.

I personally feel that chip skills are a bit awkward, even if the weapon is upgraded to full damage, it is not excellent, and the CD time is very long. The only advantage is that it does not require consumables, and can be used again after cooling, making the overall feeling quite disappointing during battles.

Overall, apart from the drawback of not having derivative attacks with melee weapons, I am quite satisfied with the combat system of Reincarnation of Life and Death. There are a variety of weapons to choose from, and different weapons can feel the changes in style. In addition, the movements are smooth and the feel is solid, greatly exceeding my expectations.

Seeing this, some friends who have played games may not be able to sit still. The combat experience of this game is not as good as you said, and I am so angry that I want to throw the controller. Indeed, I had the same feeling in the early stages of the game until I completed my first reincarnation.

Some friends who have just started playing "Reincarnation of Life and Death" have reported that the game is too difficult. Although the meat pigeon game is a game that keeps players dying and gradually growing, the feeling this game gives me is that it is rare and unreasonable.

, due to the high difficulty of the game, I'm tired of watching death scenes

The most important point is that some enemies find it very difficult to hit hard and straight. During the period of dominance, the enemy not only finds it difficult to hit hard and straight, but also causes less damage to the enemy. Some enemies will activate their dominance and start attacking as soon as they see the player approaching. At this time, it is best to wait for the enemy's attack to end or move quickly behind the enemy. However, it is not easy to achieve this in practice, which leads to the second difficulty - there are too many traps on the map

In some levels, where traps are densely packed, a large number of enemies will also be arranged to appear. I often get blown up by landmines, and as soon as I get up, I am immediately hit by the enemy. When I get up, I encounter new traps, and half of my blood runs out. I feel like my blood pressure is running high.

The last difficulty, in my opinion, is skill design. There are some very basic and practical skills in the game, such as the shield counter that needs to be learned. If the protagonist defaults to having this skill, I believe it can improve the player's early experience to some extent.

The three points mentioned above made the early experience of "Reincarnation of Life and Death" very uncomfortable, making it difficult to discover the highlights of the combat aspect mentioned above.

At the beginning of the second major cycle of the game, I suddenly realized that the difficulty level had become more reasonable. Although it was somewhat challenging, I was able to handle some complex combat scenes. The reason is not that I have become stronger, but rather the performance growth of the protagonist.

A detective who is getting stronger and stronger

Compared to the first reincarnation, the most direct feeling that the second reincarnation gave me was pleasure. This is not the brainless feeling of being invincible in the world with a knife of 999, but the pleasure that can be fully released after being suppressed. Although there are still so many traps on the map, it is still difficult for enemies who have entered a dominant state to hit hard and straight. However, at this time, Xiang Zixu's strength is enough to allow me to break through a dangerous dragon city.

Having enough health allows me to avoid pitfalls and mistakes without feeling as much frustration. The upgraded weapons give me the power to fight against numerous powerful enemies, and even have some spare energy to create new tricks and try using firearms and props to kill them.

Faced with powerful enemies, one will not worry about being completely defeated

This kind of pleasure makes me truly feel that I am not repeating the previous cycle, but starting a new cycle with an advantage. And all of this is thanks to my investment in the previous cycle, constantly collecting currency to make Xiang Zixu stronger.

In Reincarnation of Life and Death, characters are mainly upgraded using two different currencies: e-coins are mainly used to purchase new equipment and upgrade weapons, and some e-coins will drop after death; The core is mainly used to upgrade character skills and unlock character clothing, which will not drop after death.

In addition to upgrading skills, core can also purchase clothing

Let's first talk about e-coins. There are many ways to obtain e-coin, including killing enemies, completing specific challenges, smashing scene items, and unlocking new collectibles. We can purchase new weapons from weapon merchants or invest in new weapons with money. After unlocking the weapon, the next time you swipe the corresponding weapon near the merchant, you can directly replace it without spending extra e-coins.

It should be noted that not all weapons in "Reincarnation of Life and Death" have the same level of performance. They are divided into white, green, blue, and gold equipment. The better the quality, the stronger the performance of the weapon. The early maps can unlock low-level white equipment, and later maps can buy better quality weapons. Whether to unlock more weapons or keep the money to unlock stronger weapons depends on how the player chooses.

weapons have quality, and the higher the quality, the stronger the weapon

After completing each major scene, Xiang Zixu will return to the detective agency where he can further upgrade his weapons, and the upgraded items will also be inherited in the next cycle. If you get a handy weapon, you can concentrate resources to upgrade it, which increases the chance of passing the level.

The core is relatively rare. After completing a large scene, you can collect a certain number of cores from the director of the detective agency. Completing the challenge and unlocking new collectible items can also earn you some cores.

Don't forget to come to the director's place to collect the currency for upgrading

There are many skills that can be learned using the core, such as increasing character endurance, retaining a certain amount of e-coins when dying, and being able to restore a certain amount of health when health is low. The most important skills among them are the skills with maximum health and maximum health bottle. Ensuring sufficient health can increase my chances of survival, and the sense of defeat after mistakes is not as strong.

, whether in the early or late stages, traps always give me a headache, but if I have enough health, I can still resist them hard

Basically, Xiang Zixu is strong enough to successfully pass through a major cycle and achieve any outcome. The main goal of the game has shifted from surviving the investigation process to choosing different actions, uncovering the secrets behind the case, and achieving different outcomes.

Perhaps the main issue with games now is how many people can overcome the painful early stages of fluency and challenge different endings with stronger Xiang Zixu.

Conclusion: There is a significant difference in experience between the previous and subsequent periods

Overall, I don't think Reincarnation is a game that can be blindly recommended to others. I can feel the highlights of scene art, smooth battles, and storyline, but the drawbacks of unreasonable difficulty settings and poor reincarnation experience are also difficult to ignore.

Although I encountered some troublemakers at the beginning, looking back at the gameplay process of this game, I found that its foundation is not bad. Perhaps adjusting the game difficulty further, continuing to improve the story and dialogue, the player experience will be better than now, and there will be more people who can persist in walking through each cycle with Xiang Zixu.

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