LifeisXbox’s Tesla Force Review | It’s time to get geared up and ready to fight off invasions of threatening horrors that are attacking your world, causing chaos everywhere in their wake. Tesla Force is all about using everything you have and anything you can find to fight off hordes of terrors to protect your land. In this procedurally-generated, rogue-lite, top-down shooter, there will be little to no rest as intense firefights will break out as you teleport around each arena while not only trying to stay alive but while completing various objectives to move forward towards even deadlier creatures that lurk in the shadows. With new game+ also being present, the difficulty will be increasing every time you complete the campaigns for additional threats. Tesla Force has been developed and published 10tons Ltd. to create absolute massacres in an intense invasion in which you must fight back and survive. Use all you have at your disposal, make a plan of action, and prepare for the biggest fight of your life.
ℹ️ | VicciVulpix played Tesla Force for Six Hours on Xbox One S. This game is also available on Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Microsoft Windows, and Android.
What we liked!
- Rogue-lite approach | I don’t know about everyone else but I adore the idea behind rogue-lite games. It adds a sense of worry as you can’t die and just respawn. I understand most games will give you some kind of ‘game over’ when you inevitably die but losing your playthrough perks, weapons, progress – creates a whole other meaning. Yes, on the odd occasion you will have a similar (if not identical) playthrough but the idea of having to start from scratch and getting to make different choices is exciting for me. Also, the drops could be different. You may find health at a crucial time when the end of your run may be looming. The horde may spawn differently. Different perks may assist you. There is plenty of variety.
- Choose your route | As you progress through Tesla Force, you will be greeted with a range of missions that you must complete successfully to progress towards the final boss. On the plus side, you will be able to make your choice as to which path you want to take. You may find one type of mission easier or more enjoyable for example and decide to take that particular route. As upgrades become available, there will be one that allows you to see the entire map and routes for each node, making you aware of what is coming up next. Destroy statues, kill elite enemies, fix equipment; it’s up to you. Also, you will be shown the type of reward you’ll be working towards; whether it’s a perk or weapon upgrade which may also influence your choice.
- Graphics | The mayhem is set with a somewhat subtle neon-looking appearance with its bright lighting setup but I would also say it still manages to look really good. Pleasing to look at, the quality of the visuals themself are quite crisp and show a decent amount of detail. Altogether, Tesla Force has merged chaos, detail, and colour to make what I would describe as a futuristic slaughter because while you’re in combat, it gives off a very scientific feeling. I must mention the environment itself too. The campaigns all have a different standard environment but they all pop with detail and colour. Let us just say you’ll be fighting off huge monstrosities but you’ll be doing it in incredible style.
- Obtainable upgrades | Weapons, perks, abilities, and more can all be bought and upgraded in Tesla Force. Throughout your multiple playthroughs, there will be two different resources you can find that tend to drop from enemies – crystals and energy cells. Crystals are used in the main hub that allows you to purchase permanent upgrades that can make all your runs smoother in places. Energy cells, on the other hand, are used to activate gadgets and to buy upgrades or boosts during your runs should you want/need to but these will not be available should you fail your run.
- Controls and mechanics | The mechanic of using dual-sticks (one for aiming the other for running) is something I’ve grown to like over time, especially with top-down games such as Tesla Force. It allows flexibility, therefore, allowing you to focus easier. Personally speaking, the controls are fairly straightforward and are not complex in any way. Shoot with RT, teleport with the LB, swap weapons with X, B to enter your mech, and press LT to use your selected ability. In the grand scheme of things, Tesla Force is easy and smooth to play; once you get used to the speed of everything that is.
- Doomsday clock | Now this is a fantastic addition to what is already a fast-paced game. The doomsday clock is present in every run; but what does it do exactly? Well, the doomsday clock will start once you enter your first zone and the longer you leave it ticking, the harder the enemies will become. It gives an incentive to not stick around any longer than you have to, working perfectly with the pace. However, that is of course your choice. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you may stay in levels for as long as you want, even after completing the main objective. Adding another element in the doomsday clock was a great idea by the team.
Somewhere between
- Inclusion of co-op | Tesla Force does come with the option of co-op for up to four players so you can slaughter hordes together with your friends or other players. Of course, Tesla Force can be played solo and this is how I spent my time playing. The reason I brought up this point in my in-between section is that I can only imagine with the amount of gunfire, enemies, and close combat quarters that you may struggle to see much of what is happening. If it’s pure mayhem playing solo, then the thought of amplifying everything in the vicinity certainly does not appeal to me. Some people may like the incredibly over-the-top madness that takes place but I think some people will also stand with me in regards to this point.
- Audio | Although the audio could have been much worse, it could have also benefited from being improved in a few places. The soundtrack behind Tesla Force certainly matches the fast pace, action, and mayhem that occurs which is absolutely fantastic and certainly gets your heart racing with adrenaline when combined. However, my issue with the audio was in regards to the lack of voice-overs and the quality of sound effects. There is no speech in Tesla Force – No taunts, no cockiness, no shouting, no screams of pain that would have provided some well-deserved emotion, and at times, laughter to add to the fun factor. I also thought the shooting, pick-ups, and enemies didn’t sound very crisp which was not too nice on the ears but only a handful of times. This may just be due to overlapping audio in places though.
- Use of your mech | One mechanic I found pleasant was the use of your mech. Whenever you start a new level, you start by landing in your mech and can use its mechanics (weaponry and dash) to clear the beginning of your entrance. However, after being used for a set amount of time or taking a set amount of damage, you will be thrown out and your mech temporarily destroyed. Why temporarily you may ask; because while fighting off hordes, parts of your once-loved mech will be scattered around the area. If you manage to retrieve each part, you will have the option to call your mech in again at a moments notice. I believe this should have been harder to procure, or more parts should be needed to assemble the mech as it does clear relatively well and can pick up power-ups. For something this strong, you should have to work harder for it.
What we disliked
- Repetitive levels | During your various playthroughs in Tesla Force, you will take multiple different routes depending on which nodes you decide to conquer to get to the final boss. However, once you’ve perhaps done a couple of runs in the same chapter, you know what lays ahead and there isn’t any surprise factor as the paths always stay the same. I would have liked to see this be randomised to emphasize the rogue-lite element. Once you know the main objective for the different options available, it’s based more on your preference as to what you enjoy doing the most rather than the element of surprise.
- Frustrating environment | Unfortunately with the massive amount of commotion at any given moment, I did find myself getting stuck on multiple different occasions. Whether it was the environment, objects, or enemies; it became relatively annoying and caused me to take damage that ultimately could have ended my runs on numerous instances. Getting stuck in games where once you die you are forced to restart can be a real bane and yes, it did happen to me a couple of times. Trust me, when I was near the end of the chapter and died due to this, I had to take a break to allow myself to calm down from the prior events.
- Not enough story presence | A point I will always bring up is background, story, and the lore of characters but sadly, there was a scarcity of these in Tesla Force. The majority of games you play that have multiple selectable characters, in my opinion, should always spend some time adding a descriptive and intriguing background to them. To me, it brings the game together and creates a personality for them instead of just looking and basing your choice on stats. A greater depth of background would have been appreciated, as then you are given the chance to understand your surroundings, events that lead to the event, why these people in particular, and even combat to an extent.
How long to beat the story | Approximately 6-8 Hours
How long to achieve 1000G | Approximately 6-8 Hours
Similar with | Tesla vs Lovecraft, Neon Chrome, HyperParasite
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Hello, I’m Victoria. I’m from the UK and have been playing video games for as long as I can remember; back on DreamCast. I’ve pretty much fallen for Xbox since I was around eight years old and remember BioShock being my first game on the Xbox360. Although I find it thoroughly enjoyable to not only experience gameplay, I also find comfort in getting lost and engrossed in the online worlds that sometimes differ greatly from what we know. Another side of my Xbox passion would be achievement hunting and gamerscore. I thrive when I hear the little sound of one popping up on the screen and I’m always finding ways to work on my backlog when possible. Horror is my favourite genre so if you have any recommendations, don’t be afraid to send them my way!
