What you need to know
- Bodycam, a bodycam-style game, has launched in early access.
- Developed by Reissad Studio, the game is very similar to Unrecord, another bodycam game teased in early 2023.
- The game received a mixed bag in terms of reviews, which were around 50%.
- Some have issues with the stability of the server, while others point to the lack of content.
Remember that hyper-realistic video game teased last year? The one where the player wore the bodycam? Me, too. That game was Unrecord, and I thought that was it when I saw some preview footage on YouTube a few days ago. The problem is that it isn’t. In fact, it’s a completely different game called Bodycam that just happens to use the same asset pack as Unrecord for one of its maps. Go figure.
Now I won’t be entirely negative here. Unrecord, the original “I can’t believe this is a game” game, was entirely single-player focused. Bodycam, on the other hand, is going after the PvP market. However, it’s hard to overlook the remarkable similarities between the two games, especially when it comes to Bodycam. I’ll post both trailers below so you can compare.
It’s one thing to be inspired by a bodycam-style game, but to use the exact same asset pack for one of your recommended levels? To top it all off, they even use a blurring technique to mask characters’ faces, a feature that was very evident in Unrecord footage. I can tolerate a few similarities, but Bodycam seems to be a blatant copy of Unrecord, while looking worse, and now it’s rated at 50% on Steam.
Looking at the comments, the game is off to a rocky start in terms of server capabilities. After multiple playtests, including a preview build with famous YouTubers, you’d hope there was a bit more stability, which I think is becoming more and more common in the modern gaming era. Early access titles face these issues, and I suppose this is somewhat forgivable considering their development team consists of just two people.
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Here are some reviews:
Unplayable until the developers discover a matchmaking problem. Currently a lobby simulator.
Trey1116
I wanted to like this, but it’s basically a UE5 project with just code to kill players and win a match with great graphics. It’s basically a playable tech demo, except you pay $30 for it.
AGW
$30 tech demo.
Blahaj
Best gaming recommendations
A popular post on the Bodycam discussion page from a user named LilGanja1337 seems to share my sentiments: “Sorry to say, but did anyone really expect this rushed, multiplayer copy of an upcoming single-player game to be any good? This game was doomed by the rushed timeline, the studio having one unfinished game under them, and unoriginal graphic designs, I doubt this game will be extensively updated considering it was a cash grab from the start.
As the user points out, the studio’s other title, Worst World, is still unfinished. Seeing a single unfinished game as the only history for a developer never bodes well when it comes to how a game will turn out. It doesn’t quite spell doom, but it’s definitely a bad sign.
What do you think? Are you willing to give Bodycam a try on Steam? Let us know below or on social media. I’ll be keeping an eye on this game as it continues its journey through early access. Catch me on Steam if you can; I’m going to test it right away after this article is published. If anything changes, I’ll be sure to post my first impressions. Otherwise, it’s a good chance to try out Steam’s returns system.