🌇🌙🔪 The idea of a vampire fighting against its base nature to uphold modern morals is one that has been explored before, but not exactly through the same lens as in El Paso, Elsewhere. This third-person shooter takes inspiration from some of the best in the genre but eschews expectations with a thrilling love story between a vampire and vampire hunter, exploring the complexities of the pairing as the world is crumbling around them.
✨🌃 You play as James Savage, a pill-addicted monster hunter living in a secluded hotel in El Paso and on a mission to save the world from his ex-girlfriend, Draculae. This version of the famed vampire has enacted a ritual that brings about the end times. More specifically for Savage, it means a rip through the fabric of reality that sends him from the stained carpets of the motel down a warped void filled with visually diverse levels.
🔥🔫 At first, El Paso, Elsewhere focuses on Savage, delving into his destructive personality and vices, whether it’s popping pain pills or relishing the violence he’s engaged in. It takes a while, but eventually the true scope of the story comes into view, with new locales and fourth-wall breaking narration exposing this game’s novel take on the mythology behind vampires, and how the relationship between Savage and Janet Drake, known later as Draculae, fits into that.
💔💔 The voice acting for both Savage and Draculae is exceptionally captivating. Their blossoming love is thoughtfully conveyed through audio logs you find throughout your journey, with playful exchanges (like a conversation about how Transformers procreate) doing an excellent job at establishing a relationship you never get to see. Later, when the two characters exchange words directly, the absence of this warmth is noticeable. There’s clearly still love between the two, but it’s separated by a gap in morality that neither can compromise on.
🌗🔫 The core gameplay focus is on getting into a level, shooting as many monsters as possible, potentially saving some hostages, and getting back out through the void-traversing elevator you arrived in. The action is punchy and exhilarating; successive headshots are a delight thanks to the satisfying audio cue for each successful hit, while the liberal slow-motion meter–which is filled with each kill–lets you pull off some satisfying dives and twists in mid-air, firing off accurate shots with the ease of a seasoned killer.
🔭🌌 This void that you explore gets filled in with locales from the couple’s history, as well as memories from throughout their lives, slowly transforming from one to the other in such a delicate fashion that it really helps the theme that Savage is losing his grip on reality. There’s a surprisingly wide range of scenery that is pulled from and used well to keep the otherwise straightforward navigation through each stage fresh and exciting.
🎮🌆 From its narrative presentation to its gameplay, El Paso, Elsewhere takes inspiration from numerous other narrative-based shooters, stretching back decades up to some more recent releases. The manner in which James Savage narrates the tale, coupled with the somber tone and heavy use of slow-motion diving, will instantly remind you of games such as Max Payne and Stranglehold, while the bold, screen-consuming titles for each stage will have you recalling the distinct usage of the same technique in Remedy’s Control.
🎬⚔ Despite taking more time than it should to really hit its stride, El Paso, Elsewhere is unrelenting once it does. Its straightforward action is enhanced by its consistently evolving enemies and delicate balancing of power, while its captivating love story presents a novel take on established mythologies with some impressive performances to back them up. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve but has its own ideas to add to the mix, making El Paso, Elsewhere much more than the sum of its apparent parts. It’s a game with its own interesting approach to narrative that’s backed by exciting gunplay, and one you shouldn’t judge entirely by what it reminds you of.
