Giants Uprising Preview (PC)

How many tiny humans, armed with late medieval weapons, does it take to take down a giant? I stomped a few hundred, both archers and foot soldiers, and I thought I had the situation well in hand. But the cannons, some of them set atop hard-to-reach rock formations, were what finally led to my demise. Too busy running down humans I couldn’t destroy their towers and failed to reach a big piece of meat that could restore my health.

Giants Uprising is both created and published by VARSAV Games Studios. You can get it in Early Access on Steam at the moment, with the full launch set to arrive in around 6 to 12 months, depending on how the player feedback influences the creative process.

The name describes the premise very well. The player-controlled giant, with a human on his back, is battling the humans who enslaved him. There are interesting hints of a wider world and narrative, well-executed via animated cutscenes.

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The mechanics are also straightforward and mostly fun. The player-controlled giant lurches across the world, using crude weapons and his raw power to destroy obstacles and reach objectives. Humans only pose a threat when big groups attack at once. Stomping is a great crowd control tool that also delivers more health. Running to deliver an overhead strike on a big cannon tower feels liberating. Munching on big slabs of meat to regenerate should be messier.

Giants Uprising has moments when it looks good, with the giant stomping across the landscape, a pure force of revenge. But the title needs a lot of improvement when it comes to performance. I lost battles and failed sections because of the stuttering. This needs to be fixed. The presentation is well complemented by the soundtrack, with riffs that work well with its carnage and destruction.

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Conclusion