Chorus is a fantastic star fighter, but deep lore brings it down

Although Chorus can be a difficult game in parts, it is also incredibly enjoyable. It is actually fantastic that every bit about becoming a rebel space fighter in huge space battles was included. It would seem that this would suffice for the game to succeed, but Fishlabs over-burdens space combat and dogfights with complicated narratives that don’t really work.

ChorusNara, who is a former cultist and starship pilot, plays me in this game. She was a member of the Circle, led by a great prophet who led his people across the galaxy in search of a “Chorus.” This is essentially space magic, and Nora is able to use these powers as Rites to strengthen herself and wreak havoc on enemies. Unfortunately, Nara AlsoOnce, these amazing abilities were used to devastate a planet and kill billions. That inciting decision is why Nara left the Circle, and years later, we join her as part of a new group where she’s hiding her past and wrestling with guilt.

By helping Nara’s new friends in a mining community, I get used to the feel of her ship’s cockpit. They are very precise. It is difficult to be disoriented in large 3D space. Chorus’A ship stays steady. When I’m trying to track a tracker down, the ship is steady. A quick scan of an area is the second Rite Nara use. The map shows me the routes and objectives of my missions so that I do not get lost. I engage in some basic combat against pirates and learn a little more about Nara’s new life. The galaxy map I have will open, showing me new open-world hubs from which to get quests and upgrade my ship.

Image: Fishlabs/Deep Silver

Here’s the problem: Nara keeps talking about her guilt and the Circle even though I just watched a big cutscene that explicitly laid all this out. Chorusis much too chatty. Characters blather incessantly, further hindering an already predictable story.

The Circle returns and Nara must fight with Forsaken. Forsaken is sentient, but Nara gets pissed at being left behind. Forsaken is a cool character, who also doesn’t really care about Nara’s moral arc. He wants to murder enemy pilots in epic space battles, and frankly, so do I. It’s hard for me to connect with Nara. I wish that I would have met Forsaken earlier.

Fishlabs could have not told me any of this, and let me find out about Nara’s past as she meets the Circle once again. This information could have been presented in an easy-to-understand intro. It got to the point where I was actively resenting Nora’s presence on the screen. All I wanted to do was enjoy the nuances and thrills of Chorus’ dogfighting.

This is even more frustrating since the narrative barrier can be so difficult to overcome Chorus Star fighting is a great feature. Forsaken has the ability to fly and is faster than the original model. Nara has the ability to use her magic powers and combine them with her abilities. She can teleport behind cultist vessels, taking down their crew, then strafing large freighters packed with deadly turbines. My positioning is carefully managed, I switch between my primary weapons and can teleport through space behind foes while avoiding dangerous volleys.

Image: Fishlabs/Deep Silver

The game is a great way to have fun. Each hub has stunning environments, with everything from barren and inhospitable areas to exotic temples filled with space-magic spells. The spaceship design is a bit drab, and there are only a few models I get to see in the game throughout the 30 or so hours of runtime — but what fights lack in design they make up for in sheer scope.

Final thoughts: I only wish ChorusIt was reduced. The plot is full of B-movie pulp, but the game doesn’t seem interested in laughing at itself. There aren’t a lot of new ideas in the story, and the narrative isn’t delivered with grace. Will you likeChorus? This all comes down to how open you are about spaceship combat. If all you care about is the flying and shooting, you’ll at least be pleased with how polished that is. It’s the rest of the game that isn’t up to par, and I wish I could play the same campaign with all the excess lore cut away.

Chorus The game was launched on December 3, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. Windows PC reviewed the game. Vox Media is an affiliate partner. Although these partnerships do not impact editorial content, Vox Media could earn commissions for products sold via affiliate links. Here are some links to help you find. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.