Bodycam, which seems to be ripping off another game, is getting hammered by early reviews
What you need to know
Bodycam, a bodycam-style game, has launched in early access.
Developed by Reissad Studio, the game looks very similar to Unrecord, another bodycam game that was teased in early 2023.
The game has been met with a mixed bag in terms of reviews, sitting at around 50%.
Some have issues with the server stability, while others are pointing to its lack of content.
Remember that hyperrealistic video game that was teased last year? The one where the player was wearing the bodycam? Me too. That game was Unrecord, and I thought that was what it was when I saw some preview footage a few days ago on YouTube. The problem is, it's not. In fact, it's an entirely different game named Bodycam that just so 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 focused on single-player. Bodycam, on the other hand, is going after the PvP market. However, it's hard to overlook the remarkable similarities between the two games, particularly on Bodycam's part. 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 featured levels? To top it off, they even employ a blurring technique to mask the faces of characters, a feature that was very apparent in Unrecord footage. I can tolerate a few resemblances, but Bodycam appears to be a blatant copy of Unrecord while looking worse, and now it's reviewing at 50% on Steam.
Looking at the comments, the game is off to a rough start regarding its server capability. After multiple playtests, including a preview build with famous YouTubers, you'd hope there was a little more stability, which, I suppose, is becoming more commonplace in the modern era of gaming. Early access titles face these issues, and I suppose it's somewhat forgivable since their development team consists of only two people.
Here are some of the reviews:
Unplayable until the devs figure out an issue with the matchmaking. Currently a lobby simulator.
I wanted to like this, but its basically a UE5 project with just code to kill players and win a match with great graphics. Its basically a playable tech demo, except your paying 30 dollars for it.
30 dollar tech demo.
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A popular post on the Bodycam discussion page by a user called LilGanja1337 seems to share my sentiment: "Sorry to say, but did anyone really expect that this rushed, multiplayer copy of an upcoming single-player game would be good? This game was doomed by the rushed timeline, the studio that has a single unfinished game under them, and unoriginal graphic designs. I doubt this game will be updated extensively, since it was a cash grab from the start."
As the user points out, the studio's other title, Worst World, is still not finished. 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 entirely spell doom, but it's definitely a bad sign.
What do you think? Are you willing to give Bodycam a shot 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'll be testing it out right after this article is published. I'll be sure to post my early impressions if things change. Otherwise, it's a good chance to test out Steam's return system.
