As someone who’s spent countless hours immersed in the vibrant world of multiplayer games, I can’t help but be intrigued by Firewalk Interactive’s latest offering, Concord. However, after diving into the beta with an open mind and a heart full of excitement, I must admit that my initial enthusiasm was tempered by a few disappointments.
As a gamer, I find it intriguing that Firewalk Studios’ sci-fi game, “Concord,” has managed to make it through Sony’s wave of cancellations for live service titles. It seems Sony may have identified unique elements in the genre, which is distinctly different from “Guardians of the Galaxy.” With “Helldivers 2” gaining traction in the PvE sector, “Concord” could be aiming to stake its claim in the competitive hero shooter market or even thrive alongside heavyweights like “Overwatch 2” and “Valorant.”
Despite this, I had the opportunity to try out the early access beta of Concord, which can be pre-ordered for PS5 and PC. An open beta will be accessible to everyone from July 19th to 21st, bringing in the new Area Control mode and Bone Mines map. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know and any concerns you might have about the upcoming shooter.
Intro, Weekly Vignette and the Galactic Guide
As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I recall the thrilling unveiling of “Concord” like it was yesterday. The cinematic trailer set the stage for the Northstar crew’s daring exploits in a bustling metropolis, where they hustled and dealt to complete their assignments. Fast-forward to the beta introduction, and the scene shifts dramatically. Lennox, Haymar, 1-Off, Vale, and Star Child are gathered around, eagerly anticipating an invitation to the Freegunner channel for job offers.
Despite the intricacy, the production values shine through in aspects such as the convincing skin textures, lifelike facial animations, excellent lighting, and top-notch voice work. This dedication to detail extends to the character selection screen prior to matches, where characters like Haymar exhibit subtle nuances – for instance, heaving a deep sigh before confirming his choice.
With each relevant conversation, a new entry is added to the Galactic Guide that I find intriguing. Lennox pays tribute to a bobblehead that apparently belonged to the team’s earlier spaceship. For more information about this, check out the Galactic Guide. However, please note that the Guide doesn’t have all the details yet – it will only be complete with the full release, which isn’t available in the current beta testing stage.
Characters
In terms of character kits and weapons, Concord is more similar to Overwatch than Valorant. Each free-roaming character in Concord has a distinct skill set. For instance, Lennox can hurl explosive knives and heal himself, while Roka behaves like Pharah but also slams down on opponents to improve the tracking of her rockets. Haymar equips a crossbow and functions as a mystic, capable of blinding enemies and creating a fire trail with projectiles. Certain characters even carry secondary weapons, such as a second revolver for Lennox or a sidearm for Vale.
In simpler terms, Abilities come with a cooling-off period, but some have additional charges. When these charges run out, you can earn another charge by getting a kill or respawning. This limits the use of abilities without making them insignificant. The characters currently have unique feels despite having similar kits to those who are experienced in hero shooters. However, there might be significant balance adjustments before launch.
Roles
Each Freegunner is uniquely identified by their role in the team. Warden class Freegunners, such as Haymar, boast extended weapon reach, while Haunt class Freegunners, like Roka, boast improved mobility. A Tactician’s role grants faster reload times; Breacher’s benefit from reduced dodge cooldowns; Anchors obtain more healing capabilities; and Rangers experience less weapon recoil. These roles function as added perks for the Freegunner rather than significant game alterations.
Movement
If you’ve had experience with games like Overwatch or Destiny 2, you may notice the movement seems slower than what you’re used to. Both hovering and jumping are more deliberate, adding a sense of weight. Each FreeRunner character comes equipped with an evasive maneuver, which some can use in mid-air for added effects like stealth. Others boast double or even triple jumps, as well as the ability to slide. To offset any potential sluggishness, map designs prioritize compactness, making the 5v5 gameplay workable. However, with fewer enemies present, locating them becomes more laborious.
Time-to-Kill
An extended duration for the time-to-kill in hero shooters contributes to a strategy where players cluster together for coordinated attacks. Longer intervals aren’t detrimental; instead, they foster teamwork and synergy. However, some characters like Haymar and Teo can disrupt this with their grenades. Yet, these disruptions may be thwarted if an opponent employs a 1-Off vacuum ability to collect all projectiles or utilizes Emari’s armor for the entire team and her shield. When combined with Daw’s healing pads and barrier domes, this team composition becomes particularly challenging to confront.
In simpler terms, having a long recovery time and restricted movement options without any automatic health restoration can lead to intense battles where you barely survive and are often eliminated by additional opponents. Firewalk Studios seems to be drawing inspiration from games like Destiny 2 in its early stages and Overwatch, albeit with a smaller team size and no pre-designated roles. The good news is that the abilities don’t take an eternity to recharge, and the weapon handling feels satisfying.
Maps
I have a generally favorable view towards Concord’s maps, as many of them share a particular motif. Among the maps in the beta are Freewater, Star Chamber, Water Hazard, and Shock Risk. In Freewater, there is a central bridge dividing the town with expansive side areas that provide multiple open-air flanking opportunities. The theme of a central point is further emphasized in Star Chamber through a circular platform with an opening in the middle for maneuverability, along with a more extensive lower level. The corridors are also narrower, making it advantageous for Breacher types like Star Child, although it can be beneficial to position oneself in the middle on high ground as well.
As a gamer, I’d describe Shock Risk like this: The midpoint isn’t a safe bet; it’s an exposed area with danger lurking from all sides. But if you prefer the thrill of close combat, the narrow corridors offer perfect battlegrounds. You can maneuver to gain control or use Wall of Fire grenades to block off enemy advancements. However, be wary if one team sets up camp with two Anchors and Daw. Brace yourself for a lengthy match, regardless of the available flanking opportunities.
Water Hazard serves as an effective map for the game mode Cargo Run, although the position of the bot spawns might need adjusting between rounds to thwart competitors’ defensive tactics. The map offers a good balance of concealment, passageways, and intriguing landmarks, which is commendable. However, I was underwhelmed by the large sea monster that seems more like an empty shell in this rendition.
Brawl Modes
Two existing playlists are available: Brawl and Rivalry. Brawl includes two game modes: Team Deathmatch or Takedown, and Kill Confirmed or Trophy Hunt. In these modes, players are revived after being eliminated, and objectives are clear-cut. Win in Team Deathmatch by eliminating enemies, earning points towards special abilities. In Kill Confirmed, aim to defeat opponents before their teammates recover their fallen comrades’ cards. This setup is familiar territory.
Following each character’s demise, you go back to the Freegunner main menu where you can choose your next character or watch others play (despite finding the repetitive one-liners tedious). However, there’s a reason behind this process.
Rivalry Modes
At the opposite end, you’ll find the Rivalry playlist. Unlike other playlists, it lacks skill tiers or divisions. However, it is expected to serve as the ranked format in the future. In this round-based playlist, the first team to win four rounds takes the victory. Characters are eliminated after winning a round, making them unavailable for selection by that player in the next round. However, their teammates can still pick them. There are certain conditions to be aware of, which we’ll discuss later.
Two game modes exist: Clash Point and Cargo Run. In Clash Point, teams compete to seize control of a singular point, similar to the “King of the Hill” concept. The focus is on “seizing,” not retaining; once ownership reaches 100%, the round concludes. Cargo Run represents Concord’s adaptation of Bomb Defusal in Counter-Strike: GO. A robot appears in the map center after a brief interval, and teams must pick it up, transport it to designated areas, and initiate an extraction. Opponents can disrupt this process, necessitating defense against their interference. Alternatively, teams may choose to disregard the objective and aim to eliminate each other first.
As a gamer on Clash Point, I’ve come across this situation before, and let me tell you, it took me by surprise at first. The idea is that one team can camp out on a map with Emari, 1-Off, and Daw, while the other team is forced to advance towards them in order to seize point control. This tactic can be effective as both teams take turns using these heroes and employing the same strategy in subsequent rounds. However, there’s a risk of a snowball effect since the first team to secure a kill gains an advantageous position on the point, making it harder for their opponents to push them back.
Variants
Freegunners possess unique passive abilities that supplement their roles. For instance, Haymar’s Hellfire passive increases the number of charges on her Wall of Fire grenade and decreases the cooldown time for her blinding shot. Why is this important if no other players utilize her abilities? The answer lies in Variants, which are alternate versions of Freegunners with distinct passive abilities. For example, while Lennox can reload when dodging, Lennox-2 gets extra ammo for both weapons, providing him with ten rounds in his primary revolver instead of six. This idea adds depth, but why not make these passive abilities something that can be unlocked for each character? The reason is due to… (Note: Depending on the context, it might be more natural to say “The reason is that…” or “This is because…” instead of “That’s because of…”)
Crew Builder and Bonuses
When you reach Reputation Level 6, you gain access to the Crew Builder, a complex feature of Concord. With this tool, you can assemble a team of up to six Freegunners, including variants, making it possible to have as many as three identical characters on your roster. Your squad must consist of five distinct characters; during a match, backups will be provided if you require an Anchor character.
Switching characters between deaths and rounds in ranked play allows you to obtain their role passives. For instance, transitioning from Lennox to Lennox-2 results in inheriting Lennox’s range passive, which combines with the latter’s. Moving on to another Warden character, such as Haymar, also enables you to gain an additional passive, but no more than that can be stacked.
I’ve encountered many intriguing yet confounding concepts in my tech-savvy life, but this one takes the cake. The HUD on my new dashboard is an enigma wrapped in a riddle. It shows me the active role passive modes, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what functions they represent. And to add insult to injury, there are no labels or descriptions to guide me. All I have are those cryptic icons, which I’m expected to commit to memory if I want to operate my vehicle efficiently. It’s a frustrating experience that leaves me longing for the good old days when technology was user-friendly and intuitive. But hey, maybe I’ll get used to it eventually. Or perhaps I’ll invest in a cheat sheet to keep within reach while I’m on the road. Only time will tell.
I can understand having this as a means to promote character-switching. Since there are no Ultimates, you don’t have to worry about losing charge when switching. However, what if you want the Anchor passive to increase healing received for Lennox, but someone is already playing Emari or 1-Off? You can’t switch to a Variant if someone is already playing the original character since duplicate heroes aren’t allowed.
If you’re currently thriving in your role and not considering a change, what alternatives do you have besides leaving your position altogether? Unfortunately, the passive roles appear insignificant, offering minimal impact or distinction.
As a passionate fan of “The Crew Builder” game mode, I’ve noticed an intriguing twist: it tinkers with Rivalry’s knockout format in a unique way. Instead of drafting characters between each round, why not have six Lennoxes at your disposal? Why put in the effort to master various roles when you can pile up your preferred picks?
Persistent Deployables
As a seasoned gamer with years of experience in the competitive multiplayer scene, I can tell you that deployable items in games like Apex Legends are a game-changer. These aren’t just ordinary items that disappear once used; they’re persistent fixtures on the map, ready to be triggered or utilized by players at their convenience.
As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I’ve encountered various game mechanics that require specific strategies to succeed. One such mechanic is the Freegunner system in a particular game. Regardless of the knockout rules, I’ve noticed that teammates can cycle through the relevant Freegunners to keep them active. In fact, a single player could even do this consecutively on one character for three rounds using the Crew Builder.
Progression
As someone who’s spent countless hours immersed in the world of online gaming, I can tell you that the progression system in Overwatch 2 feels right at home. It brings back memories of completing daily and weekly challenges to earn XP in other games, not just Overwatch 2 or gachas. This XP lets me level up my Reputation, granting me access to new cosmetics and customization options that add a personal touch to my gaming experience.
Cosmetics
In Concord, you’ll find various cosmetics to choose from, including weapon skins, charms, poses for victory and defeat, match entry emotes, as well as new gloves and outfits. You even have the ability to customize your bounty card, showcasing your kills, assists, and personal motto. Reputation levels grant you access to additional cosmetics, while leveling up characters may open up more customization possibilities and skins. It’s quite likely that Concord might adopt a system similar to Overwatch, where you can buy cosmetics using premium currency that can be earned in-game as well.
No Kill-Cam, Join-in-Progress or AFK Kick
It’s really frustrating right now with Concord not having a kill-cam feature. While you’ll always find out who took you down, figuring that out can be a challenge. Where were they located? What abilities were they using and when? How many charges did they have left? Knowing this information helps you anticipate enemy movements and avoid being caught off guard. Those who prefer not to use it can simply disable it in the settings or look at other players’ viewpoints instead. However, Firewalk doesn’t give us that choice.
An even more frustrating issue is encountering games without enough players to kick or join in progress. If your team is short-handed due to matchmaking, you’ll have to cope on your own until the end with no reinforcements arriving. Alternatively, you may choose to exit the game instead.
No Leaver Penalties
In many games, it’s expected for players to see matches through until the end. But when you’re outnumbered 4 versus 5 or even 1 versus 5, it’s reasonable to consider leaving and joining another game. However, what about balanced matches where someone still decides to abandon the match? In the beta version of “Concord,” there are currently no penalties for leaving a match – not even in the competitive Rivalry mode. This might not seem like a major concern in casual games, but it became a significant problem in “Overwatch 2,” leading Blizzard to take tougher actions against those who leave matches. Even if “Concord” doesn’t follow the same path, it must address this issue and enforce penalties for leavers within Rivalry and future ranked play.
Overall Polish and Bugs
I brought up the impressive cinematography and well-developed characters, but I’m undecided about the clothing. It’s a challenge to make someone as refined as Jabali without giving him a more stylish garment, though. Despite some flaws, the production values, attention to detail, and sound design are commendable. However, there have been glitches such as my HUD vanishing, taking away important features like the reticle and ability cooldowns.
In simpler terms, during a game, a problem occurred that might have been caused by another player quitting unexpectedly. This issue affected both my sprint and hover abilities. The first problem was resolved upon respawning, but the second required me to exit the match entirely. Additionally, it appears there’s a bug where my character takes on the passive ability of their previous role after respawning, even if I didn’t switch roles, which could be a user interface error.
Read More
- Top gainers and losers
- JASMY PREDICTION. JASMY cryptocurrency
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- DOP PREDICTION. DOP cryptocurrency
- SILLY PREDICTION. SILLY cryptocurrency
- LUNA PREDICTION. LUNA cryptocurrency
- KAI PREDICTION. KAI cryptocurrency
- TWT PREDICTION. TWT cryptocurrency
- DERO PREDICTION. DERO cryptocurrency
- WLKN PREDICTION. WLKN cryptocurrency
2024-07-17 16:42