As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen the evolution of multiplayer games from their humble beginnings to the behemoths they are today. I’ve piloted tanks, soared through the skies, and sailed the high seas in Wargaming’s expansive universe. But Steel Hunters, my friends, has piqued my interest like no other.
As a devoted fan, I’d put it this way: Ever since I first dipped my toes into the world of Wargaming back in 2010 with World Of Tanks, their focus on multiplayer gaming has been nothing short of empire-building. This tank-centric MMO action game catapulted them onto the global stage, and from there, they’ve branched out, taking us to the skies with World Of Warplanes and navigating the seas with World Of Warships. Now, they’re aiming to shake up the gaming landscape yet again with Steel Hunters, a new multiplayer game unveiled at The Game Awards. Their goal? To take on all comers in this genre, all at once!
Steel Hunters is a free-to-play action game that merges elements from hero shooters, battle royales, and extraction shooters into a single, engaging experience. In this third-person shooter, players select one of the game’s characters, each designed as colossal mechs modeled after actual animals, and team up to emerge victorious by either surviving or completing objectives.
Recently, TopMob participated in a non-interactive briefing with Wargaming to delve deeper into Steel Hunters. On the surface, it seems as if it’s attempting to incorporate too many elements. However, following the presentation, we found ourselves questioning whether Wargaming might have cracked the code after all.
Beast wars
Steel Hunters is set in an Earth that’s been devastated by a massive catastrophe, revealing a unique extraterrestrial substance known as Starfall. This elusive material is crucial for survival; Laurent Lartisien, the marketing director at Wargaming, described it as “the vital essence sustaining numerous facilities such as space stations and subterranean shelters, where humanity persists in its struggle to survive.
The Hunters – colossal robots modeled after real-world animals – are the ones gathering this elusive element. For instance, Fenris moves stealthily against adversaries and assaults like a wolf, while Ursus is a heavily armored bear-like mech with tank-like qualities. Unlike conventional mechs, Hunters do not have human operators; instead, they received human consciousnesses through the Starfall experiment.
From a storytelling standpoint, Lartisien explains that this decision makes the Hunters more than mere tools or vehicles, giving them depth and significance. In his words, “Our Hunters have personalities. They have their own motivations, desires, and they’re engaged in a particular struggle, linked to their unique factions. They’re not just metal with weapons; they are fully-fledged characters.
In the gameplay demonstration, it was mentioned by Wargaming’s head of player interaction, Ryan Nicholls, that these hunters are colossal in size. The maps are populated with real-world items such as massive trucks and towering buildings, which the hunters effortlessly overshadow, earning the nickname “bananas for scale” from Nicholls. Unlike the agile heroes of Overwatch, these hunters resemble Godzilla more than Genji in terms of their size and presence.
A mixing of multiplayer elements
Each match in Steel Hunters will feature 12 players–six teams of two players each. Teams will be assigned one of six drop zones scattered around the edges of the map, and each battle progresses through multiple “phases,” with different objectives and opportunities to power up. In the example we were shown, objectives came in the form of Starfall Towers, with three towers unlocking for capture before the final Extraction Zone opened up and the final phase began.
Each game will include unexpected events during playtime, providing additional rewards for those who seek them out. One of these missions is Tag Hunt, where the player tracks down computer-controlled enemies and gathers tags. If all tags are gathered, the player receives a Colossus Kit, which when activated transforms them into an even larger mech equipped with a spear.
While seeking the towers, it’s not just rival teams you need to watch out for; the map also teems with CPU-managed adversaries such as drones. These enemies carry vital items such as upgrade cores, health boosts, and repair kits that are essential for surviving and advancing in a match. As the game progresses, players can level up from level one to five, with each level granting stat enhancements, and reaching level three unlocking an additional special ability.
In this game, an important aspect during battles is the ammo system; unlike other battle royale games where ammo is scattered across the map, players in this game have a restricted amount of ammunition that gradually replenishes over time as long as the weapon isn’t being fired. This design choice was implemented following initial testing by Nicholls with the aim of making each encounter more strategic. He explained that every engagement should be carefully considered; you need to think about each engagement, the shots you choose to take, or else you could run out.
A key factor leading to success is the harmonious interaction among team members, specifically selecting appropriate combinations of Hunters and skill enhancements to secure an advantage. In the demonstration, Nicholls tailors Fenris’s blink ability by incorporating a healing function each activation, providing the wolf mech with a small edge. Yet, Nicholls emphasizes that players have the option to pick a more aggressive modification as well, which immediately reloads Fenris’s weapon and temporarily boosts damage output for a brief period.
If a Hunter gets knocked out during battle, the game provides a resurgence feature that lets the downed player carry on playing by recuperating and empowering their remaining teammate. As far as one duo of Hunters stays alive, there’s always hope for them to turn the tide of the match and emerge victorious in the end.
A new type of hunt
Approaching Steel Hunters as a versatile all-rounder carries some risk, but it offers numerous advantages. The unique aspect of each character being a colossal mech is intriguing, while the emphasis on customization and team coordination promises strategic depth. Moreover, the objective-based gameplay formats should make it welcoming for players who are familiar with any of the genres that Steel Hunters emulates, allowing them to dive in comfortably from the get-go.
It is yet uncertain if Steel Hunters will be Wargaming’s next big hit, but the ingredients they’re mixing could either ignite its popularity explosively… or backfire on them.
2025 marks the start of open beta for the Steel Hunters video game on personal computers. If you’re eager to get an early taste, head over to the game’s main site and register for the closed preliminary testing session that lasts until December 22 this year.
Read More
- SUI PREDICTION. SUI cryptocurrency
- „People who loved Dishonored and Prey are going to feel very at home.” Arkane veteran sparks appetite for new, untitled RPG
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- Destiny 2: A Closer Look at the Proposed In-Game Mailbox System
- Clash Royale Deck Discussion: Strategies and Sentiments from the Community
- Jennifer Love Hewitt Made a Christmas Movie to Help Process Her Grief
- ICP PREDICTION. ICP cryptocurrency
- Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic Was Inspired By Akira And Cowboy Bebop
- Critics Share Concerns Over Suicide Squad’s DLC Choices: Joker, Lawless, and Mrs. Freeze
- EUR IDR PREDICTION
2024-12-13 05:10