Concord Preview: Fun Competitive FPS With Depth

is shooting for the moon. As a noteworthy up-and-comer to the tumultuous pool of team-based FPS hero shooters, there's a lot still left to reveal, but there's definitely something special at its core. Developed in-house at Sony’s own Firewalk Studios, makes for an ambitious and tantalizing debut for its developer, with a decidedly diverse cast of characters and a pleasing sense of kinetic movement and verticality to the action. Its blend of sci-fi worldbuilding and peppy personality shines through, even while the game appears inescapably similar to other franchises in its associated genres.

was hidden under wraps until late May of last year, and a substantive reveal earlier this month showcased the game’s character-focused action and beta-launch boons, but ’s recent on-hands preview found proof in the pudding. We sampled ’s PvP last week at Sony headquarters and found it to be a blast, summoning memories of ’s finely-tuned firepower and ’s distinct roster designs, all baked into a space western fiction that, while clearly derivative, fits the themes and provides some added charm and context.

On startup, the comparisons with continue, so why even avoid them? Both games are focused on their bold hero designs, and ’s spread of cultures, body types, and gender representation is immediately apparent and appealing. Its mercenary Freegunners come in virtually all shapes and sizes and with all manner of unique weapons, abilities, class-orientations, and skill ceilings. From the massive cleaning-obsessed robot 1-Off to the agile fire-based Warden Haymar, ’s cast colorfully informs its competitive modes, even dispensing strict role adherence.

In ’s narrative video vignettes — scheduled to roll out weekly after launch — players will learn more about the ragtag bunch on their spaceship, but playing the game brings their abilities and personalities to life. 1-Off, for instance, wields an air cannon which absorbs fired projectiles to return them as chunks of trash, and