Creative Assembly venture to new shores and announce a crazy shooter in the style of Hunt: Showdown.
With Alien Isolation and Total War, the developers from Creative Assembly have already proven that they know their craft. In cooperation with Sega, the Brits are now venturing into the shooter genre and announcing Hyenas, a brightly coloured alternative to hardcore titles like Escape From Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown. The first trailer makes it clear that Hyenas doesn’t take itself too seriously.
What is Hyenas about?
The first-person shooter is set in a future in which our planet has long since been destroyed and the rich inhabitants of what was then Earth have fled to Mars. Nevertheless, they still send spaceships to the old homeland, mainly to recover pop culture relics to sell on at a high price.
The rest of the earthlings, meanwhile, were left behind. But some of them managed to survive despite the difficult circumstances. And they have been trying to attack and rob the Mars colony’s scavenging ships ever since, which is why they are nicknamed Hyenas. But even though the premise seems extremely grim at first glance, creative director Charlie Bewsher emphasises that Hyenas doesn’t take itself too seriously.
How does Hyenas play?
In the multiplayer shooter, five teams of three compete against each other, trying to retrieve the loot from the spaceships and escape in one piece. In addition to human opponents, the player also faces traps, security networks and AI enemies. Moreover, in direct comparison with genre colleagues such as Escape From Tarkov, Hyenas feels much more fast-paced and action-heavy.
In parts of the map, gravity is also missing. In individual rooms, it can even be switched on and off. This allows players to float freely in space. However, if desired, one can activate special magnetic shoes in order to feel the ground under one’s feet again.
In an interview with IGN, the developers also reveal that there will be different characters, divided into three overarching classes:
- (Engage): Characters that are primarily focused on fast action and one-on-one combat.
- (Evade): These characters take a more deliberate approach and use stealth mechanics.
- (Exploit): If you are more into supporting your team and hacking various devices, this class should be your choice.
You can see many of the characters in the trailer. But three of them have already been explained in more detail by Creative Assembly:
- (The Pro): Equipped with a shotgun, he makes life difficult for his enemies with automatic turrets.
- (Commander Wright): This character carries the special Foam Gun, which allows him to build barricades and platforms to climb up on.
- Doc Hotfix: A gamer who has understood that he is just part of a video game, which is why he should break the fourth wall often with his comments.
When will Hyenas be released? The developers have not yet revealed an exact release date, but some closed alpha tests are to take place in the future, for which you can already register on the (official website).
For which platforms will the shooter be released? For the first time, the alpha tests will only appear for the PC. But console fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the finished game will be released for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 4/5 in addition to PC.
What do you think of Creative Assembly’s new project? Have you been waiting for a casual alternative to hardcore shooters like Escape from Tarkovand Hunt: Showdown or is it all far too colourful for you? Drop us a line in the comments
