Since no one seems to be thinking of remaking the classic shooter F.E.A.R., a mini-development studio is releasing an alternative in June that packs a punch!
Many shooter fans will never have heard of Trepang2 in their lives. But that”s a mistake, because the shooter might as well be called F.E.A.R. Reborn or F.E.A.R. Reloaded!
Trepang2 brings back all the qualities of the 2005 classic and polishes them up to 2023 level thanks to Unreal Engine 4. Only without the F.E.A.R. naming rights. Don”t believe it? Then see for yourself:
Why is the first-person shooter so under the radar then? Trepang2 is developed by a studio of just four people and distributed by indie publisher Team17.
So there isn”t much money left for marketing. What there is, however, is heaps of it: passion for spectacularly brutal action, a conspiratorial story and a pinch of supernatural horror.
The premise of Trepang2 is quickly explained: an elite soldier, known only as Subject 106, escapes his captivity in a top-secret military complex. His memories are gone, but he suddenly has inhuman powers.
A mysterious organization equips him and sends him on a bloody campaign against the group that had imprisoned him. In the process, 106 uncovers sinister experiments and a shocking plot.
To achieve this goal, the protagonist must first clear out masses of enemies – and do it in style! Using firearms, grenades, kicks and punches, 106 unleashes an absolute inferno in which both the environment and enemies are literally blown to bits.
Powers like invisibility and slow motion expand the arsenal, allowing for sensational combos that would make even Max Payne sink into the ground with envy.
A puzzle of destruction
Whoever tries out the (Demo on Steam) immediately notices: The four developers know their craft very well and stage shootouts that are rarely seen in this quality in the genre, even from large AAA manufacturers: Walls crumble when fired upon, explosions swirl up dust and particles realistically, dead enemies collapse thanks to ragdoll physics, the shotgun thunders deafeningly.
Thereby Trepang2 plays almost like an action puzzle, because every situation in battle has different solutions: Do I sneak up invisibly, with silenced gun? Do I grab a soldier and push him in front of me as a living shield? Do I use the slide and get enemies off their feet while sliding, then finish them off on the ground? The makers have already shown many of the tactics with gameplay scenes, but even if it seems like it: The enemies in Trepang2 are anything but trivial cannon fodder! The AI behaves comprehensibly, yells orders, methodically heckles the player, calls for reinforcements or advances with ballistic shields. The last survivor of a squad, on the other hand, often breaks out in despair and either retreats or launches a desperate onslaught – with such believable demeanor, the NPCs of F.E.A.R. were already convincing 18 years ago.
But the parallels continue: At release, Trepang2 wants to score points not only with bullet-time shooting, but also with creepy atmosphere and even supernatural creatures.
We don”t experience much of that in the demo, but if this aspect works as well as Acton, we”re in for an absolute blast in the summer.
Are you excited about Trepang2? Have you tried the demo – and if so, what do you like most about it? Feel free to write us your opinion in the comments!
