Slash, Loot and Repeat!
Balancing the loop of gameplay and loot collection in looter-shooter games requires a very delicate balance of elements. On the one hand, your gameplay needs to be tight, fun, and challenging enough to warrant the constant upgrading of gear while also feeling balanced, lest players hit a hard difficulty wall. On the other hand, you also need to continually reward the player with new equipment and upgrades so their character can become more tailored to their playstyle, and powerful enough to progress. The loot rewards need to be handed out in a balanced fashion. No one wants to complete a 3-hour raid for a handgun and some loose change, but conversely, you’re not going to feel very accomplished getting god-tier weapons for defeating spud-tier bosses. After many updates, games like Destiny, Warframe and The Division have struck a relatively even balance of these requirements and earned a loyal fanbase for it.
Godfall is the latest game to follow the whole ‘looter-shooter’ trend but will be putting a unique spin on things. Unlike the titles mentioned above, Godfall will avoid the shooty-shooty gameplay, instead opting to go more choppy-choppy – a looter-slasher, if you will. Players will fight hordes of demons and monsters in high-fantasy realms, using a whole range of medieval-style weapons which can all be upgraded and modified as players progress. Imagine Destiny had a baby with Dark Souls and raised it in Alfheim from God Of War. That’s Godfall, and the premise has me very curious.
Let’s have a look at a few reasons why Godfall is on my next-gen watchlist.
Slice’n’Dice
As someone who doesn’t really fall into the grind of wanting those very top-tier weapons, the most significant selling point of any looter game is still the gameplay, namely the combat. Combat is something Godfall developer Counterplay Games has worked hard on, creating “an experience for players where they can truly embrace an engaging combat experience while fighting with intensity and finesse, as they dominate the battlefield”. The game will offer five unique weapon-classes, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, power-ups and abilities. The Dual Blades allow for quick close-up combos; the Long Sword provides a more traditional and balanced approach; the Polearm can strike enemies from a distance, and the War Hammer and Greatsword deal massive damage at the cost of speed. Your shield can also be used offensively if you really want to add insult to injury, combining with your primary weapon to create massive combos.
You won’t be able to just run in and clock some fool across the head with your War Hammer though. Smart players will take their time with enemies, using their Valorplates (Godfall’s equivalent to classes) to reveal an enemy’s weak points, and striking when the time is right for bonus damage. From what I have seen in initial combat trailers and demos, I don’t think the head-to-head combat is going to be quite as demanding as a game like fellow launch-title Demon Souls, but more fluid and dance-like, similar to 2019s amazing Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. At least that is what I hope. I love games with hand-to-hand combat in them, but oh boy, am I bad at them!
Give Me More!
Do you know what the most important part of a looter game is? That’s right, the loot! Obviously. The good thing is that Godfall is overflowing with goodies for players to customize their loadout, creating what senior technical producer Richard Heyne called a “The Tinkerer’s Dream” in an interview with IGN. “We had this idea, we wanted [Godfall] to be the tinkerer’s dream. Anybody who loves to get intimate with their loot and put the pieces together and see the numbers and see the impact immediately, that’s the kind of game we wanted to create,” Heyne said.
Not only does the earned gear look incredible, embodying the high-fantasy seen throughout the game, but it all also packs a serious punch. The team aimed to ensure the loot “wasn’t all flash with no bang”, with weapon upgrades ranked to evenly reward your efforts. Kill a big ol’ boss demon? Here’s a big ol’ sword! Weapons and armours won’t be the only ways you can customise your character, with a robust skill system allowing you to customize further your character, depending on how you want to play. Players can fiddle around with different combinations of weapons, armours, life stones, rings, charms, amulets, banners, and augments to create their perfect God-killer. “We really just wanted there to be maximal flexibility with the skill grid. We wanted to avoid choice paralysis, because Godfall combat can be quick, it can be snappy.” Heyne said. “It’s action-packed, and if every two levels you’re having to open the UI menu, read each individual skill, decide the best path for you… it wasn’t synonymous with what Godfall is, and it would really hinder the player’s experience”.
Gods Fall
Godfall will take advantage of the reworked party system of the PlayStation 5, with the game supporting cooperative multiplayer. Players will be able to drop in and out of games for PvE, with team-ups capping at three players. Having three different loadouts working in tandem against enemies will allow for even bigger combos, and more loot split between the team.
We don’t yet know if there will be cross-play between PlayStation 5 and PC users, but since there are no PvP modes, I remain hopeful. With Sony warming to the idea of cross-play in the last few years, a brand new shiny launch title like Godfall would make for the perfect first step towards more unified gaming.
Godfall will be a timed-exclusive for the PlayStation 5, launching alongside the new console on November 12th 2020. The console exclusivity will run for six months, with an Xbox Series X/S release on May 12th, 2021