As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for Everstorm. The fusion of MOBA controls with extraction gameplay is an innovative twist that I’ve been craving for a long time. It’s refreshing to see indie developers taking risks and pushing boundaries, especially when the result is something as promising as this.
Over the past few years, the extractor shooter genre has experienced a significant surge in popularity. Games like Escape from Tarkov, offering intense military simulations, and Helldivers 2, featuring cooperative alien-slaying action, are prime examples. Now, Thousand Hour Games is gearing up to join this fray with Everstorm, an ambitious indie production that seamlessly blends extraction gameplay with MOBA-style controls and roguelike progression.
At MIGS 2024, Creative Director Morgan Nagel revealed some intriguing details about the game’s creation process and its distinctive style. “Our aim is to produce something unprecedented,” said Nagel, “which is an essential part of our plan. As independent developers, we feel it’s crucial to be bold and innovative, creating something daring that we believe will offer a fantastic experience.
MOBA Meets Extraction Gameplay
In Everstorm, the featured gameplay shifts the focus from typical Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) settings to the heart-pounding tension of extraction missions. Instead of controlling characters using traditional MOBA controls, you and your teammates will parachute into raids, either alone or in teams of up to three. As you progress, you’ll fight off waves of monsters, gather loot, and enhance your character’s abilities. What sets Everstorm apart is the inclusion of other players in these raids, leading to dynamic, unpredictable situations where all your hard-earned treasures could vanish in a split second.
What makes Everstorm stand out is its innovative method of character development and personalization. The game initially offers six diverse classes such as the Crusader, Arcanist, and Ranger. Each class starts with five fundamental skills and a unique passive trait, but the growth path delves much further. In the course of raids, players can collect “storm spells” – extra abilities like teleports, stuns, and fears that can be combined to generate distinct gameplay styles. This setup encourages extensive exploration without limiting players to a specific playstyle.
During breaks from raids, players head back to their individual Strongholds, a secure base where they can interact with the game’s crafting system. At the start, this includes Alchemy and Blacksmithing, while Cooking is set to be added in future updates. These crafting professions provide substantial advancement beyond combat, enabling players to create more potent gear and supplies for their upcoming raids.
Balancing Fun Through Community-Driven Development
The development team has adopted a highly interactive approach with the community for balancing and improving the game, opting for smaller-scale gaming sessions instead of large-scale beta tests. These sessions are often held within their Discord community, as described by Nagel: “We typically gather groups ranging from five to twelve players. We simply join together in Discord and play. Afterward, we listen to people enjoying themselves and observe what’s effective and what isn’t.
As a gamer, I’ve noticed some major changes in the game lately. Our team has decided to simplify their talent tree system due to feedback indicating it was causing an unfair power gap between newcomers and veterans. Instead, they’re introducing a “permanent advantage” system where mastering a class grants you a single, powerful bonus that applies across all your characters.
In each round, matches transition between day and night, and during the night, tougher adversaries emerge. Overcoming these adversaries grants players progressively better treasures, but also intensifies the game’s overall challenge. Players must constantly weigh the risks: should they withdraw early for smaller rewards, or take a chance at the highest rewards by confronting the raid boss at the end.
Launch Plans And Future Updates
At the commencement of Everstorm’s early access phase, players will have the opportunity to select from distinct Founders Pack tiers – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each tier offers unique collections of characters. The highest tier comes with a unique offer, providing permanent access to all existing and upcoming characters during the early access period. Following this phase, Everstorm will shift towards a free-to-play model, concentrating on character unlocks and cosmetic items.
One interesting aspect I discovered was Thousand Hour Games’ transparency regarding their utilization of Unreal Engine Marketplace assets for character models. This practical choice enabled their small team to concentrate more on gameplay advancements instead of asset creation. Similarly, their business strategy is sensible, as they plan to shift from a paid early access model to free-to-play post-launch. Their monetization strategy revolves around offering character unlocks and cosmetics for purchase.
2025 sees me diving headfirst into Everstorm during its early access phase, where I’ll get a taste of new characters every month and regular content updates. Keen on getting a sneak peek? Save the date for the Steam Next Fest demo or hop onto the game’s Discord server – you might just score an invite to smaller test sessions.
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2024-11-22 04:23