Sony lastly pulled again the curtain to disclose what Harmony is definitely about. It’s giving Guardians of the Galaxy vibes blended with a standard aggressive shooter. The PvP FPS was first teased a yr in the past and might be coming to PlayStation 5 and PC later this yr on August 23.
First we acquired a have a look at a cinematic trailer exhibiting off a crew of bickering “Freegunner” mercenaries consuming lunch at an area diner earlier than getting ambushed. A lady within the group solid magic whereas a robotic used a vacuum gun and grenade to take out the enemies, hinting at class-based fight. They then regrouped aboard their ship to plot their subsequent job.
Right here’s that trailer:
What adopted subsequent was hero-shooter gameplay throughout acquainted trying 5v5 arenas. The sport will function 16 totally different Freegunners with varied playstyles that merge the improvisation of a combating recreation with the preparation and planning of a technique recreation. Some can have exploding knives. Others will summon protecting domes. Nothing within the trailer made Harmony essentially standout from the plethora of different shooters competing in that area for the time being, however the proof might be in how the sport feels to play and progress in.
The roster will develop over time, and Firewalk is promising common free post-launch updates so as to add new characters, maps, modes, cinematic vignettes, and different additions. As for what the bigger story is surrounding the Freegunners and their dwelling within the Harmony galaxy, the studio isn’t tipping its hand but. Gamers will apparently study extra on a weekly foundation as new cinematics construct on the world and its lore. A beta will go reside this summer time for these pre-order.
Firewalk Studios’ debut recreation was introduced at Sony’s Might 2023 showcase with only a transient cutscene of some burgers cooking on a spaceship because it traveled the cosmos. The digicam panned throughout a sniper rifle on a desk and a few garments in a storage locker, with a rainbow of sunshine shimmering throughout the grungy psychological floor of the ship because it flew by hyperspace. It appeared vaguely retro-futurist, hinting at a colourful optimism extra according to Overwatch than Name of Obligation.
“Harmony is a bringing collectively of peoples,” recreation director Ryan Ellis wrote on the time. “It’s the ability of video games to construct connection and encourage social play. The Firewalk workforce is pushed by the kind of thrilling, surprising moments and shared experiences that multiplayer video games create. Each time you go online is the start of a brand new journey and each match is a chance for a brand new story. It’s these beliefs that outline Harmony, its distinctive universe of vibrant worlds, and its wealthy solid of colourful characters.”
Sony had acquired Firewalk only a month earlier, which was beforehand a part of ProbablyMonsters, an organization helmed by former Bungie veterans (Ellis himself was beforehand a inventive director on Future, which Sony now additionally owns). On the time, the workforce engaged on Harmony was round 150, making it smaller than Sony’s AAA studios however larger than Arrowhead, maker of the current multiplayer hit Helldivers 2.
“Firewalk’s progressive method to linked storytelling and its dedication to high-quality gameplay continues to exceed our expectations,” PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst stated after the acquistion. “I believe followers might be more than happy once they see what Firewalk has in retailer for them.”
