Kill Strain Reimagines Competitive Play - Preview
by Nick Pantazis , posted on 03 July 2015 / 4,577 ViewsOne of the most promising things I saw early on in this generation was the use of asymmetric multiplayer. This little-tapped segment of multiplayer gaming has players playing games with different goals and gameplay styles together. Kill Strain is now here to provide that sort of experience in a competitive online twin stick shooter.
In Kill Strain you control one of three teams in a 5v2v5 match. Two of the teams are competing teams of mercenaries, while the third team consists of mutants. This third team starts out with just two members but they can infect and turn their enemies into allies.
These differing goals create a unique experience, as you are in a race against the clock as well as against your opponents, knowing the mutant team will grow in strength if given enough time.
The top-down shooter mechanics are pretty standard, and the flow of combat for the mercenaries is to charge up mech summons by gathering power cells. The mercenaries then summon mechs to press into the other side's bases, or the base of the swarm.
Within the mercenary team is a second, semi-competitive game: your performance determines the quality of your rewards, which is part of the free-to-play structure of the game. You need to do well for yourself, while still supporting the team, in order to earn the best rewards.
The flow of the match I played was fun and fast, and I imagine it will catch on quickly with competitive multiplayer gamers. It remains to be seen how well the teams will be balanced in the main release, but you'll be able to try it for free for yourself on the PS4 later this year.
This preview is based on an early build of Kill Strain played at E3.
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Glad to see positive hands on impressions. I'll be checking it out when it launches.
Not sure how I feel about this. Gameplay looks bland.
Its a 3-way death match. Very interesting.
Not a very good one.
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Like at all.
Why are you ignoring me?
Why are you ignoring me?
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You scared of me?
Leave TruckOSaurus ALONE!
That shut you up uh!