I wasn’t jumping out of my seat when Concord was first announced. I mean, Is PlayStation diving into a multiplayer-only, live-service, 5v5 hero shooter in 2024? Many of us were scratching our heads with no massive single-player adventures such as Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarok on the horizon. But here’s the thing: With the full game now in my grasp, I had the opportunity to dive deep inside and let me tell you, there is more to this game. So, let’s dive into this Concord Review.
Going into Concord, I didn’t know what to expect. Beta was a ghost town, especially on PC, which had me just a little concerned. But once I got into a match, I felt that familiar rush that only a first-person shooter gives. The gameplay is very smooth, and the controls are tight, as you would want from a competitive shooter. It’s this kind of game where every move counts, making it seriously addictive.
Character Party: Some Hit, Some Miss
Concord’s character roster is all over the place. You get heroes like Duchess and Haymar, who have some unique abilities. Playing as Haymar, with his zero-gravity tricks, is pure fun. But then there are characters like DaVeers who, I kid you not, runs around with a bucket on their head and Lark, a mushroom monster that looks more like a Halloween decoration than a hero. While some designs are neat, others feel almost jarringly out of place, like they were pulled from an entirely different game
The game’s vibe screams 80s sci-fi, with neon lights and retro-futuristic aesthetics everywhere. It has Guardians of the Galaxy flair, but only some things are bound to stick the landing. For example, its dialogue tries hard to be this fun, witty thing but tends to fall flat often. There’s at least one scene involving this Lennox fellow, looking rather green and like a duplicate version of Yondu, where he drops the line, “spicy fungus,” that’s more cringe than cleverness. However, there is a charm to the overall style, even if it has its hiccups.
Exploring the Universe: The Galactic Guide
One of the more exciting features in Concord is its Galactic Guide, a giant in-game map feature that lets you navigate through the game’s lore, characters, and planets. This might be a dream come true for lore junkies, but it’s a chore for most players. It’s all presented as walls of text, so I can see how a player might gloss over that. Yeah, a cool concept, but they could have done so much more with it, in terms of interactivity and fascination. Of course, there is much to chew on for those invested in the story and setup.
Where Concord Truly Shines: Gameplay
Now, here’s where Concord nails it: gameplay. Concord presents some fast-paced, heart-pounding gameplay that never disappoints. After launch, 16 available characters and 12 different maps, with their twist, have been introduced to the game. Whether one plays all in offensively using Lennox or takes on a more strategic role with Lark’s de-buffing pods, there is a great deal of variety to keep things from getting stale.
And game modes. There are six different game modes, so there’s always something new to try. The matches are intense, the maps are stunning (no, they look incredible with the lighting and colours), and the whole thing runs like butter on PS5. I didn’t experience performance issues, which is always a huge plus.
Progression: A Change of Good Air
Concord’s progression is another area to look out for no. Rather than simply relying on battle passes, Concord offers a blend of old-school progression systems and unique challenges that you can complete to earn XP and unlockable items. Of course, cosmetics play a significant role, and there is a huge amount of them to earn if some skins look pretty weak, the content is, at the very least, impressive at launch. On top of that, there are challenges, which means it’s in place to give a little more than just the bare experience.
Summary
Yeah, after all those seriously long hours spent with Concord, it’s pretty fun to play. The gameplay’s tight, the characters are primarily fun, and the maps are some of the best. Yet still, there are some hitches in its giddyup. The character designs are hit or miss, and a general lack of hype around the game is troubling.
It feels like Concord’s the underdog in a crowded field but has excellent potential. Whether it’ll ever get super big and gain a loyal following is up in the air, but if fast-paced shooters with a quirky feel overtake your expectations, there’s a lot to appreciate here; it’s worth a shot.
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