A new shooter subgenre enters the fray
It’s no secret that some of today’s best-loved games are subgenre shooters. There are last-player or last-team-standing battle royale experiences, tactical military shooters, and even co-op horde shooters/slashers. The latest shooter subgenre to gain popularity is the extraction shooters.
What is an Extraction Shooter?
Extraction shooters exploded onto the scene with games like Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown. The basics are simple, but the execution is more nuanced. Core FPS skills are transferrable, but extraction shooters generally reward stealth over run-and-gun tactics.
As players hunt, they’re being hunted – both for loot and frags. Any noise, especially prolonged firefights, will draw in other combatants.
The core gameplay loop is simple – get in, loot, and get out. Depending on the game, character death may be permanent, drastically raising the stakes. But those risks make the rewards sweeter. Extracting with loot leads to better equipment, and upgraded gear boosts the future chance of survival. At the same time, upgraded kit also cranks up the pressure as players have more to lose.
A Different Adventure
The Cycle: Frontier puts a sci-fi spin on extraction shooters. Drop in to do a daily, or stick around to delve into a longer loot loop.
More time in the game means more significant risks. There are environmental threats aplenty. Use a flashlight to indicate friendly intentions with other players, or hunt enemy players for the ultimate thrill. The Cycle: Frontier newbies should stick to the relative safety of the Bright Sands area.
Want a bigger challenge? Crescent Falls ups the skill requirement and the overall tension. Minimize noise where possible. And stick to safer paths to avoid fall damage. As always, stealth is a great way to pick the where and when of fights. Plus, it leads to ambush opportunities. Ultimately, timing is everything and choosing the right moment to engage will make the difference between living and dying – being the looter or the looted.
