How is it that a squad-based FPS game like Hyenas, which is all about raiding vaults for rare treasure, is passing up the chance to add Escape From Tarkov’s persistent loot to its class-based, Apex Legends style action? When the first trailer for Creative Assembly’s forthcoming shooter arrived, it sounded like loot would be a foundational aspect of its gameplay loop, but after seeing it in action at Gamescom I’m surprised to discover that the merch you’re stealing is a mostly superficial means of progressing through each match.
Here’s how a Hyenas match plays out. You and a couple of friends pick characters from a roster of six, each with unique weapons, abilities, and play styles, and then you dock at a floating shopping mall called a Plundership with the goal of stealing as much pop culture merch as possible. You’re not the only pack of Hyenas onboard though, and as you move between different stores you’ll come up against rival squads who are competing for the same merch. There are a variety of different stores you can rob, and you’ll need to hit up a few in order to meet the loot quota, at which point an exfil route opens up. You’re effectively racing to fill a meter.
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