The new shooter Hyenas is a hero shooter with Borderlands flair and heist mechanics. The title has already been introduced but has not shown any gameplay yet. MeinMMO was able to get a glimpse of alpha gameplay at gamescom and saw crazy humor and a completely new approach to the shooter genre.
Hyenas is a new shooter with a unique gameplay approach that combines:
- Humor and graphics from Borderlands
- Hero mechanics from Overwatch
- Game modes like Cash from CoD Warzone
In an uncomfortable version of the future, the Hyenas fight to collect valuable “artifacts” of pop culture to earn cash and reputation.
To do this, you choose a crazy hero, fight as a team of three against four other teams, and head out on legendary heists.
At gamescom, the developers explained to us how Hyenas works and what makes it special. However, the shown gameplay was from an early alpha version and we were not allowed to make recordings, but we did receive a few screenshots.
For a first impression, we embed here the announcement trailer and explain the game concept further down:
Innovative genre mix but retro graphics
How does Hyenas work? The future is in ruins, Earth no longer exists, and society has decayed. The rich live on Mars, while the rest of humanity languishes in orbit.
The Hyenas want to break out of this reality and reach for the treasures of the rich. However, these are not boxes full of gold, but valuable artifacts that we would today call “merchandise.”
With a good dose of humor, you grasp for these treasures in a team of three while avoiding the other four teams. NPCs are also a topic – they guard treasures, want to eliminate you, and drop loot as well. It’s a PvEvP environment.
If you collect enough “merch” and reach a certain amount of cash, extraction points open up, through which you can leave the level. This is somewhat reminiscent of the cash mode in Warzone with the extraction mechanics of Escape from Tarkov.
The levels are filled with PvE enemies, offering shortcuts and hidden paths. Since everything takes place in space, zero gravity is also part of the gameplay. This opens up new opportunities but also a tactical perspective to turn fights in your favor.
If the escape succeeds, you win the match. It’s not a battle royale – so it’s not enough to defeat all opposing teams. You always have to collect enough cash and get away for a victory. The round lasts about 15 minutes.
What reminds of Borderlands? First of all, the humor. It’s dark as night, a little “over the top.” A dark vision of the future that many protagonists seem to endure only with cynicism and gallows humor. Hyenas is crazy, and the atmosphere is very reminiscent of Borderlands.
Secondly, there are similarities in the graphics. In the shown scenes from the first-person perspective, a hint of cel-shading graphics could be recognized. Whether this helps the title is yet to be seen. Even the head developer of Borderlands says that the series might have been more successful with a more realistic graphics style (via GameStar.com).
What reminds of Overwatch? Hyenas is also a hero shooter. Every selectable character has its own abilities and weapon loadouts. This limits the possibilities of individual players but promotes teamwork.
One character is a sniper, another is better suited for close combat and can set up foam barriers as a special ability. The next character handles explosive phones and deadly teddy bears.
Like in Overwatch, each team requires a certain balance of specialists and playstyles. Communicative teams gain a direct advantage, and during the gamescom presentation, the players were also clearly trying to stay very close together to support each other.
When will Hyenas be released? There is no specific date yet, 2023 is given as the release year. Hyenas is set to be released for PC (Epic, Steam), on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
What do you think of the game concept, graphics, and humor? Do you see a hit or a flop? Let us know in the comments.
If you prefer to read more about extraction shooters, check out the following column about the new Marauders: I expected nothing from Marauders – After 5 minutes, I was in love with the new hardcore shooter on Steam
