Kickstarter Game of the Week: Hell Let Loose

The mud squishes beneath the men’s boots as they secure the farmhouse. Sarge delivers his orders in a calm, calculated voice as the team rush to their positions. As their enemies circle they can only hope that they are ready. Nothing but training and teamwork can save them now in Black Matter’s platoon-based FPS, Hell Let Loose.

Even as more WWII games claim to offer a realistic take on combined arms shooters, their focus tends to waiver more towards every player being the star of their own FPS action movie. Hell Let Loose seeks to remove all the modern gameplay elements offering incentives for this lone hero style of play. Instead victory comes from proper execution of a well-coordinated force.

This “cog in the machine” approach to warfare has seen enthusiastic support on Kickstarter. Black Matter have already secured their $105,427 funding goal for their platoon-focused gameplay.

There’s no ‘I’ in War

“When reading veterans accounts of battle throughout history, there is a profound selflessness and camaraderie in fight for the men at your side,” the campaign explains.

Players aren’t fighting to unlock new weapons or perks. Instead the focus is on securing the necessary resources to influence your team’s drive to victory. Two forces of fifty players clash against an ever-evolving front line. There are 13 playable roles available, each mimicking a historical counterpart, right down to the available ammunition, equipment, and capabilities.

With the exception of Rifleman, each role has limited availability. This means players need to rely on coordination between the roles to capture resource rich territory and establish supply lines. It’s a tactically impressive approach to multiplayer gameplay. It doesn’t hurt that the in-game footage shown from the alpha build is also stunning.

While it’s usually not easy to muster enthusiasm for yet another WWII multiplayer FPS, Hell Let Loose looks to be an exception. If you’re tired of the typical run and gun arcade shooters, check out Black Matter’s Infantry Gameplay Reveal and support their Kickstarter campaign.