Just like in Hollywood, there are certain videogame genres that have been milked completely dry. Though innovation can always reverse this effect if implemented effectively and at the proper time, it’s often hard to tell whether a game will innovate before its release. The result? There are a whole lot of games that I just don’t get around to playing. I love zombies as much as the next guy, but if I hear about yet another zombie shooter and there’s no real indication that it will be anything beyond just “pretty good,” I find myself wishing the developers would at least attempt something out of the ordinary to grab my interest.
Apparently, the folks at Phosphor Game Studios and Nether Productions understand this, and have responded with a surprisingly awesome live action teaser for their upcoming survival shooter, Nether.
Something like I Am Legend immediately came to mind for me, but I’m sure you’ll form your own associations upon watching the four-minute-long action spot these guys have managed to pump out. Now, some would argue that the only thing worse than a full CG trailer is a live action trailer, because it’s even less representative of the actual gameplay contained within. I tend to agree regarding higher profile releases, but with something like Nether, the trailer serves its purpose admirably – getting the game onto people’s radar. After a couple of watch-throughs, Nether is now something I’m paying attention to.
For those not in the know, Nether is essentially an open world, first-person survival shooter, set in a post-apocalyptic re-imagining of Chicago. The player must partake in the usual survival measures — mainly hunting down resources for sustenance and crafting tools and weapons — but Nether‘s developers insist that the game also “brings unique gameplay elements to the genre.”
For now you’ll have to take their word for it, but if this trailer is any indication, the folks at Phosphor are serious about what they’re bringing to the table with Nether. If you pre-order now you get early access and in-game perks, so if you’re totally sold then it can’t hurt to go for it. Perks, I tell you! Perks!