Almost a year ago to the day, Arrowhead dropped Helldivers 2. Perfectly balancing Starship Troopers-esque satire with a simple yet fun gameplay loop, the futuristic co-op shooter was everywhere for months on end, spiking at a colossal 450,000 players on PC alone. While a series of awkward balance changes and the infamous PlayStation Network account link controversy hit the game hard, it remains one of 2024’s biggest winners. But there’s still room for newcomers to muscle their way into the fray, and Phantom Line, a co-op FPS from a team of ex-Bioshock and Cyberpunk 2077 devs, is designed to do just that.
“We, the Board, have noted the highest civil unrest in decades among [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], and [redacted] group,” reads Phantom Line‘s newest press release. It informs me that the ominous Board is “waking up all Operators…for the greater good of the HUMANITY,” and that, as of right now, a “stress-test” is live. The Helldivers undertones are pretty clear.
But Phantom Line trades out Future Earth’s signature satire for a world that feels more in line with hardcore FPS games like Stalker or even Fallout. You are the aforementioned Operative, a highly trained, lethal agent working on behalf of Mortfield Industries. You’ve been sent to investigate a facility in the Iron Corridor, an Eastern European region torn apart by paranormal activity. Your mission is to secure the perimiter, which would be much easier if nuclear war hadn’t broken out as soon as you got there.
Working in a group of up to four players, you’ll be dodging monsters a la Helldivers, and investigating these strange anomalies, much like Stalker. The catch, however, is that you have access to the H.U.S.K network, which allows you to switch between bodies. Use these vacant meat bags to distract enemies or scout ahead, allowing you pick off your foes one by one.
Between runs, you and your squad will head back to your home base, situated on an old ship – think Space Marine 2’s Battle Barge or your Helldivers 2 spaceship. You can customize your aforementioned H.U.S.Ks, streamline your loadout, and craft new gear using resources you find on your travels. Then, you’ll get your new mission, and do it all again.
Created by Antistatic Studios, a group of Bioshock and Cyberpunk 2077 veterans, Phantom Line looks absolutely amazing – and you can play it right now. Available from today, Wednesday January 29, you can dive into the Phantom Line demo on Steam and explore its anomalies for yourself. Just make sure that the civilians remain blissfully unaware, though. Check it out here.
If you’re looking for something equally gloomy and hopeless, check out our list of the best apocalypse games – I’m sure there’s something thoroughly depressing to keep you busy. Alternatively, if you looking for something new to play with friends, here’s our guide to the best co-op games.
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