Fans have waited patiently for Bulkhead Interactive and Square Enix Collective’s authentic WWII shooter Battalion 1944, receiving bits and pieces of information about the game, along with some hands-on time during last year’s Gamescom. But Bulkhead is rewarding that patience soon. Battalion 1944 is headed to early access February 1st, but Bulkhead is also running an exclusive beta for the game starting Friday, January 19th and running until the 21st, open to all Kickstarter and Humble Bundle backers. Other fans who didn’t support the project’s campaign can content themselves with the new trailer — see above — showcasing brand-new gameplay footage.
Battalion 1944 was inspired by what Bulkhead Interactive calls the golden shooters of old, where a player’s skills mattered more than power-ups. Participants in the beta will get a taste of that old-school action before it enters early access, with the goal being to treat players to carefully focused map design and balanced weapons intended to create a tense, yet fair and fulfilling, WWII experience.
That experience is characterized by authenticity as well, according to Bulkhead Creative Director Howard Philpott, who says the team traveled to Normandy and made close study of the historical battles to combine competitive map design with historical credibility.
Non-backers won’t have too long to wait to experience the game, though. Battalion 1944 is set to enter early access February 1st, bringing six modes with it that will be announced at a later date. The game is expected to retail at $14.99, lower than the lowest Kickstarter tier, and Bulkhead is offering crowdfunding backers unique skins and cosmetic loot as a “thank you.”
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Are you excited about this return to old-school shooter glory? Let us know in the comments!
