In an era where slow-paced tactical shooters like Escape From Tarkov have dominated the genre, a new entrant named Hyenas aims to turn the tables. The game, described as a fast-paced extraction shooter, is expected to breathe new life into the world of first-person shooters (FPS).
Alex Hunnisett, the product director for Hyenas, sat down for an interview at Gamescom 2023 to shed light on the game’s unique approach. “I play a lot of FPS games,” said Hunnisett. “You’ve got extraction shooters in the market that can be very tactical, very slow paced. We’re inverting that and going back to almost, I’d say, closer to a team deathmatch pace.”
This shift in tempo is not just for the sake of speed, but to make the genre more exhilarating and enjoyable, according to Hunnisett. “That pacing gives us something unique, the movement gives us something unique, all of that added to the new universe, I think we’ve got a whole bunch of vibrant and exciting things there,” he summarized.
The game’s robust character mechanics and environmental variables offer tactical depth, but without the usual extended match lengths seen in its counterparts. “You don’t have to sit in a match for 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes. You don’t have to get super sweaty over it,” added Hunnisett.
Not only does Hyenas promise quick, adrenaline-pumping matches, but it also brings in a plethora of features from the evolving FPS landscape. These include reactive zero-G gameplay opportunities that allow players to manipulate their environment in unique ways.
“I firmly believe it’s gonna be a bunch of folks who say, ‘I want to do something new that still has this element that I enjoy in it’. If you like extraction shooters, yeah, you can do that, but it’s slightly faster paced,” Hunnisett emphasized.
The game straddles the line between being more approachable for newcomers and offering enough competitive elements to satisfy veterans of hero shooters. “The industry has come on so far in terms of all of the things you can do in first-person shooters, so condensing all of those elements down has been very exciting,” Hunnisett explained.
For those eager to get their hands on this game, Hyenas is hosting a closed beta from August 31 to September 1. This beta testing phase will provide invaluable feedback and allow the developers to fine-tune the game’s mechanics before its full release.
With its fresh take on the FPS genre, a blend of fast-paced action and tactical depth, and an upcoming closed beta, Hyenas seems well-positioned to capture the imagination of both new and seasoned gamers alike.