While there still isn't much official information out for the PS5, players were at least given a short glimpse of what will be coming to the system with the trailer for Godfall. Presented by Gearbox and developed by Counterplay, Godfall is set to introduce a new twist on the looter genre.
While the trailer and some of the information that came after the reveal has given a small look at what the game play will be like, there is still one question lingering about Godfall. What exactly is a Looter Slasher?
Looter
The genre defining term "Looter" has been thrown around quite a bit lately, as more and more games jump on a trend that was set way back when the original Diablo released in 1997. Since then, the genre has evolved from isometric titles like Diablo to Looter Shooters like Destiny, Anthem, and, of course Gearbox's Borderlands series. No matter the game, though, the defining characteristic of any Looter is the onslaught of randomly generated loot that explodes out of players' favorite enemies and bosses.
This explosion of loot is generally characterized by weapons and armor spilling onto the ground with differing rarities and powers, often with a color coding. Even the colors have a generally accepted routine hierarchy ranging from gray or white all the way up to gold for the most powerful pieces of gear. Also, while these types of systems have some kind of narrative that pulls players through the majority of the game, the endgame becomes an endless grind in an attempt to get the best possible loot drops.
Slasher
Diving deeper into specifically how Godfall's gameplay works, the best bet is to turn to a short gif posted by @Nibellion that was pulled from a PlayStation Lifestyle interview with Creative Director Keith Lee. According to the interview, one big inspiration for the combat was the Monster Hunter series, which tracks with the way Lee described combat when responding to questions. An important note comes from the ways he continues to mention "weak points" having an impact in gameplay, meaning that enemies will have strengths and vulnerabilities the way that monsters in Monster Hunter do depending on where they are struck.
From the short gif, however, a few other elements of combat highlight themselves. For one, the player in the short clip parries an incoming attack and is then grabbed and dragged into an animation. This hints at very tight combat in Godfall, more reminiscent of the calculated combat of Souls-like hardcore action games and less like the stylish combat of Devil May Cry, both of which are complex but for different reasons.
Loot In Godfall
With gameplay built around a tight combat system that emphasizes customization and augmentation (according to the Lee interview), that still leaves the question of how loot plays into the mechanics of Godfall. Well, fortunately, there are actually some answers to that question as well. The loot, some of which can be seen in the reveal trailer, is the key to character customization, through the use of weapons, augments, and the game's armor referred to as Valorplate.
Each weapon will have different attack sets for both ranged and melee combat, and players will be able to carry two into combat that can be easily swapped at any given time. The Valorplate is both the armor as well as the tool for the game's class system, not unlike Warframe's titular armor. None of these mechanics are something entirely new on their own, but combined, they should make for a completely different playing experience, with loot in Godfall working less like a Slot Machine and more like a progression system.
Looter Slasher
So, the question of what a Looter Slasher is is actually slightly easier answered than the newness of the genre seems to imply. Godfall will be an action-RPG with a focus on combat that uses loot as a progression system to unlock new classes and abilities. Now, what that says about a leveling system or other common RPG mechanics is still to be discovered, but taking Lee's language from the interview literally would suggest that there is some type of leveling system implemented in the game.
Godfall will reportedly be releasing more information later in 2020 leading up to its release alongside the PS5 in Holiday 2020. At the moment, Godfall is still only the first announced launch title for PS5, and considering that games move consoles more than console specs ever could, PlayStation should be looking to hype its launch titles like crazy over the next year. In which case, when there is more to pour and fawn over, check back in for continued coverage on Godfall as news breaks.
Godfall is set to release in Holiday 2020 for PC and PS5.