Concord

It’s a grim but unavoidable truth that reviewing Concord right now feels like penning its eulogy. After eight years of development and a reported budget exceeding $100 million, Sony's Firewalk Studios released this first-person hero-shooter for PlayStation 5 and PC on August 23. Yet, just two weeks later, Concord’s fate was sealed. Despite its promise of ongoing content updates and a roadmap for future seasons, the game barely made it through summer. With an estimated 25,000 copies sold across both platforms and a peak player count of under 700 on Steam, Sony has decided to cut its losses and shut the game down. Firewalk announced that Concord would be taken offline on September 6, with all sales ceased and refunds issued to those who purchased it.

The developer mentioned they would “explore options, including those that will better reach our players,” hinting that Concord might return in a free-to-play format. Regardless of its future, Concord is now one of the biggest disappointments in gaming history. While its premature demise wasn’t entirely unexpected, the severity of its failure was surprising to many.

But is Concord truly so terrible that it deserved to be pulled within two weeks, like a film with a failed theatrical release? Not at all. In reality, it’s a competent first-person hero-shooter, reminiscent of Overwatch, though it fails to distinguish itself in any notable way. The blame for its collapse lies less with the developers and more with those who orchestrated its financial strategy, who oversaw its costly and prolonged development, and who failed to anticipate the challenges of launching a $40 live-service shooter in a market flooded with superior free-to-play alternatives.

Concord is decent, but that’s part of the problem—it's merely okay. It resembles Overwatch, but is eight years too late. With no real single-player campaign or story, it’s just a PvP hero-shooter with an uninspired mix of art styles and gameplay elements that echo previous games. Although it’s not broken or unplayable and can be enjoyable with friends, the $40 price tag is unjustifiable, especially in 2024 when there are many free-to-play options offering much more.

The game begins with a lengthy cutscene attempting to set up some narrative context before players jump into online matches. The story introduces a group of colorful characters called Freegunners searching for their next job in the galaxy. The banter and jokes are often cringe-worthy, but this is to be expected given the familiar archetypes—there’s the goofy leader, the loner with a heart of gold, the loyal big guy, the serious strategist, and the surprisingly human bot.

Character designs in Concord are uninspired, appearing as if generated by an AI combining elements from Guardians of the Galaxy, Starfield, Overwatch, and other hero-based shooters. For instance, Lennox resembles Yondu from Guardians but behaves like Star Lord, while Star Child seems like a blend of Drax and Overwatch heavies. The designs feel lazy or too derivative, lacking the originality that could have set Concord apart.

While the characters themselves are not crucial in a PvP looter-shooter without a single-player campaign, their uninspired designs detract from the game. Firewalk had an opportunity to create a distinctive roster, but many characters, such as those in NASA-style spacesuits, lack distinctive flair.

Concord tries to build a narrative around its PvP matches, similar to Overwatch, with intermittent cinematics and a Galactic Guide that offers lore and context. While the guide is a neat addition, it feels disconnected from the actual gameplay, and the narrative framework doesn’t significantly impact the PvP experience.

Where Concord shines is in its PvP gameplay. The matches are engaging and require teamwork, featuring unique hero abilities and tactical elements. Heroes are divided into six classes, each offering something distinct, and the shooting mechanics are fun and responsive. However, some abilities feel underwhelming, and the lack of an Ultimate ability makes combat somewhat shallow.

Finding matches in Concord was a challenge, with very few players online, especially as the game neared its end. Matchmaking issues and players exploiting the system for achievements before the shutdown highlight the game’s troubled state.

Visually, Concord boasts a slick presentation, but the art style and design choices feel derivative, blending elements from Overwatch and other games without offering anything truly novel. The maps are visually appealing but familiar, lacking the surprises that could have set them apart.

In summary, while Concord is a serviceable and fun game with engaging PvP gameplay, it falters under its $40 price tag and fails to stand out in a crowded genre. It didn’t deserve such a swift demise, and its failure is more a result of poor corporate decisions and timing than its intrinsic quality. Concord should have launched as a free-to-play title, possibly through PS Plus, and its release should have been postponed following its dismal open beta. Instead, Sony let it fall to its demise prematurely.

Pros:

- Fun and engaging PvP gameplay

- Distinct hero abilities

- Solid visual presentation

Cons:

- $40 price tag

- Uninspired character designs

- Lack of ultimate abilities

- Disconnected narrative

- Too similar to other games in the genre