Highguard: A Unique Twist on Online Shooters

Highguard, the latest game from Wildlight Entertainment, is making waves in the online shooter scene. It's not your typical team deathmatch or battle royale. Instead, it's a "PvP raid shooter" where two teams of three players compete to control the Shieldbreaker, a powerful weapon that can break down the enemy's shield.

A New Genre by Accident

The game's creator, Jason McCord, admitted that they didn't set out to create a new genre. They just wanted to make something different. The game's unique mode can be a lot to take in at first, but the developers are still figuring out what works best.

Development Challenges

Highguard's development process was a winding road. At one point, there were eight teams, each with their own base. It was chaos, with matches lasting up to two and a half hours and no clear winner. The developers had to scale back the scope to make the game more enjoyable.

Gameplay and Maps

The game's maps are large, allowing teams to gear up at the start of matches without the pressure of an enemy right on top of them. Mounts like bears or horses were added later to help players traverse the maps faster.

World Design

Highguard's world is a blend of fantasy and military aesthetics. The developers wanted to create a world where technology had stopped advancing after World War I, but they kept making better versions of existing tech. This means no magic wands or shooting from hands, but plenty of assault rifles.

Playable Characters

The game features eight playable characters, called Wardens. The developers didn't set out to make a hero shooter, but they found that the heroes made the game better. Each hero has unique abilities that help in different phases of the game.

Cut Content

Not everything from years of development made it into the final game. At one point, there were more base-building elements, but the developers found that the game was better without them. They teased that some ideas might make it into the game in the future as added content or limited-time game modes.