The Black Matter Studio has existed since 2015. This tries independently with an international team of artists and programmers to create games that thrill players. Now the developers of exactly this label are working on the world war shooter Hell Let Loose. An online fact sheet about the game reads: "You never played World War II the way it should be played!" However, Hell Let Loose has been playable via Steam's Early Access since June 6, 2019 - and has mostly received positive reviews. But the real question is, what are the people in charge doing differently in this game? Because world war shooters are not exactly rare in the gaming industry, are they? After all, it is certain that Hell Let Loose is not a new battlefield and has no claim to permanent action. Because the focus of the development is clearly the implementation as a realistic shooter that is set up in a world war scenario.
Hell Let Loose does a lot right at first glance. Because right from the start it is clear that the makers here are not after fast action and excessive firefights. But on the contrary. We cannot find an immediately accessible match search - nor can we just hop into a game. Much more we have to grapple with the thought of which unit we want to join. For example, we choose between tank crew, rifleman, sniper or medic. Each of the 14 roles has its specific advantages and disadvantages. Because a tank commander has different requirements in the game than a machine gunner.
After we have made our choice, the developers at Black Matter Studios present us with a surprisingly clear and detailed strategic map. On this we can easily read the course of the battle so far. Because the rounds are designed so that the players fight for individual sectors. Speaking of players: Hell Let Loose is designed for online games in which 50 gamers face each other. Thus, the world war shooter generates an impressive game environment in which 100 fighters fill the battlefield.
However, the soldiers here are not standing on their feet. Hell Let Loose's map is the equivalent of around four square kilometers. Despite the number of players, it is often necessary to cover long distances. However, as mentioned at the beginning, this is not about the quick kill or action on the assembly line. Hell Let Loose wants to convey an emotion and transport the player to a time when this hell was a bitter reality for the majority of people.
After we've chosen our role, we're allowed to get involved. Almost - because first we are looking for a spawn point. This is where we finally enter the map and can throw us into battle. But if something doesn't happen at this point, it's time to march. As I said, the menu is big. So we have no choice but to move in the direction where the fighting is going on. At first glance, that doesn't sound particularly exciting, but it makes for enormous immersion. In addition, it is important to be absolutely focused even in such a phase. It is not uncommon for us to be struck down for carelessness in moving towards combat. The nasty thing about it is that we don't even always notice where the shot actually came from. So we always look for a way that can convince with at least rudimentary coverage - even if that is difficult.