Doghowl’s intruiging take on the extraction shooter looks set to refresh PvPvE play. ComingSoon previews Level Zero Extraction.
Level Zero Extraction is a multiplayer extraction survival horror that developer Doghowl draws inspiration from the likes of Alien Isolation, Hunt Showdown, and Escape From Tarkov. It’s a PvPvE experience with an asymmetrical twist.
It’s an exciting sub-genre that mixes co-op, competitiveness, strategy, and water cooler moments unique to the player. It’s also flexible enough at this stage to tweak and pull at the formula to keep it fresh. Level Zero Extraction’s setup is proof of that.The basic idea is that players embark on dangerous scavenging expeditions where three teams of up to three mercenaries compete for valuable loot. Meanwhile, another two players will be deadly alien monsters, hunting the humans from the shadows.
it feels like a no-brainer to combine the most exciting aspects of Hunt Showdown and Dead by Daylight, it’s something that we got a small glimpse of in asymmetric multiplayer titles Evil Dead: The Game and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre where the balance was still very much in the DbD mold, but a shifting strategy was at play for both sides.
The hook here is that teams will have to contend with each other fighting over loot and two players out for all their blood. The potential for manipulation of that dynamic is mouthwatering. Temporary alliances to fight the monsters? Monster players drawing squads towards each other. Or even human teams setting similar traps for the monsters and other teams. The dynamic allows for friendliness between rival teams. You can talk to work together in certain instances and if you’re feeling extra nice, you can even revive rivals if they’re downed.
There’s also friendly fire, so your own teammates could be as much of a risk as anyone else in a tight firefight.
Light plays a big role in how these encounters work. The monsters are vulnerable to light, so teams staying in the light will be pretty safe from the beasties, but being lit up makes it a lot easier for opposing teams to find those bathed in halogen sanctuary.
Safety is found in the dank confines of the vents for the monsters, but to really stick it to the humans, they need to ensure it’s lights out around the map. To that end, a growing list of abilities is at hand, including egg traps and an EMP blast. The battle for lit space will no doubt become more intense the deeper matches go.
For the human teams, light management is only part of the strategy. The combat takes an interesting turn. for anyone who has played the highly entertaining Chivalry II, Level Zero Extraction uses that game’s intricate directional melee system to add some intensity and spice to proceedings. I’m very curious to see how it plays out hands on, because it has opportunity knocks for some cool/hilarious moments. Doghowl says the decision to use this control system is so that players feel like they ae controlling their weapon rather than the camera.
Also quite Interesting is what happens when a human player dies. Rather than glumly spectating from the ether, players can continue as a drone that picks up items, and scouts ahead within close proximity of living teammates. This looks especially useful in the context of lights, which drones can switch on and off, adding another wrinkle to the PvPvE dynamic.
From a distance, Level Zero Extraction looks promising. there’s enough tweaks to the extraction formula to make it stand out and there seems to eb a real effort to keep all players engaged from the start of a match until the end. Getting hands on will be essential to understand how it works in practice though. we won’t have too long to find out, with a Steam closed Beta coming on march 15, 2024.
Level Zero Extraction will be released in Steam Early Access some time in 2024.
