Summary
The sci-fi hero shooterConcordis getting flamed online by gamers for having what many consider “ugly” character designs. The newly-unveiled title from Sony first-party developer Firewalk Studios has gotten off to a rough start in terms of overall reception, with many PlayStation fans unenthused by its gameplay reveal. The criticism over the designs of the characters inConcord, meanwhile, is adding even more fuel to the fire.
Concordserves as the debut title for Firewalk Studios, the company helmed by ex-Bungie veterans that Sony acquired in early 2023. Having initially been announced at the 2023 PlayStation Showcase with nothing more than a brief CGI trailer, fans didn’t know what to expect from the game, given that the teaser in question didn’t provide much context on what exactly the title was.Months later, though,Concord finally received a full reveal during the May 2024 State of Play, with developer Firewalk unveiling that the game was a live service, 5v5 first-person hero shooter set in aGuardians of the Galaxy-like universe. Unfortunately, the reveal of the game hasn’t gone down well with many gamers, with the title being criticized for a number of aspects, including its character designs.
A Reddit user named gpetrakas took to the r/gaming subreddit to call outConcordin a post of theirs for having what they considered the “ugliest character designs” they had ever seen. To show an example, they shared a screenshot of Emari, one of the selectable “freegunners,” or playable characters, in theupcoming Sony live service game. Emari’s design is highlighted by her blue lipstick, green armor, yellow helmet, and purple stripes. The use of this unconventional color palette is one that many consider to be unappealing, with Redditors like RTXEnabledViera calling Emari’s appearance “bland,” compared to the immediately-recognizable characters from hero shooters likeOverwatch.
Many of the other commenters on this post seem to be in agreement with gpetrakas' take. Some Redditors joked that Emari’s design, in particular, looks like a knock-offspace marine fromWarhammer40K. Others, meanwhile, claimed thatConcord’s characters were overdesigned in a misguided attempt to make them stand out more. Of course, these sentiments aren’t shared by everyone, though, as fellow Reddit users like daywall and Igneous4224 stated that they didn’t believe the designs looked that bad. In fact, the former of the two Redditors said that they thought “the designs are not any different from other hero shooters,” with some characters looking “ugly” and others being “cool and unique.”
Despite The Negative Reception of the Game’s Character Designs, Concord Could Still Be A Big Hit
The criticism of the character designs is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the backlashConcordhas received so far. Many gamers have criticized Firewalk’s debut title for being a live service game instead of a singleplayer, narrative-driven one. Other fans, on the other hand, have claimedConcordlooks rather uninspired to them. Despite the negative reactions toConcord, there’s still a chance that thisupcoming 2024 PS5 gamewill catch on likeHelldivers 2did and become the next big hit, but only time will tell.
Concord
WHERE TO PLAY
Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.ASSEMBLE YOUR CREWFrom powerful mystics to skilled gunslingers and helpful healers, each Freegunner brings their own unique skills, personality, and abilities that cater to a wide-range of playstyles.Create your own custom squads of Freegunners with Crew Builder to bring an arsenal of different role types to the match or focus on your favourite characters to master their gameplay and unlock unique modifiers, cosmetics, background lore, and more – you decide when to play your characters and how you impact the match.PLAY. PROGRESS. PERSONALIZE.Earn and unlock a wide range of character customization items and learn more about the characters, worlds, and factions in the Concord Galaxy with the Galactic Guide.You’ll also be able to progress toward and unlock Freegunner Variants—versions of each of the 16 Freegunners with added Combat Trait modifiers to their base abilities. As you learn and master the characters, Combat Traits empower you to tailor each character to your playstyle.
