Summary
- Concord failed to build a player base and was taken offline after two weeks.
- Still, the game's deep lore and the Galactic Guide used to deliver it are deserving of praise, and should inspire other titles.
- In particular, Firewalk Studios' approach to presenting lore could benefit Destiny 2, as its methods for navigating lore can be confusing to casual players.
Concord may have not been able to reach the heights that Sony and developer Firewalk Studios were hoping for, but the game experimented with some interesting concepts. Regardless of one's view on Concord as a whole, the deep lore that was being built was a strong feature of the hero shooter. Firewalk Studios was attempting to mix up the genre, and it unfortunately didn't hit with audiences, but that doesn't mean that other games should avoid looking at its strong points for inspiration.
After two weeks of struggling to build a player base since its launch, Concord was taken offline. As of now, there is no official confirmation about whether Firewalk Studios will try to re-launch the game with feedback in mind or not. Until then, Concord remains dead, but that doesn't have to stop the game's strongest features from inspiring other titles. With Firewalk Studios partially being founded by Bungie veterans, the Destiny influence in Concord is clear. However, when it comes to Concord's Galactic Guide, the hero shooter has the perfect feature for Destiny 2 to take note of.
Concord's Galactic Guide Would Feel Right at Home in Destiny 2
Making the Game's Lore a Larger Part of the Experience
Between the $40 price tag and accusations of being a Guardians of the Galaxy ripoff, Concord will need to have a serious makeover if Sony and Firewalk Studios are planning a comeback. Despite the cold response from intended audiences, one of the most-praised features in Concord was the Galactic Guide. The Galactic Guide provided players with a roadmap of the best galactic routes to take, but it was also a clever way to introduce deeper lore. Thanks to the Galactic Guide, insight into the game's two factions and the history of its planets was easily attainable.
The lore of Destiny 2 can be incredibly dense, which can be intimidating for many newcomers. Sometimes, even longtime players can become overwhelmed by the amount of information. Destiny had a somewhat similar concept with Grimoire Cards, but they weren't as accessible for players. Grimoire Cards were unlocked in-game, but players had to log onto the Bungie website to read them, which kept many players from learning interesting points of lore. For Destiny 2, players can purchase physical copies of a Grimoire anthology that further explains the story, but keeping this type of lore education out of the game can isolate players who are unable to acquire these hardcover books.
Destiny 2 lore can also be found in other in-game features and objectives, like Triumphs, but the in-game lore books can be difficult to gather and piece together on one's own.
Concord's Galactic Guide makes its lore an interactive feature within the game that can make it far easier to grasp than Destiny 2's method. The feature was specifically included as a way for the most invested players to easily learn more about Concord's world. It's a more player-friendly way to establish deeper storylines, and that is something Destiny 2 has been in need of.
Concord's Approach to Building the Game's Lore Held A Lot of Potential
Although Concord is still continuing to drift away after Sony announced it was being taken offline, the game's lore-building could potentially inspire future titles. Between the Galactic Guide and the planned weekly cutscenes, it was clear that Firewalk Studios had a lot of hope for Concord's story elements. Destiny 2 also embraces cutscenes to expand its lore, but doing so on a weekly basis was a compelling concept.
- Since Firewalk Studios boasts Bungie veterans, it is possible that Destiny's Grimoire Cards helped inspire Concord's Galactic Guide.
Currently, what the future of Concord looks like is one of the biggest mysteries in gaming. It may be too late for the hero shooter to rise from the ashes in a potential rebrand, but only time will tell. Even if Concord remains offline, the easy-to-digest method of lore presentation it offered could work wonders for Destiny 2.
Concord
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 64 /100 Critics Rec: 23%
- Released
- August 23, 2024
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Firewalk Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
