Every game tries a little something different to stand out and for developer Vogelsap‘s The Flock, that little something just so happens to be an expiration date.
The Flock is an asymmetrical multiplayer game that will release this autumn, and takes place on a future Earth where pollution gets so bad, the sun is completely blotted out. Monstrous creatures emerge from the darkness, called the Flock, and soon after are joined by the Gollum-esque Carriers, which can survive in the light, unlike the Flock.
The Carriers use a device called the Light Artifact to fight off the Flock, who are killed if they are bathed in light while moving, but are immune to its effects if they are still while it shines on them.
During each round of the game, every player starts off as a member of the Flock and the first to find the Light Artifact is transformed into a Carrier; they must then try to stay alive against all the other players for as long as possible. This seems like a slight variation on the King of the Hill type multiplayer mode that has been around for decades.
Where the difference begins is that the developers over at Vogelsap have programmed a limited number of lives into the game – as in the game keeps track of every player death and once that limit has been reached, the game locks and will no longer be available for download online. Players who already own the game will be treated to an unannounced finale before the game goes offline forever.
Vogelsap‘s creative director Jeroen Van Hasselt has said that, “In opposition to other multiplayer games, we want The Flock‘s experience to inspire a sense of awe, to keep players eagerly anticipating what is coming next and to end with a memorable climax.”
The Flock arrives on PC via Steam this year and if you’re interested in the game, you can apply for the closed alpha here.
