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El Paso, Elsewhere is more than a stylish tribute to Max Payne

Ever since it was first announced I have been completely charmed by it El Paso, elsewhere. The indie shooter developed by Strange Scaffold looks like the El Paso, a third-person shooter developed by Strange Scaffold, is a stylish tribute to Max Payne's neo-noir action game El Paso. The game features a trenchcoat-wearing hero shooting down monsters during slow-motion dives, and is inspired by El Passo's hero, James Savage, a pill-addicted gunslinger on a mission to save the world from his vampiric ex-girlfriend. The levels are built like little mazes filled with vampires, werewolves and other creatures to blast, and each slow-mo dive brings its own “oohs” and “aahs’ as I soar over a werewolf and shoot him with a shotgun. El Paso Black Hero is set to be released on PC, Xbox, and Xbox Series X/S.

El Paso, Elsewhere is more than a stylish tribute to Max Payne

Publicerad : 12 månader sedan förbi Tristan Day i

Ever since it was first announced I have been completely charmed by it El Paso, elsewhere. The indie shooter developed by Strange Scaffold looks like the developers were asked by Max Payne to create a Constantine game, and then someone made a PS1 demake of the result. It’s a wild and strange action game in which its trenchcoat-wearing hero shoots down monsters during slow-motion dives. It’s a premise that sells itself when you watch a trailer of it.

When I went into my first hands-on demo with it at this year’s Game Developers Conference, I wanted to know more. I thought I’d know within minutes how satisfying his bullet-time action felt, but I was hoping to find some more depth in his intriguing neo-noir story. As I quickly learned from Strange Scaffolds studio head Xalavier Nelson Jr. El Paso, elsewhere is much more than a small homage to Max Payne. It’s a deep meditation on race, addiction and more – all embedded in a stylish gameplay system that feels as fun as it looks.

El Paso, elsewhere is a third-person shooter that wears its Max Payne influences on its sleeve. From his dark noir monologues to his commitment to black trench coats, there’s no mistaking what the foundation is built on. Though that’s the inspiration El Passo differs completely from the PS2 classic in story and structure. Its hero is James Savage, a pill-addicted gunslinger on a mission to save the world from his vampiric ex-girlfriend. That brings him to a small motel that somehow defies reality and has grown over 46 stories.

The levels I played were built like little mazes filled with vampires, werewolves and other creatures to blast. While the slow-motion gunplay explicitly welcomes its Max Payne comparisons, it almost feels a bit more like Hotline Miami reimagined in 3D. Survival can be incredibly tough as I had to react quickly in narrow hallways or bathrooms. I died a million deaths during my playthrough, and everyone taught me to better prepare for what’s around every corner and carefully conserve my limited slow-mo gauge.

When I finally clear out a wave of enemies, it’s like I’ve just finished a graceful morbid dance. Each slow-mo dive brings its own “oohs” and “aahs” as I soar over a werewolf and shoot him with a shotgun, or leap away from a vampire’s attack while leaving a trail of Uzi fire in my wake . What worked so well for Max Payne works just as well here in a mesmerizingly lo-fi art style.

While the action is as strong as I expected, paying homage to classic shooters while maintaining a totally unique texture, the more Nelson Jr makes it clear that the style has substance, I moved on. For example, Savage heals himself by taking pills. This isn’t just an empty nod to Max Payne’s healing system; The story will actually deal with Savage’s very real problem with addiction.

His hero’s name isn’t just a funny allusion to “Max Payne,” either. Nelson Jr. points out that this is no coincidence El Paso Black Hero has “Savage” as a last name. It’s a loaded word that’s been used historically to dehumanize black people, and neo-noir history will deal with that, too. None of the small details are accidental. They recontextualize a handful of silly video game decisions and turn them into powerful narrative tools. The medium is the message.

At the end of my demo I walk away with exactly what I was hoping for. Strange Scaffold doesn’t deliver your average indie action game built around a central gameplay forward hook. Beneath all the slow-motion dives lies a rich neo-noir wrapped in 46 tales of hellishly awakening supernatural melodrama. I don’t need to know any more detail; I’m ready to lock and load.

El Paso, elsewhere Slated for release this fall on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.


Ämnen: Texas, El Paso

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