The forthcoming cyberpunk retro-FPSSprawlwill inevitably draw comparisons to another cyberpunk shooter still making waves in the video game community. But the game’s co-developer, Carlos Lizarraga, believes that his title has as much to do withCyberpunk 2077 -or otherindiecyberpunk games - as it does withSkyrim. Lizarraga suggests a better point of comparison would be the retro titles that inspired the game, or hits from today that feature highly emergent gameplay likeFortnite.
Game Rant spoke to Lizarraga aboutSprawl’s ambitions for highly emergent gameplay, and the formula he and his partner are using to pursue that goal. The game will boast a highly exploitable movement system, inspired by the ‘surf,’ ‘b-hop,’ and ‘rocket-jump’ scenes of early Source Engine titles, paired with a greater emphasis onmodern, vertical level design. DespiteSprawl’s seemingly simple premise, these factors could give the retro-futuristic shooter the unique hook it needs to stand out in a competitive marketplace.
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The Enduring Appeal of Emergent Gameplay
Among other things,Sprawlis a love letter to the frantic, twitchy, competitive shooters that dominated the PC gaming scene in the late 90s. But Lizarraga citedthe id Software classicQuakeas an especially prominent influence due to its enduring appeal.
“It creates a lot of fun situations with emergent gameplay, and that is really our guiding principle. Emergent gameplay is what gaveQuakeit’s longevity - you know, in addition to the modding scene. It’s still what makes certain games today stand out.”
Lizaragga called out Epic Games' battle royale titleFortniteas a more modern example of a game featuring highly emergent gameplay. Even thoughFortnitehas seen a steady stream of content updates, special events, andhigh-profile crossovers, the game would not have become a phenomenon without a solid-yet-flexible game loop. The building mechanics inFortniteallow players to create cover, set traps, and gain considerable altitude. The total number of options available to a player at a given moment ensure that no two firefights are exactly alike.
Built for the Z-Axis
Mechanics that foster verticality, in particular, are especially effective at mixing up garden variety shoot-outs, which is why so many developers have recently prioritizedvertical level design. Building maps that offer those options to players is challenging, and only half the battle. Lizarraga said that making players aware of their options is a challenge in and of itself.
“We’re building a game that is introducing a whole new axis, the Z-Axis. As a designer, you have to recondition the player to look up. Valve has a famous quote along the lines of, ‘If you can figure out how to make players look up, please let us know.'”
Taking a shooter’s gameplay to new heights is a fine idea in theory, but all those possibilities will fall flat if it never occurs to players to use them. Third-person action games liketheUnchartedfranchisenaturally lend themselves to climbing and leaps, partially thanks to the camera configuration. An over-the-shoulder view and the ability to pan the camera around the character is generally more conducive to highlighting vertical thrills than a first-person perspective.
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Short of including enemies that attack from above, it is very hard to telegraph vertical paths through a level, especially in the middle of an intense firefight. It is no accident that Lizarraga said one of his favorite recent titles isDoom Eternal,which is another shooterfeaturing verticality and precision platforming rather than the floatier jumping mechanics of games likeHalo.
Exploitable by Design
Even ifSprawlpresents players with numerous, clearly telegraphed opportunities to claim the high ground, players need creative movement options to make the most out of their experience. To satisfy that need, Lizarraga is drawing from his experience with exploitable movement systems like the ‘surf maps’ popular inCounter-Strikeand other similar games. Certain weapons will also open up traversal options for players, such asSprawl’s shotgun, which can be fired to trigger a rocket-jump like ability - without the usual price of losing some health.
The possibilities inSprawl’s seemingly simple gameplay are designed to explode once players master these movement and weapon combos. If Lizarraga’s gambit on emergence and verticality pays off,Sprawlcould become a classic in its own right.
Sprawlis currently in development for PC. A release date has yet to be announced.
