E3 2014: Sneak Peak at Nosgoth Gameplay

A dark, tactical combat multiplayer game set in the dark fantasy world of the Legacy of Kain series, Nosgoth was available at E3 for gameplay and we were lucky enough to try it out.

Nosgoth is set in period of time previously unexplored in the Legacy of Kain mythos, allowing the game to exist within and draw upon the lore and conflict at the heart of the canon while still being able to flesh out and build their own world.

Hunter and Scout battle in the upcoming free-to-play multiplayer arena battle game Nosgoth

The game is a deceptively simple four on four multiplayer; four humans vs four vampires battle over a complex, vertical map with plenty of hidey-holes and escape routes. What sets Nosgoth apart, however, is the asymmetrical gameplay that is the heart of the game: humans, restricted to range only classes, must rely on their teammates in order to survive; while vampires–all melee classes, with powerful sprints, the ability to walk up walls and deadly ambush skills–are meant for solo ganking at an almost OP level.

Players an load out in any class and change classes mid match (the new load-out goes into effect after the next death). Combat is fast, mostly intuitive, and relies on players knowing both their class and their teammates’ classes strengths and weaknesses.

At the end of each arena battle, players switch–humans to vampires, vampires to humans–requiring players to be able to fluidly change between range to melee, as well as between the distinct classes available.

Even with only one arena to play in, Nosgoth was a lot of fun. With the basic combat ideas relatively straight forward and easy to grasp for newcomers, but a (promised but not yet seen) deep customization to allow for long-term tactics and strategies, Nosgoth offers a intriguingly easy introduction for the new player while hinting at a complexity to keep long-term and experienced players interested.

Square Enix is working alongside developer Psyonix on Nosgoth. Psyonix has worked on Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Homefront (multiplayer), Bulletstorm and Mass Effect 3.

Nosgoth is free-to-play and available for PC on Steam. Players can register for the closed Beta or become a Founder here.

Check out the trailer below, and let us know if you’re excited about Nosgoth, already burnt out on the glut of 4v4 MOBAs or somewhere in between!