There are some who believe that videogames are nothing more than shallow, aggressive dollops of interactive cartoon violence. And in the case of Loudout, that accusation is . . .pretty accurate.
With a western sci-fi setting that modern developers love, Loadout is a simple, free-to-play (FTP) third-person shooter that comprises of traditional multiplayer matches. There's last man standing, capture the flag, team versus team, and so on.
It’s very fast-paced, with the characters sprinting around a contained combat area. And the weapons and cartoon violence give it a zany, slapstick feel. Weapons include an electricity gun, a harpoon and a flamethrower called the “scarbecue”.
Loadout is a gory game. As avatars become more seriously injured, their organs and bones become exposed until they begin to resemble victims of an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon. Graphically, it works reasonably well, with muscular players that look like caricatures of 1980s action icons like Rambo. The sound is appropriately macabre, with agonised gurgling, wailing and gnashing.
With FTP titles, the idea is that the hardcore fans would subsidise the casual gamers. So the two main issues are; whether you can enjoy it without paying, and whether the matchmaking works. Loadout tackles these issues confidently. While forking out money gives you better guns and perks, you can still happily jump into the fray without opening your wallet. And the games are well matched, so you will be playing with teammates and opponents roughly at your level.
Loadout doesn't amount to much more than a bite-sized, violent and fast-paced shooter. But that's a rare and precious thing that we should all be thankful for, especially when it's served up for free.
