Scavengers has a fun backstory that really sets the atmosphere. In this world, humans left Earth for Sanctuary when an asteroid shattered the moon and froze Earth, spreading a virus that created mutants. Some humans chose to stay on Earth to take control of the planet, but the ones who left to seek refuge now work for Sanctuary’s AI protector, Mother, who wants us to go back to the surface. In return trips to earth we gather data to help create a cure for the virus. But in doing so, Mother pits teams of humans against each other to collect the most materials to help the future of humanity as a sort of sick competition. If you kill others or get killed in the wilderness, however, Mother can clone you to respawn back. So the actual fighters, or scavengers if you will, are all copies of the strongest explorers. Which is actually a fun way to explain how there are so many of the same Explorer characters out on the battlefield at once.
Scavengers calls itself a PvPvE experience. The game holds up to 60 players per match, in 20 teams of 3 with unlimited respawns as long as a member of your team is still alive. The goal is to collect the most datapoints and escape on the only dropship that lands at the end of the match. You can find pieces of data materials by looting abandoned buildings and towns or by infiltrating marauder strongholds and outposts. You can also steal an enemy player’s resources off their body when you kill them. However, if you’re in the top count for teams holding resources, your position will be revealed on the map, making you a public target. It sounds fairly chaotic with so many players in a match vying for as many loot spots as possible, but the map is so large that the PvP and PvE interactions feel well-balanced.
The only times you really have to worry about hard PvP instances is when you reach a data upload point where you can activate a satellite and upload your data points to Mother. This allows you to bank the amount of points your team has and stay in the lead. But the downside is that everyone can see where you’re using an upload point and can potentially ambush your team and steal your points for themselves. Once a satellite has been used, it can’t be reactivated, so you have to choose your options carefully when you find yourself nearing the top of the scoreboard.
In addition to hostile NPCs and enemy players, the elements will also be working against you. The map will have a large storm circle that slowly closes in, but it will also have smaller moving storms that will pass through at any point as well. If you get caught in a storm, your health bar will indicate the amount of cold affecting your character. An ice bar will start to freeze over your health meter and you won’t be able to get rid of the freeze damage until you find shelter or heat. There are bonfires littered throughout the map that you can stand next to to warm up. However, be warned that even if you make it to the end of the match, hostile environment and NPCs and all, the fights are not over even when the dropship lands. There’s a limited amount of time before the dropship leaves but during that countdown phase, any enemy players inside or around the dropship can still eliminate your team, so be prepared for a chaotic showdown at the end.
The combat system was actually pretty easy to pick up since it felt like your average third-person shooter. But there’s a match leveling system that almost works like a moba; think League of Legends. It felt a little strange at first, implementing a system that’s mostly known in a different genre, but it actually ended up feeling pretty natural. You start each match at level 1 and level up the longer you survive, the more enemies you kill, and the more looting you do. So it really encourages you to move fast and take on more challenges to level up and get better gear. I was worried about how long matches might take but because there’s so much you can do between PvP fights and circle closures, this system actually worked in constantly engaging me as a player.
You have two weapon slots that you can fill with any weapons you find in the map. There are smgs, assault rifles, snipers, bows, and even melee weapons. Your character isn’t bound to any one type of weapon but you do unlock the ability to craft your character’s exclusive weapon at level 4. Before entering a match, you can choose to play as any Explorer you have unlocked. Each character will have a special weapon that only they can craft. Each character also comes with an ability that you can change in your loadouts. I chose the ability that allowed you to drop a small healing circle since I wanted faster recovery from fights. In your loadouts you can also pick another gun, separate from your chosen Explorer’s special weapon, to craft as a secondary if you wanted. As you level within a match, you can unlock your loadout and craft items as you want, including armor upgrades which vastly increase your chances of survival towards the endgame.
This all seems like a lot at first for a game that’s built out like a team-based battle royale, but all the different mechanics make sense once you jump into a game and experience the flow of a match. There is a tutorial mode that’s available for new players to try before diving into an online match as well. I was honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed my time playing. My team and I were able to reach top 3 twice and it was incredibly fun to see how quickly the tides could turn if you strategized well. The UI was a little bit clunky and hard to understand as a beginner, but the gameplay felt solid. The weapons felt balanced, no ability outdid another, and the movement was smooth with a satisfying slide mechanic.
Scavengers is currently in closed beta but is set to release on PC in 2021. There’s no date for consoles just yet but Scavengers will be a free-to-play game that I highly recommend keeping an eye out for.
Stella Chung is a Host, Producer, Video Editor, and Features writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @ParallaxStella and watch her yell at games live almost daily on Twitch.
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