Project ETHOS: Everything We Know

2K Games recently announced its newest game: Project ETHOS. The publisher has described the game as a third-person roguelike hero shooter, a broad, vague, and confusing description. The developer, 31st Union, even admitted that the game was difficult to describe and concluded that playing it was the best way to understand it. 

Fortunately, in addition to an official announcement, the publisher also granted players a public play to give the community a better idea of what to expect. While a definite description is tricky, the game is fun, engaging, and innovative in several aspects. Here is our comprehensive preview of everything we know about Project ETHOS. 

What is Project ETHOS?

Project ETHOS is a bit tricky to describe considering its innovative gameplay design. The developers describe it as a third-person roguelike hero shooter. A more accurate description would be that it is a third-person hero shooter extraction game with a minor roguelike twist. Interestingly, the game shares a few visual and gameplay similarities with iconic games like Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends. 

Story

There isn’t much of a background or ongoing story behind Project ETHOS. The game is more hands-on and mostly focuses on fighting, looting, and character development. 

Gameplay

The gameplay in Project ETHOS focuses on action, looting, and character development. The shooting and looting start as soon as you join, while character development is a gradually ongoing process. 

The game features several modes, all packed with intense action. The main mode is an extraction mode called Trials. Notably, Trials is a PvPvE mode, meaning that you fight against other human players and NPC enemies. 

The main objective in Trials mode is to collect Cores, which you can exchange for permanent augments and upgrades in the main hub. You can collect Cores in various ways, including looting crates, killing enemies, and competing in events. 

However, the best way to earn Cores quickly is by killing other players and stealing theirs. This also means that other players can ambush and attack you for your Cores. Notably, players with many Cores get a bounty, making them a high-value target for other players. Moreover, players with a bounty also get their positions highlighted on a mini-map, letting everyone else know exactly where they are. 

You can then head to the extraction point when you collect enough Cores or after the time runs out. Making it to the extraction point is easier said than done, as rival players can ambush you for your Cores. Moreover, the map starts shrinking when time ends. Racing against time puts you under pressure to get to the extraction point, making it easier to make mistakes. As such, the trick is to collect Cores quickly and head to the extraction point before other players get there and set an ambush. 

Events trigger randomly during runs and come with varying objectives, such as killing robots. Notably, the fights in Events are PvE at first. However, they eventually morph into PvPvE fights because all other human players can participate at will. Besides Cores, you can also earn upgrades for your weapons and shields when playing Events. 

Players can enter Trials runs at any time, including in the middle of a run. You can queue into a run and see how much time is left before joining. You must be ready to go in guns blazing if you choose to join because you can land anywhere on the map, including close to enemies. Moreover, some of the enemies could be at a higher level than you, putting you at a disadvantage. As such, you must power up quickly to level the playing field. 

The game also features various other modes, including a deathmatch-style mode called Gauntlet mode. It features 3v3v3v3 matches whereby the objective is to win three rounds before losing three rounds. Notably, this mode enables you to experience the full spectrum of various heroes and their weapons and abilities, as it is solely PvP and involves many players. 

The game’s roguelike aspect comes from the ability to develop and evolve your hero. The character development and customization systems are extensive. Moreover, you can evolve heroes’ playstyles based on which weapons and abilities you equip and upgrade. For example, you can evolve a sniper into a close-range fighter. Notably, while augments boost a player’s overall performance, they don’t increase damage output, which ensures that everything remains balanced. 

The action is overall intense and fiery, considering the wide range of powerful weapons and impressive abilities. Moreover, fights are mostly strategic, especially when fighting in PvP and PvPvE modes, as each player’s weapons and abilities are unique. Fights are also dynamic, considering that heroes power up during runs and can evolve their playstyles over time. 

The maps in Project ETHOS feature diverse settings and environments. Moreover, they change with every run, making each run feel unique. 

Many aspects of this game make it highly replayable. Most notably, character development will keep the game evolving and interesting, as heroes can change drastically over time. Moreover, the randomized maps will help prevent monotony.  

Development

Project ETHOS is currently under development by 31st Union and will be published by 2K Games. Notably, it is 31st Union’s first game since the studio was founded in 2019. Interestingly, the game is the brainchild of Michael Condry, a former co-founder of Sledgehammer Games. The team also includes Michael Chu, a narrative designer at Blizzard and one of the developers of Overwatch. 

Trailer

The official trailer for Project ETHOS is a short collection of various gameplay scenes. It showcases some of the game’s best aspects, including various heroes, weapons, and abilities in action. Besides the trailer, you can also watch various gameplay videos from the public playtest. 

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Project ETHOS is still in its early stages of development, and the developers are yet to determine an exact release date. The game already has a Steam page, meaning that it will be available on PC. However, it is unclear whether it will be available on other platforms like consoles and mobile. 

So, what’s your take on our preview of Project ETHOS? Let us know on our socials here or in the comments below.