Hawkedis a new, treasure hunt-themed extraction shooter by developer My.Games, promising exciting firefights, light puzzle solving, and frantic chases, where players are invited to take on the roles of Renegades raiding the artifacts of X-Isle for the mysterious corporation known as Grail.Hawkedoffers both solo PVE and squad-based multiplayer modes following a free-to-play live service model.
Game Rant recently spoke with My.Game’s Executive Producer, Andrew Duthie, about what setsHawkedapart from other games inthe extraction shooter genre.Among other details, Duthie shared priorities for fine-tuning firearms, newly released artifacts, and comfortable loadouts for new players.
The Secret to Hawked’s Guns
When buildingHawked’s broad arsenal of firearms, My.Games did extensive research on othertop titles in the shooting genre, comparing a wide variety of gun statistics ranging from firepower and reload speeds to weapon handling and bullet drop-off. According to Duthie though, the most important metric a shooting game should strive for is consistency: As Duthie explained,
“We believe that the most crucial aspect lies in the predictability and consistency of the weapons. Our players are exceptionally perceptive when it comes to detecting any discrepancies or bugs with our weapons. Even the slightest deviation from their expected performance, such as a shotgun being slightly off in its rhythm, doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Whileguns with excessive firepowerare satisfying additions to any arsenal, being able to rely on a weapon’s damage output and performance behavior is arguably more fundamental. This is especially true for multiplayer games, where players need to be able to assess opponents' gear at a glance, so they can determine whether an engagement will be worth the trouble, or a doomed endeavor. Consistent weapon behavior is also crucial for rigorously testing weapons' overall balance.
Navigating X-Isle in Hawked
Hawked’s most unique feature may be its use of unique traversal items for quickly covering ground (or gaining altitude) on X-Isle. On water, players automatically equip hoverboards that allow them to quickly skirt the shores and rivers of the tropical arena. And on land, players will frequently make use of the Traverser tool, which can function asa grappling hookand vaulting pole. And these features are just the beginning. Duthie stated that new gear to increase player mobility is on the way, citing a recently released Ward item that players can find in the game.
“Gearing up for an expedition to X-Isle is an important step for all Renegades, and we want to give them as many options as possible. In fact, we just added a new Snap-TrackWard gear that allows you to take a quick selfie to mark an anchor point and then teleport yourself back there at will.”
The Snap-Track functions similarly toSombra’s Translocator ability inOverwatch, allowing players to place an anchor point which they can instantly teleport back to at will. The new ability should open up various opportunities for baiting and evading engagements. Players can rush in with a low-capacity, high-damage weapon and dump mag, only to teleport away before enemies can retaliate. Alternatively, players can snap back to another location after attaining a glyph to speed their progress toward raiding the core vault.
Hawked Dev Gives Tips for Best Loadouts
Hawkedhas a robust load-out system, featuring supernatural artifacts that impart abilities, as well as gear called Exos and Wards which give players new offensive and defensive options. Provided My.Games can maintaina steady stream of updatesto keep the title fresh,Hawkedwill provide players with a wealth of customizable options to keep firefights fresh.
Regardingthe best loadouts for newcomersto X-Isle, Duthie advised players to focus on survival and finding more trinkets. Chief among the survival artifacts is the Purewater Elixir artifact, which will allow players to fully heal in between gunfights. In terms of creating a positive feedback loop for trinkets, the Collector Coil is invaluable, as it increases the Renegade’s maximum shield for every trinket they are currently carrying.
Where Exo and Ward gear are concerned, Duthie recommends new players try out the Recon Raptor and Familiar’s Boon. These pet-like pieces of gear also focus on trinkets and survivability, respectively. The Recon Raptor can recover buried stashes of lost trinkets, as well as highlight opposing players, while the Familiar’s Boon summons a shield-restoring Octopus pet that will help keep Renegades in the fight.
Hawked
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on the ultimate treasure hunt in HAWKED, a free-to-play online Extraction Shooter full of daring adventures, boundless exploration, and all-out PvPvE action in pursuit of ancient treasures.Adventure through a mysterious world where roguish Renegades battle monsters — and each other — to reclaim powerful relics from a lost civilization. Time to flip the page on your Renegade origin story!Play solo or team up in 2- or 3-player squads as you set out on the ultimate treasure hunt. But stay frosty – you’re not alone! Fight hordes of monstrous Disciples and outwit rival Renegades in explosive PvPvE combat. Switch up your loadout to suit the heist at hand, with a fully loaded arsenal of firearms and superpowered abilities at your disposal.Traverse X-Isle, a world lush with verdant vistas, dense jungles, gorgeous beaches, and no shortage of ancient ruins to raid. Get around with your trusty Traverser and Hoverboard, and make new discoveries as you explore every corner of this mysterious paradise… just watch out for Disciples, deadly traps, and other Renegades.Your goal is to solve puzzles, retrieve enough Glyphs to unlock the Treasury, and then claim the shimmering Artifact that lies within. Take it to an Extraction Point (along with any other treasures you’ve unearthed) for the ultimate payday. Artifacts can even be upgraded as part of your loadout — enhance and wield them to unlock game-changing new powers!
