Concord makes a terrible first impression. After multiple cutscenes where characters speak in two tones - annoyingly glibly or over-earnestly - you're chucked into a tutorial that feels comprehensive… until you actually play the game. Only then do you realize that it teaches you to crawl before demanding you sprint. Chaos and death reign as you try to figure out just what is going on and why a giant "we've got Drax at home" creature keeps pummeling you into an early grave. Fight through it though and Concord begins to show a better version of itself. One that, given enough time, might even be worth sticking with.
On the surface, Concord takes an Overwatch-style cast of heroes and marries them to fast-paced, Call of Duty-style action. You pick from a crew of 16 Freegunners (the in-game term for the self-consciously wild misfits you play as) and get stuck into the 5v5 team action across a selection of mid-sized maps over a variety of planets. Concord aims for a balance between strategy and skill, with maps designed to suit all play styles - from those who prefer long open spaces for sniping to bunny hoppers who like to bamboozle others with quick movement in tight spaces. While clever play like setting up traps with certain characters or learning the map layout to quickly flank an enemy can grant an advantage, skilled shooters can negate this by landing headshots, making matches an enjoyable contest between brains and brawn.
