If you're looking to try your hand at something new, Drifters Loot the Galaxy might be just the thing. The free-to-play hero shooter about a strange collection of outer-space weirdos with guns who brawl for cash in 5v5 online battles is now in open beta testing on Steam, ahead of an upcoming launch into Steam Early Access.
Each "Drifter" brings unique, customizable abilities to the fight, but one they all share—and one of the game's defining characteristics—is mobility. Every character is equipped with a "Driftpac" that enables high-speed directional maneuvers, and a grappling hook that's handy for getting around in the game's low-gravity, multi-level maps. (It's also good for pulling you out of trouble if your Driftpac happens to run out of energy in a bad spot.)
Developer Blind Squirrel Entertainment hooked us up with a couple of videos showcasing two of the game's characters. Resistor, a former call center droid, is a DPS attacker who can lock into enemies, fire homing rockets, disable enemy shields, and ride a large missile that deals massive damage—a bit like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove, except that Resistor can actually control where his missile goes and presumably doesn't get vaporized when it strikes.
And this is Ziggy, a ball of gas inside a spacesuit who's very good with a sniper rifle. Headshots grant Ziggy an automatic reload, they can fire charged shots, send opponents flying backwards when they get too close, and unleash high-damage lightning strikes from on high with their Starry Night ultimate.
Here's what you'll need to play:
Minimum:
- OS: Windows 7 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i3 or better, AMD Phenom II X3 or better
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or better, AMD Radeon HD 7870 or better
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 30 GB available space
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel i5 or better, AMD Ryzen 5 or better
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 or better, AMD Radeon R9 380 or better
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 30 GB available space
The Drifters Loot the Galaxy open beta is free for all, but limited to players in North America. That will change when the game goes into Early Access, which will be availbale worldwide—Blind Squirrel hopes to make that happen in September, but it will depend on how the open beta goes. To find out more, hit up driftersthegame.com.
