VI Interactive’s Disintegration is an online game that I couldn’t stand at first because of feeling overwhelmed but then later fell in love with and now stan hard for it being the next big thing. Needless to say, it was a roller coaster of emotions, but this online game has a lot more to it than what meets the eye and its strategic play style could be exactly what the online gaming community has been hoping for.
The studio behind the title was founded by one of Halo’s co-creators, which is very evident in the RTS / FPS gameplay style that Disintegration has to offer. Though it does have features not the first of its kind, there is something uniquely beautiful about this particular shooter that makes it stand out.
What is Disintegration?
Disintegration is set in a world overrun by detriment. Pollution, war, strife have all overpowered society, effectively wiping out most of mankind which effectively pushed one massive stretch towards survival. That desperation bred the Integration initiative, a means to remove the brain and place it within a robotic hull. This move keeps the human consciousness while removing those pesky needs like food and water. Oh, and sleep. Don’t need sleep if you’re a robot.
This movement eventually inspired a group of radicalists known as Radon, a group that saw this evolution as the next natural step. That drive then drove Radon to try to integrate every single living being on the plant while taking out anyone who disagrees.
Now that we’ve got that backstory out of the way, Disintegration blends an RTS experience with a narrative flow. The upcoming game will offer both a multiplayer mode – which is what I played – and a single-player campaign as well for those that want to witness the rise and fall of mankind for themselves.
For the multiplayer, there are two teams of five and communication between those teams is vital. Knowing the different mechs and their skills, communication with the team itself, strategic placement – all of this and more can make or break your chances at a win. The objective is to either plant a bomb or stop a bomb from detonating, It’s intricate and kind of overwhelming at first, especially since you become a giant robot that doesn’t actually touch the ground. This is an interesting approach to a match but definitely one that takes getting used to. I crashed into walls way more than I’d like to admit and may or may not have gotten turned around more than once.
Since this isn’t a traditional shooter, players are going to need to adjust their expectations going in. This game is meant to be continuous action, which can make it chaotic at times, and being able to splinter off and change plans at a drop of a hat is key to success within this particular environment. Once I realized that point, I was able to settle in and take in the experience as it was meant to be perceived. That, and keeping firmly in that RTS mindset helps a lot.
Each squad has its own bikes, its own strengths and weaknesses. I eventually settled on the Neon faction, but there are so many to choose from and each one is vastly different from others. Some will move fast but are easy to take down, while others are slow yet lethal – it really just depends on the player’s own personal style and what they feel most comfortable playing as.
Overall the game seemed to have a lot of promise. With esports continuing to rise in opportunity, this strategy-laden experience could potentially blow up on the competitive side of gaming. It’s unique and offers a solid online community, I’m definitely interested in learning even more about the game and how the MP ties into the title’s main story.
Disintegration releases sometime in 2020.
