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When I heard that a small group of former Call of Duty, Halo, Destiny, and Apex Legends had got together to make a new game, my thoughts immediately rushed to the project being a fast-paced, ability-laden shooter set on some distant-future planet. What I didn’t expect it to be was Covenant, which is essentially Dark Souls as an FPS game. That’s of course a bit reductive, but that’s the elevator pitch. Thanks to its appearance at the Galaxies Showcase, we’ve just got a fresh look at Covenant, and boy does it look good.
Doom The Dark Ages will be giving FPS game fans a dark fantasy fix very soon, and if the opinions voiced in my preview still ring true at launch, then it should be a class act. Beloved boomer shooter Painkiller is also being resurrected and will offer up a similar experience later in the year. Covenant is a third horse in this race, offering up some punchy, brutal combat in gothic, atmospheric environments.
As mentioned, developer Legion Studio is brimming with FPS experience, as evidenced by Covenant’s massive machine guns, bows, and crossbows. However, to keep that soulslike feel alive (even if it is in first-person) there’s plenty of melee options too, as showcased by this new trailer. We see a proper dual with longswords going down. There’s what looks like a giant stag’s antler which has been repurposed into a club and bow combo, which will bash enemies skyward and then allow you to fire an arrow at them midair. You can channel your inner Thor and throw a hammer that will collide with enemies to produce a shockwave and a satisfying clang. Doom fans will also be pleased to see that there’s some form of chainsaw weapon too.
Elsewhere, we see environmental objects being used, such as in the moment where a pot is flicked up in the air and karate kicked towards an enemy. A sweeping leg move is also shown, which can knock enemies to the floor. The movement and dodging appears to be quite swift and dynamic as well, for something so soulslike-inspired.
All this is to say that the combat possibilities in Covenant are plentiful. This new look at the game also left me just as impressed as I was with its reveal trailer when it comes to the game’s aesthetic. The weapons, the enemy types, the bosses, and the environments all look suitably grim and imposing, similarly so to the Souls series or Lords of the Fallen.
Sadly, the one thing I really wanted to see was news of a demo or even a release date, but for now, Covenant is still at the ‘check out this dope trailer and wishlist me’ stage. With Doom The Dark Ages and Painkiller on the way in the coming months, I think I can live with that for now.
For more, check out our lists of the best soulslikes and the best RPGs for more dark fantasy adventures.
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