The standout features for me in “DownGate Deathmatch” are the things that have little directly to do with the combat. Whether using gravity boots to walk on walls or ceilings, or the jetpack to get a birds eye view and/or quickly move you to another part of the map, this is one Quake/Unreal/Doom-style game that really focuses on the movement and positioning options.
And it borrows the best from the “block-built worlds” game genre, at least the best as far as combat goes, such as the ability to rapidly built fortifications, or constructing new positions to wall walk across to ambush someone from. It also has a wealth of customisation options for your character, if you’re into that sort of thing (I’m not, but have a friend who seems to spend more time creating characters in “Elder Scrolls” games than actually playing them). Given it costs a dollar, and supports both solo play and online play for up to 16 players, if you’re a first-person shooter fan this is definitely worth at least a free trial.
Here’s what the publisher (Gristmill Studios) has to say about the game:
“Battle your friends while flying with jetpacks, walking on walls and ceilings with gravity boots, and building or destroying the world around you. Inspired by first person shooter classics like Quake and Unreal Tournament, with all the fun of a buildable and destructible environment, DownGate is the new multiplayer deathmatch shooter from Gristmill Studios, makers of hit indie builder XenoMiner.”
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Ditto for the traversal options once you’re in-game. DGD supports up to sixteen players online, and the maps are at once intimidatingly-large and expansive enough to accommodate the number of players. You can remove and / or add blocks to create defenses. Jet-packs can get you both vertical and around the level in a hurry, while gravity boots can literally change your perspective of the world on the fly, with the floor becoming the ceiling and vice-versa. All of which introduces several different ways to play.
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