Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will go to PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One in early 2021. The paid expansion of the venerable space game adds combat on foot for the first time. On Thursday, Frontier Developments released a new trailer detailing the weapons that will be available and how they will work.
When commanders first leave their spaceships, they have the ability to arm themselves with all kinds of weapons, including sniper-style long-range rifles, short-range automatic weapons, grenades, and even rocket launchers. Each will fall into one of three broad categories: plasma, laser, and kinetic weapons. Experienced players should find this familiar, as ground combat is intended to reflect the style of space combat.
The video also sticks to the visuals and sounds of what the team calls the “combat triangle”, featuring fighters on foot, in spaceships and wheeled rovers called SRVs.
At a glance, the battle looks extremely tactical. Players use organic cover, aim for sights, and use jet packs to move quickly while under attack. Death animations include ragdoll physics, and indoor settings are seasoned with moody lighting and environmental hazards like fire and electric torches. There was even a sequence showing what looked like a breakthrough tool used to make a new hole in the side of a building.
The video ends with a discussion of the game’s soundscape. Fans of Elite dangerous have long praised the game’s sound design, which fills the silence of the room with all kinds of rich ambient sounds. Apparently, the team was able to get their hands on a whole host of real-world weapons and then fire them indoors and out at the historic Pinewood Studios.
Pre-orders for Elite Dangerous: Odyssey are available now on the Epic Games Store, the Frontier web store and on Steam. While the expansion starts at $ 39.99, fans can also purchase the Deluxe Alpha Pack for $ 54.99, which includes access to the alpha and beta versions of the expansion and some exclusive in-game items.