The Concord beta is opening its doors this weekend for everyone, and I can’t wait to jump back into it after last weekend’s test, which is something I wasn’t expecting to say.

I was as baffled as most viewers by the game’s confusing reveal in June, which spent a few minutes trying to convince players we were learning about a new AAA, single-player sci-fi adventure only to drop a first-look gameplay on us that looked like every riff on Overwatch that’s come and gone without glory for the last eight years or so. After spending five or six hours with the beta, however, I’m really vibing with its identity and firmly believe PlayStation and Firewalk Studios just fumbled the initial marketing push.

Mind you, even a cheeky alternative to Overwatch, now dubbed ‘Overwatch 2’ and offered as a free-to-play title in hopes of returning the IP to its former glory after several creative missteps, would be half-attractive with a firm, solid playable approach that came across as different enough. That first gameplay reveal, however, felt like a mix of “we have Guardians of the Galaxy at home” meets the Overwatch clones that have struggled to make an impact over and over again. Moreover, the $40 price tag on Concord is scary even if the promise is avoiding shite MTX altogether in the future (press X to doubt).

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