Breach

Overview

You can't hide in there forever.

Breach is a class based first-person shooter in a modern day setting. After their game Six Days In Fallujah was cancelled, Atomic Games set about applying the technologies that had been developed for the game and experience with military simulations to develop a new title, with a focus on real-world equipment.

In a similar vein to Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Tango Down, Breach is only available via download and its sole focus is on multiplayer, with the maximum player count set for 8 vs. 8.

Release Delay

While originally scheduled for a late summer 2010 release, Breach was delayed because the team "missed a small window set by Microsoft". A new release date, January 26th, 2011, was later announcd. Because of the delay, Atomic were able to add a new game mode, called "Hardcore".

Gameplay

Active Cover

The game uses a cover mechanic, similar to the one used in the Rainbow Six: Vegas franchise, in which the player can snap to cover with a button press. The view will then switch from first-person to third-person perspective allowing players to see around the obstacle while remaining in cover.

From this position players can either blind-fire, lean out for a more accurate shot, or quickly pop-up into first-person perspective and back again.

Destructible Environments

I wonder what my friends are playing right now....

The destructible environment is the highlighted point of Breach. It's very detailed, similar to Red Faction: Guerilla. When a grenade explodes next to a wall, a section of the wall isn't blown away. Individual bricks and wooden planks are independent of each other and will break away from the wall. If you're a Recon and want to make a small hole to shoot through a wall, you can shoot away just one brick to maximize the amount of cover.

Maps

Breach has a selection of five maps on which to play the game's various modes.

• The Passage
• Silo
• Peak
• Ascent
• Nocturnal - Essentially an nighttime version of The Passage map.

Game Modes

Breach can be played in one of five different game types

• Infiltration - Domination-style play in which teammates must work together to hold a series of points across the map. The longer a point is held, the more points are awarded.
• Convoy - One team must escort a convoy of vehicles to a specific location on the map while their opponents must do everything they can to stop them.
• Retrieval - Breach's version of Capture the Flag places two biological weapon canisters on the map and each team works to retrieve one of the canisters.
• Team Deathmatch - The standard kill-or-be-killed team deathmatch game type found in most competitive shooters.
• Sole Survivor - The same as Team Deadmatch, only with no respawning. Once your dead, you're out until a new round starts.

Ranking and Online Persistence

The game features online persistence, where you earn XP and can spend it on weapons, perks, and upgrades, as well as working toward rank upgrades, moving from Grunt through three tiers each of Agent, Operative, Specialist, and Lieutenant before the highest rank, Commander, which is also divided into three tiers.

Classes and Weapon Load-outs

Breach features five classes typical of contemporary multiplayer shooters, each with their own unique skills and weapons. Each class takes the USP .45 as a sidearm, and below is a list of weapons available to each class:

Rifleman

Wha...I was just going to shoot them!

The Rifleman is a mid-ranged class specializing in automatic rifles.

• Breach Charge
• M4A1
• HK416
• ACR (Adaptive Combat Rifle)

Gunner

Gunners walk away from explosions. Snipers, not so much.

The Gunner is on of the slowest classes in the game, but makes up for it with light machine guns and hand grenades at his disposal.

• M60
• M240
• IAR (Infantry Automatic Rifle)
• M67 Frag Grenade

Sniper

The methane build up from years of camping in that hut finally backfires.

III-equipped to deal with close-quarters combat, the sniper is at home at a large distance providing cover for his teammates.

• M40A3
• TPG (Tactical Precision Rifle)
• M107 Sniper Rifle

Support

Ka-BEWM!

The support class has a very limited range, but makes up for it in stopping power.

• M1014 Combat Shotgun
• MP5
• Siaga 12

Recon

Swish!

Less armored but more speedy than his cohorts, the Recon class excels at taking objectives and being a general nuisance to the opposing team.

• Breach Charge
• MK 14
• Seal Recon Rifle
• Tactical AK-103

Gadgets

There are a total of 11 gadgets to unlock

Level 1 Agent

• Sticky Bomb - Explosives that adhere to any surface it comes into contact with after having been thrown.
• Dragon Skin® Body Armour - A passive item that reduces damage taken. Modeled on an actual product developed by Pinnacle Armor in Fresno, California.
• Remote Motion Sensor - A device that can be attached to any surface, warning you of enemy movement in the vicinity.

Level 2 Operative

• Bionic Ear - Amplifies enemy gunfire and footsteps, allowing you to home in on nearby opponents.
• IR Sniper Detector - Creates a glare when a scoped weapon is visible on the players screen, helping you to locate snipers at a great distance.

Level 3 Officer

• Bomb Sniffer - Explosive objects are highlighted to the perk's user.
• Sabotage Kit - Can be used to booby-trap weapon caches and fixed weapon emplacements.
• M79 Pirate Cannon - A single shot grenade launcher, similar to the 203 rifle-mounted launcher. Goes "Bloop!"

Level 4 Lieutenant

• M2 Slam Charge - A proximity mine that detonates when it detects movement.
• Medic Kit - Gives you the ability to heal yourself or a teammate.

Level 5 Commander

• Sonic Imager - Allows the user to "see through walls".

Perks

There are 13 perks total to unlock.

Level 1 Agent

• Conditioning - Increases stamina levels, allowing for longer sprint duration.
• Explosive Personality - Increases the effective radius of explosive weapons.

Level 2 Operative

• The Bad Ass - Halves the users health, but doubles the XP recieved.
• Strong Arm - Allows you to throw grenades farther.

Level 3 Officer

• Thick Skull - Reduces damage taken from headshots.
• Steady Hand - Reduces weapon recoil leading to greater accuracy.
• Nerves of Steel - Allows you to remain accurate even when taking fire.

Level 4 Lieutenant

• Bandolier - Allows you to pack more ammunition and grenades.
• Agility - Increases movement speed.
• Extra Sensory Perception - Increase accuracy when blind-firing from behind cover.

Level 5 Commander

• The Brawler - Doubles the damage taken by an opponent in melee while reducing the damage you take.
• Quick Reflexes - Cuts reloading and weapon switching times in half.
• Vendetta - Places an IR marker on your killer for a short time for ease of revenge.

PAX East Theft

At PAX East 2010 a beta build of the game was on show, and the code was almost stolen on the last day of the convention. Luckily members of Atomic Games saw the would-be thief and caught him in the crowd. It was later discovered that he had only copied 14mb of the code.