A few years ago Void Interactive announced their desire to create a SWAT game similar to the much loved SWAT 4 and it's predecessors. Development was already underway and since, there have been a number of announcements and information releases showcasing the progress made.

However the latest, and in my opinion most exciting, piece of information to come out recently is an "Official Gameplay Trailer" from Void Interactive showing off a number of features and announces pre-order packages. Pre-order packages are pretty straight forward and break into two categories:

Standard: $39.99

- Full game

-Beta access available June 2020

Supporter: $119.99

- Full game

- Beta access available June 2020

- Alpha access available August 2019

- FBI HRT pack

- 25% discount on first expansion

- For the first 1000 pre-orders you will receive an official Ready or Not mousepad

Pretty clear and concise for anyone who has been missing the feel and play of the old SWAT games. Speaking of, I'll quickly breakdown some of the mechanics referenced in the video.

To give you an idea of what to expect, Void says the game is a blend of first person action and tactical strategy. This is something most anyone is common with if they have spent any time with Rainbow Six: Siege, or any similar style game recently. However the pace is in stark contrast to the explosive, guns blazing, shoot through walls style we are familiar with. There is a lot of emphasis on voice commands, intelligence gathering prior to entering a room, and less-lethal options to detain people and take them into custody. Not everything is about shooting and getting shot at here.

Two overall options are available to play the game, broken into cooperative mode to play with friends and take down suspects, or a PVP mode in which one element is the "Rouge Movement".

Something that really caught my ear though was the fact that it seems a lot has gone into developing at least a basic story to give these people some actual life and history. SWAT cops, beat cops, drug addicts, the drug dealers at the top of the food chain, and even children. You get to hear, see and experience all of their stories giving you some foundation for their actions and likely shaping your tactical decisions.

Void stated they have collaborated with law enforcement personnel to obtain the most authentic representation possible. In that vein you can customize personnel, weaponry, and armor itself can be customized to fit play styles. However, with bullet mapped trajectories and interactions, the right armor selection or style of teamwork can be vital to success.

A huge emphasis will be placed on using less lethal and "safe" options as opposed to just running guns blazing into every situation. Flahbangs, Tasers, sting ball grenades, pepper ball launchers, etc are all options to utilize. However, that doesn't mean every enemy will go along with your instructions, some will push the issue and force the combat. It adds to your tactical decision making skills in the moment and tests the abilities of you and your friends.

Stated in the video is the fact that each scenario in a level is "intelligently randomized" including suspect locations, traps, protection details, and more. You are provided a large set of tools to handle these situations including explosive breaching, lock picks, pole cameras, and the lethal and less lethal options listed above.

Overall, the video is just shy of eight minutes and showcases more information for the game than ever before. When you get a chance give it a look and get yourself excited for some nostalgia wrapped in a 2020 vibe!