Double 11, the longtime manager of Paradox Interactive’s Jail Architect design before the two companies parted ways before this time, has announced its next project: multiplayer shooter Blindfire, launching in early access for Xbox Line /S and PC. lately.
Blindfire is a team-based arena shooter for up to eight players that, for its simple narrative, sees players immerse themselves in a bloody pirate game run by the ultra-rich to amass riches and glory. Fortunately, his move is much more ingenious, with Blindfire aiming to throw everything aside in the midst of complete darkness.
Double 11, which features Blindfire on Xbox Twine, says the all-black twist emphasizes “slower, more tactical gameplay,” with kills “less related to pure shooting skill and more to clever use of environmental cues.” To help navigate the darkness and find combatants, players can use their room-scanning Echo mechanic, briefly revealing a description of their surroundings. On the other hand, there’s more to imagine when simply firing a gun (causing a loud gunshot and flash) immediately finds the attacker’s spot.
And there is also more to consider; As a round unfolds, glowing elements are slowly introduced into the games, spreading from the outer walls of the sector to its center, driving out players camping in secluded corners and forcing everyone to stay in closer confines.
A central element of Blindfire is the Bodycount method, which has Separate for All and Team variants, and requires the player to hit as many things as possible over five rounds. Skillful plays, such as headshots, multiple kills, first blood, or surviving without taking damage, award bonus points, but warring parties must be careful, as one day they simply make it to the round. On the plus side, eliminated players have access to night vision cameras, revealing the sector in all its colorful black-lit glory. And at this level, they are able to control their traps to provoke an attack or seek revenge.
Double 11 plans to add weapons not used in Blindfire’s early start to the build, but the initial build only includes two: the Mantis, a “powerful and accurate pistol,” and the rapid-fire Abolition shotgun. The studio says its purpose of flow is to focus on the distinctive tactical parts of Blindfire, where victory comes from technique and execution rather than tools.
And if the take on cloud-killing shenanigans intrigues you, Blindfire launches on Xbox Line X/S and PC in early access today via the Microsoft Bundle. It’s also quite expensive, costing just £7.99, but if you don’t try it before purchasing, a separate trial may be available.
Double 11 was until now developing Jail Architect 2 for Paradox Interactive, having taken the reigns of predominant control design in 2019. Elsewhere, the increasingly erratic Paradox parted ways with Double 11 again in May, pronouncing it “No.” “We were able to find a commercial deal that worked for both parties.” Since then, Jail Architect 2 revealed repeated delays, with no licensing era in sight these days. Blindfire may be Double 11’s first real IP.
