Project Nova Officially Unveiled: A PvP and PvE Hardcore Shooter

Screen Rant

By Rob Keyes

Published Oct 19, 2018

CCP Games and Sumo Digital officially unveil Project Nova, with details on PvP and PvE gameplay, progression, and procedurally generated content.

The spiritual successor to DUST 514 approaches! CCP Games has finally unveiled official details on their upcoming shooter Project Nova and while EVE Online themed shooter still doesn't have a title or any sort of pricing info yet, it is playable in a pre-alpha form and we'll be getting hands-on with it today.

CCP Games, in partnership with Sumo Digital, have been developing Project Nova for years and while we've asked devs over the last two EVE Fanfest events about the project, it's been clear that the emphasis on this one is to get the shooting right. Nothing matters if it doesn't play and feel great in this respect.

And not to worry, Project Nova isn't a console exclusive. It's a PC exclusive unlike its predecessor which was only available on PlayStation 3. The reason this announcement has taken so long is because CCP is aiming for quality first and foremost, and their acquisition by Pearl Abyss earlier this year has offered the opportunity for CCP not to rush the game.

So, What Exactly is Project Nova

Project Nova is a "hardcore" first-person shooter played in PvE and PvP. Its focuses are on gunplay, progression, and replayability. It supports co-op and competitive play, and while there are no plans for an esports push, that's possible down the road.

Players take on the role of a Warclone, elite clone soldiers carving their own path to redemption against Sansha’s Nation, a totalitarian rogue state built upon brainwashed slave labor and controlled by loyal ‘True Guardians’, a cybernetically-enhanced elite. You have been called to action by AEGIS, the Concord division specializing in defense against external threats. Amid furious boots-on-the-ground battles, the clash of space warfare will roar overhead as players seek to dismantle their operations and prevent the enslavement of their fellow free-willed soldiers by Sansha’s Nation.

Players will face Sansha’s Nation across a multiple-act narrative that utilizes unpredictable procedural objectives and adaptive enemy AI to craft an always-engaging experience. The thrilling moment-to-moment squad-based FPS gameplay enables players to place installments and automated defenses, adding a layer of strategy in the way they engage with enemy forces on a modifiable battlefield. Players choose from a multitude and ever expanding arsenal of weapons that grow as they progress, unlocking new weapon modifications as they gain proficiency in their chosen arms.

Not too dissimilar from Warframe, Project Nova's maps will be embracing procedurally generated content, and these battlefields can be altered during matches. Weapons and Dropsuits (armor) can be upgraded via progression and there's a mod system. Other features:

Leaderboards at launch
Player squads of 2, 3 or 4 in PvE
PvP teams are 16 players each in squads of up to 4.
Dropsuits come in light, medium, and heavy variations with two subclasses each.
Mods and abilities can be unlocked via progression, capped by a total power grid amount for each suit.
For PvP, players can also take on mercenary work for rewards.
There will be in-game seasonal rewards.

And as we confirmed back in April, there are no battle royale modes planned, but there will be other modes. Similarly, while Project Nova is narratively connected to DUST 514 and the larger EVE Online universe, they are not directly connected. Maybe in the future once this has a strong, proven foundation, that sort of ambition crossover can be looked at again.

When Can We Play Project Nova?

Project Nova is currently in pre-alpha so could be a ways off but there will be an invite-only Alpha in November. For now, enjoy these official Project Nova screenshots.

More: CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson Interview

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