Onward is good. Onward is free this weekend. You should go try it right now.
If that’s not enough to convince you that the winner of both Best Shooter, and Most Surprising New Game in our 2016 Game of the Year Awards is worth it, read on.
Released into early access last August, Onward is a military shooter that falls somewhere between Counter-Strike and Call of Duty. The game’s punishing realism, minimalist presentation, and vast arsenal of weapons help it stand out from the crowd of me-too shooters cluttering the market. Earlier this month, we spoke with creator Dante Buckley, who dropped out of university and devoted a year to making his game with the remainder of his tuition money. His work more than paid off. Onward now hosts a healthy multiplayer population and dedicated fan base. As if creating the most popular multiplayer VR game on Steam wasn’t enough for the 20-year old, Valve invited Buckley to work out of their offices this past January.
We praised the game last year, but it’s grown immensely throughout 2017. Receiving numerous updates, including the addition of cooperative play against AI, Onward continues to expand its feature set with each patch. The idea of an evolving and changing game with a dedicated fan base might sound intimidating for some, but you can check our field guide to help you get up to speed.
With even more updates coming this month and next, there’s never been a better chance to jump into Onward. You can play it on both the Vive and the Rift. If you find the game to your tastes, the shooter will run you $24.99 after this weekend.
