I went into The Headliners not knowing exactly what to expect. The previews looked fun and for 7.99 I wasn’t taking huge risk. But there is always that worry, “am I wasting my time and money?”, “Will I play this more than once?”, “What will my parents say when they walk into the basement/my bedroom and see me playing this game?’
I’m relieved to say that The Headliners is fantastic. I’ve put some hours into the game so far and itching to get back to it. Modeled after games like Content Warning and Lethal Company, The Headliners takes those influences and runs with it, adding its own unique flavor to the gameplay loop.
The basic premise is straightforward: You are a journalist in a big city. You and up to 3 other players’ job is to fly into the city and snap some photos. The problem is, the city is overrun by aliens and monsters.
Now, you might be thinking, “Shouldn’t the military be going in to combat the threat?” The answer is absolutely not. Get in, get some good pictures and get out!
You begin in the press office. Your starting gear is a simple camera and a flashlight. Don’t worry you can get better gear later, if you survive. At this point the helicopter is waiting, all aboard!
You’re dropped off in a random part of Newish York. The 10 minute timer is running. Now you have to find something to shoot. No, not actually shoot, journalists don’t get guns. There are multiple unique alien types to find in the street. A little ET looking thing, A stalker type alien, A beholder. Then there are the big boys. The Slender and Velocialien often make an appearance near the end of the round and are worth the most points.
Now, you have to get back to the choppah. Which is easier said than done when 4 different aliens built like a brick shithouse are between you and your escape. Oh, and Slender is stomping around like he just saw a cockroach come out from under the refrigerator. Luckily your teammates can pick up your camera if you get stopped to death.
You’ve made it, you got’ve in the helicopter and are back to the press office. Now head to the big screen tv and the game tallies up your point total. If your team reaches the goal you move onto a higher level. The missions are rated between 1 and 5 stars…or uh, skulls. Your team only has 3 chances to attain the correct number of points, or you’re fired.
You’ve got enough points? Good now upgrade your gear and get back out there!
One of my few gripes with the game is the point scoring. It can feel inconsistent at times. I’ve seen what looked like a nearly empty image score big points while an alien ripping a dude in half was worth almost nothing.
My only other gripe is the replayability. There isn’t a lot in terms of maps or enemy variety yet, however, the devs at KAFI have said they plan to keep adding new content. They just released a new patch that adds a few new levels and a couple new aliens/monsters.
Overall, I am in love with this game. Getting together with 3 friends and subsequently capturing their demise on film from a living tornado is something I look forward to experiencing again and again for hours to come.
