From time to time, Digitalchumps gets access to hands-on sessions with upcoming games. This time around, we were privy to a hands-on preview of Veiled Experts from Nexon and Nexon Games. It’s a third-person shooter that is driven by a competitive backbone. With video game companies trying to break into the Esports arena with new content to earn that sweet-sweet cheddar cheese, a game like Veiled Experts has all the makings of a potential success in that video game field.
The game features earning coins for upgrades through successful missions which equal round-by-round advantages. It also features a bevy of characters, plenty of weaponry to choose from, fun modes and maps, and in-game upgrades such as juggernaut body armor that has the making for something Esports special.
Without further delay, let’s get it going.
The story, or what we know briefly
We didn’t play a campaign. We weren’t fed a story. What I can tell you is that there is a slew of experts to choose from (10 total) and grow as you play the game. The experts have a balanced number of advantages and disadvantages, which means your choice can’t be wrong. From what I could tell, each expert has their own backstory, even if it is brief, and mirrors the likes of Apex Legends in how those stories connect with each other, and maybe to a bigger picture. There is a lot we don’t know about this game on the story side, but the characters look interesting enough to guarantee there is a good narrative backbone holding them all together.
As of right now, the gameplay drives this experience, and not the story as a whole. So, let’s get into that gameplay.
What was played
We played Bomb Defusal and Team Deathmatch modes for the entire hour and for some change we experienced Veiled Experts. The two games were typical of what you might imagine they were, as every other game of this type probably features these same modes. For those who have never played competitive games before, let me break it down for you:
- Bomb Defusal: This was the most played mode during our session. This was 5v5 competitive gaming on a medium to small gas station map. One team defended their area, while the other tried to plant a bomb and blow it up. The map was very restrictive with its borders, which meant that we were guaranteed to get in a fight instead of hiding from one another. The map size forced us out of our hidey-hole and into the action, which was more than fine with me.
In the first few rounds, my team was the bomb planters. This meant that we had to find a way through the gas station grounds to plant a bomb at the area being defended. The first go around was a resounding failure, as the other team comprised of journalists and devs pretty much wiped us out. The second round was anything but a failure. Once the squeeze points were found, which was the top of the gas station (literally, the roof), the enemies were dispatched quickly. Once you kill everyone, the round ends. Once the bomb is planted and goes off, the round ends as well. The rules are typical and the gameplay is fast and furious.
I found this mode to be somewhat relaxing, especially after figuring out that dispatching enemies means you get financial gain and XP. The former allows players to upgrade their weapons or purchase a twice-per-match juggernaut armor set, which is big and clunky, but also armed with a large gun and hard to bring down. This mode and how it worked during and between matches screamed competitive gaming. I spent the prior week covering Valorant games for UMD Esports and noticed how similar some aspects were with Riot’s Esports title.
Anyway, I enjoyed the time spent with Bomb Disposal. I think my only worry is map size but then again I haven’t seen every map that works with this mode. Maybe they get bigger. Only time will tell.
- Team Deathmatch: Ah, the old familiar. This was the first mode I was thrown into briefly as we were waiting for other members of the press to show up. This was a 5v5 action in a dome-enclosed farm. This map was bigger than the Bomb Disposal map and offered up some neat hiding spots for players to run to when the time called. I think this is the part of the preview where I actually enjoyed the mouse and keyboard during a third-person action experience. I haven’t been a mouse and keyboard person ever, but this felt comfortable.
The gist of the mode is that you’re given a point goal and you must meet it to win before the other team meets it. It’s a standard type of TD goal set. The goal is 100 points and/or the most points within the 10-minute time limit. Nothing too terribly out of the ordinary here.
Veiled Experts looks to be on the right track after playing both of these modes. It has traction with what seems like a good reward system, creativity with maps (farm to the gas station – guess there will be a Kentucky Fried Chicken map soon), and enough variety with characters to make these modes interesting and engaging. The time played was good time spent.
Currency and Upgrades
One of the bigger and cooler features of Veiled Experts is how the upgrades happen. While I will tell you that I actively avoid competitive gaming at an Esports level (I do enjoy watching it), I am always fascinated by how upgrades and weaponry can be bought between rounds if the teams/players are successful. The good folks at Nexon Games appear to have a nice plan for how that works.
Coins can be gained through successful moments during a match. You could get coins for reviving teammates, helping them out, or planting bombs (and having them go off). There are various ways for coins to be earned and all of it help the team as a whole.
Now, what happens to those coins is where it gets interesting. Yes, you can purchase up to three weapons (at least that was our limit during the preview) and change them/upgrade them if need be. You can also use your coins for throwables or health, especially if you’re happy with what you’re packing.
As mentioned previously, you can also use coins to purchase the juggernaut armor, which comes with a crazy great gun, and the ability to charge at people, but it also is slow and shootable. In addition, the armor can only be accessed twice by a single team per match. Choose your bruteness wisely.
If you aren’t interested in armor, weapons, throwables, or health, then you can use that extra cheddar to upgrade abilities for the team as a whole. Contributing extra dough to a team and making everyone better in the process is an impressive and important way to spend coins. I’m not sure I have seen this happen in a competitive game, but it is neat here with Veiled Experts.
About those ‘abilities’, each character comes with two native abilities and one signature. The abilities help to make the character you pick unique. For example, there is a character named Lily Rose, who has a native ability called “Final Resistance”. This means that if Lily dies, a grenade is set off from Lily’s body. Should an enemy be close enough, that could mean one final kill. I played her during my time with the game and Lily was crazy fun. She can also, as I believe this works with all characters, pull a gun upon being downed (but not dead) and start shooting enemies. Picture a crawl and your character has a gun still blazing in hopes of as many deaths as possible. That is a neat way to go. Cue Jon Bon Jovi’s Blaze of Glory.
On that note, let’s wrap this preview up.
Conclusion
Veiled Experts is looking to be a true contender for a good competitive gaming experience. It has all the backend makings for something fun and special. The rest of the game we haven’t seen yet should tell the whole story if that is a possibility.
Until that releases, we’ll keep you posted and updated.
