PC Gamer’s Justin Wagner carefully watches his back in anticipation for Alara Prime, the free-to-play 4v4v4 online tactical shooter from DICE alumni at developer Fall Damage and publisher Hyperjump Interactive, infiltrating PC via Steam Early Access in 2025.

In contrast to other titles in the tactical FPS genre, Alara Prime is not a straight-up head-to-head fight between two fire teams. Rather, three teams are contesting capture points, with one team defending and two others contesting — and alliances are entirely optional. If the situation permits, the third team may choose to turn on their erstwhile peers, knocking out potential rivals before they have a chance to consolidate their gains, then finishing the job against a weakened defender.

The various specialized roles and tools available to Alara Prime fire teams add to the chaos and uncertainty. The four classes, Assault, Infiltrator, Support, and Engineer, have access to distinct tools to aid and abet the defense of a point, or to sow confusion in the battlefield, with gimmicks ranging from genre-standard riot shields and flashbangs to more exotic fare like holographic decoys and cloaking devices. There are also healing stations, deployable cover, surveillance drones, and more, allowing for flexible strategies and playstyles.

Of course, a tactical shooter relies heavily on its map design. As of its ongoing playtest, Alara Prime features the gritty desert-themed Oasis, and the blue-and-white concrete industrial jungle of Reactor. Learning the maps makes the difference between dominating the point against all contenders… and getting flanked at the worst possible moment.

The trailer revealed at the latest edition of PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted breaks down the gameplay for would-be contenders.

Check out PC Gamer’s full article here. Wishlist Alara Prime on Steam, and apply to join its official playtest ahead of its 2025 release. Visit the official website, follow the team on Twitter/X and BlueSky, or join the community on Discord.