Summary
Character customization has become a key part of the online multiplayer experience, especially when it comes to the hero shooter genre.Overwatchis packed to the brim with vibrant skins that suit the game’s cartoon-y aesthetic perfectly and incentivize players to keep grinding away to earn the game’s currency. EvenMarvel Rivals' Betahad its fair share of alternate comic-inspired outfits. Thankfully,Concorddoesn’t skimp out on its customization either.
Concordgives players a bevy of customization features, easily putting it right alongside leading figures likeOverwatch. But that doesn’t meanConcord’s customization is perfect. It’s clear that developer Firewalk wantsConcord’s skins to fit with the game’s more grounded Sci-Fi aesthetic, but it’s already about time that changed.
Concord’s Freegunner Customization Has Some Strong Foundations
Technically speaking,Concordhas a fairly extensive suite of customization options for itsplayable Freegunners. Each Freegunner’s outfit can be customized, along with their weapon skin, their weapon charm, an accessory, and most intriguing of them all, the Freegunner’s gloves. WithConcordbeing a first-person shooter, it’s nice to see so many cosmetics tailored around what the player will actually see in-game.Concordalso has customizable victory poses, defeat poses, and match drop-in animations.
Unfortunately, it’sConcord’s outfits that are the weakest part of its customization. For the vast majority ofConcord’s Freegunners, alternate outfits consist only of recolored iterations of the same default appearance. For instance, Jabali has seven alternate skins inConcord, but six of these are simple recolors of the exact same outfit, and the Legendary skin that isn’t just a simple recolor only tweaks a few minor details, such as the adornments on the Freegunner’s hat and the digital monitor and wires on his chest. The same is true for just about every Freegunner inConcord.
How Concord’s Freegunner Customization Can Be Improved
Introduce More Distinct Skins
ButConcord’s customizationdoesn’t need to look like this forever, and the first thing Firewalk needs to do is add more distinct skins for each Freegunner that change their appearance in significant ways. Rather than just offer a color palette swap or an extra piece of apparel,Concord’s next round of skins should rework the entire character model, while still retaining the essence of that Freegunner’s personality.
For example, Firewalk could give Roka some wildly different astronaut designs based on different eras of popular Sci-Fi media, such as a Jules Verne-inspired steampunk suit, or aH.R. Giger,Alien-inspired spacesuit. With Lennox essentially being a gunslinger, it would be fun to see him get a Wild West-themed Legendary skin. And for a hulking hero like Star Child, it might be fun to see him get a series of light-hearted costumes, like a Hawaiian shirt and shorts combo.
WhileConcord’s tone feels very grounded from the outside, there are some strong moments of zany humor that shine through the cracks of its Galactic Guide, its weekly vignettes, and pre-match banter. It would be nice to see Firewalk embrace this humor a bit more with its customization in the future.
Collaborate With Other PlayStation IPs
An obvious win forConcord’s customization would be if the game received crossover skins based on fellowPlayStation first-party IPs. Bazz could be given aGhost of Tsushimasamurai skin, turning her throwing knives into kunai. Star Child could be given Kratos' iconic red face paint. Haymar could be given an Aloy skin. And Kyps' robotic design could be given an Astro Bot-themed makeover.
Concord
WHERE TO PLAY
Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.ASSEMBLE YOUR CREWFrom powerful mystics to skilled gunslingers and helpful healers, each Freegunner brings their own unique skills, personality, and abilities that cater to a wide-range of playstyles.Create your own custom squads of Freegunners with Crew Builder to bring an arsenal of different role types to the match or focus on your favourite characters to master their gameplay and unlock unique modifiers, cosmetics, background lore, and more – you decide when to play your characters and how you impact the match.PLAY. PROGRESS. PERSONALIZE.Earn and unlock a wide range of character customization items and learn more about the characters, worlds, and factions in the Concord Galaxy with the Galactic Guide.You’ll also be able to progress toward and unlock Freegunner Variants—versions of each of the 16 Freegunners with added Combat Trait modifiers to their base abilities. As you learn and master the characters, Combat Traits empower you to tailor each character to your playstyle.
