GDC 2013: Red Orchestra 2: Rising Storm trailer launches katana charges, immolates bunkers

Is there anything a katana charge can't solve? Well, yes, obviously, but it's always nice to have the option, especially in a multiplayer shooter. Fix World War 2 with foolish but unnerving charge attacks in the standalone expansion for Red Orchestra 2, Rising Storm. Banzai charges grants Japanese soldiers speed, bolshiness under fire and war cries that suppress enemies. US soldiers counter with superior hardware, but are prone to exploding under the volatile spuds of Japan's portable mortars.

The lopsided conflict encourages unusual strategies, as Evan discovered when he went hands-on recently. US soldiers can claim dropped katanas as trophies, but Japanese soldiers can bury grenades to create impromptu landmines and booby trap their loot. Can Tripwire successfully balance these asymmetrical opponents? It's impossible to tell from this GDC trailer, but there's lots of screaming and running with katanas to enjoy.

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Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.