Shootmania Storm beta applications open now

Yesterday's Shootmania Storm trailer did odd things to my brain. It fired all of the tangled synapses associated in any way with lasers, bright lights and Tron at the same time, a sensation that triggered an involuntary "ooooh shiny" response that still hasn't quite fizzled out. But what will it be like to play?

That's up to players. As with Trackmania, Shootmania Storm will rely on players to create interesting new maps, game modes, videos and more. LAN play and dedicated servers are supported and there's a spectator mode for esports competitions. Nadeo have spent year tuning the game to make it as agile and "pure" as they can. If you're tickled you can sign up to the upcoming beta on the Shootmania Storm site for a chance to throw yourself into the eternal war between red and blue.

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.