As reported by VGC, German studio Fishlabs – the developer of 2021 space shooter Chorus – has let go around 50 of its employees, which is nearly half of its total workforce of around 120 employees (as per LinkedIn).

Plaion – the publishing label under which Fishlabs operates – says the layoffs are a result of “the lack of approval and therefore financing” for Project Black, an in-development and unannounced project. Going forward, Plaion says Fishlabs will continue to provide development assistance on other Plaion and Embracer projects, but there’s no word on whether the studio will have a project of its own in the works as well.

“Despite exhaustive efforts to avoid downsizing, the lack of approval and therefore financing for the studio’s unannounced project (also referred to as “Project Black”) has made this step unavoidable,” Plaion said in a statement confirming the layoffs. “The remaining team will continue to work on the existing co-development projects in partnership with other Plaion and Embracer Group studios.

“We understand the profound impact of this decision on our talented team at Fishlabs and are committed to handling this transition with the utmost respect and care. To support those affected, Plaion is committed to providing comprehensive support, including severance packages as well help with career transition services.”

Earlier this month, Embracer Group revealed that it had laid off around 900 people as part of its restructuring program, with more layoffs, project cancellations, and studio closures expected to follow. As part of the restructuring program, Saints Row and Red Faction developer Volition was shut down in August, while Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics was hit with layoffs the following month.

TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design is expected to be shuttered in the coming days, less than three years on from when it was re-established to revive the sci-fi shooter franchise. Meanwhile, Embracer Group is reportedly also looking for buyers for Borderlands developer Gearbox Entertainment.

Piktiv and Fishlabs are in charge of porting the game to Microsoft Store and Xbox. Full crossplay support has also been promised for Xbox, Microsoft Store and Steam players. Currently available in Steam Early Access for PC, Valheim is an exploration and survival game rooted in Norse mythology. Players explore various biomes either alone or with up to nine other players.

As players explore the regions, they’ll gather new materials and resources, craft powerful armor and weapons, and eventually face off against numerous bosses. They’ll also create a base with the building system touted as one of the best in the genre. Valheim has sold over 10 million copies since launching in early access. Its next big update is Mistlands – check out new screenshots for the same here.

Chorus tells the story of Nara, a pilot who once served with a cult called the Circle. After leaving the group due to the destruction of a planet, she must confront their impending invasion with the help of the sentient ship Forsaken. Nara can also wield special powers known as the Rites which have some connection to mysterious inter-dimensional beings known as the Faceless.

Chorus is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. You can check out our official review for the game here along with some more gameplay here. There’s also a free demo to try out.

Chorus focuses on Nara, a pilot formerly part of The Circle who left out of guilt. With the cult now threatening to overwhelm the universe, Nara reunites with the sentient ship Forsaken to unite the galaxy and fight back. Along the way, she’ll learn more about the Faceless, ancient entities that are capable of reality-bending and seem to have a connection to Nara’s powers.

Chorus is playable on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. For more details on its various aspects, check out our feature here. You can also read our review for the full game here.

In Chorus, you play as Nara and her sentient ship Forsaken. Together, the two of them once used to fight for the tyrannical galaxy-ruling cult known as the Circle, who, under the leadership of their despotic master, have brought the entire galaxy to heel with their dark and mysterious powers and military might. Though once dedicated to this cause, a fateful event several years ago left Nara reeling with incredible guilt, and disenchanted with the ruthless actions of her master, she fled. Now, in a bid to atone for her past sins and help liberate the galaxy, Nara must face her tragic past, and with Forsaken’s help, destroy the Circle and bring peace to the galaxy.

Unlike most space shooters you’ll play, Chorus puts quite a bit of emphasis on story and storytelling, to the extent that, more often than not, that feels very much like the primary purpose of the experience- or at least one of the primary purposes. And it does a better job of doing so than you’d expect going in. There are multiple major factors that contribute to the game’s narrative strengths- the first of these is world-building and lore. Chorus’ world feels lived-in and dense with history and its own unique identity. The immediate narrative is told through well-directed cutscenes and radio conversations during gameplay, and they do a solid job of weaving Chorus’ story. But for players who want to dive deeper beyond the surface, there’s plenty else going on, most of which is surprisingly captivating.

"The immediate narrative is told through well-directed cutscenes and radio conversations during gameplay, and they do a solid job of weaving Chorus’ story. But for players who want to dive deeper beyond the surface, there’s plenty else going on, most of which is surprisingly captivating."

Just as important is the general atmosphere of the game. From the very first second, Chorus very effectively builds up an air of mystery that pervades the entire experience. Unique narrative elements – like the Circle’s occult powers, Nara’s past, or her relationship with Forsaken – are gradually built upon and fleshed out as you progress through the game, and very rarely does it feel like the game is jumping the gun or overexplaining things. The Circle, too, is built up as an ominous and all-powerful force, and Chorus compels you to want to learn more about it and its history. Excellent voice acting – especially for Nara and her inner monologues – also contributes to the game’s storytelling strengths significantly.

All told, Chorus’ story is a surprisingly engaging and effective one- I certainly wasn’t expecting to be as invested in its world and its lore as much as I ended up being. But of course, actually playing Chorus, thankfully, is just as engaging. For the most part, Chorus plays a lot like you’d expect it to, with movement and combat having plenty in common with the likes of Star Wars: Squadrons or Everspace. Controls are tight and easy to grasp, and if ever movement or maneuverability were a problem for me in my time with the game, more often than not, that was down to my own errors rather than the game getting in its own way. Movement feels slick and fast, and with combined with boosts and drifts, the game always feels great to control on a very fundamental level.

Combat, too, is an exciting and fast-paced affair. Forsaken is equipped with everything from lasers to a gatling gun to missiles, with each weapon being more effective against different types of enemies, who each have their own unique strengths and attributes as well. The really hectic combat encounters where you have to make smart use of your full arsenal of weapons and abilities against groups of foes while also navigating your ship with skill are where Chorus’ truly shines, and thankfully, there’s no shortage of those sequences in the game.

"The really hectic combat encounters where you have to make smart use of your full arsenal of weapons and abilities against groups of foes while also navigating your ship with skill are where Chorus’ truly shines, and thankfully, there’s no shortage of those sequences in the game."

Meanwhile, on top of the weapons of your ship, you also have access to various Rites, which are abilities that draw on the occult powers of the Circle that Nara, as a former soldier of the cult, an tap into. From sending out a pulse to sense objects and points of interest in the environment to being able to teleport and instantly warp to distant enemies, you pick up a number of different Rites throughout the length of the game, and using these in everything from traversal to combat is a crucial part of the experience. While combat and movement in Chorus are content to just stick to established genre conventions, this is where the game leverages its world and narrative premise to throw a unique wrinkle into the gameplay experiences- and it works very, very well, improving all aspects of the gameplay experience in meaningful ways.

Chorus also has a solid and multilayered progression system. Though not as deep or robust as a full-fledged RPG, Chorus’ progression mechanics allow you to spend credits to purchase upgrades or mods for your ship that can buff up everything from how much damage you deal to how much health and shields you have. Meanwhile, there’s also a Mastery system in play, which automatically unlocks further upgrades as you hit certain milestones across various categories as you play through the game. Put together, there’s a meaningful and satisfying progression system at work here that did a great job of pulling me into the experience more than I had expected.

Something else that I really appreciate about Chorus is how expansive it is. Rather than putting players into a singular, linear path, this is a game that instead adopts a semi-open world structure. You’ll visit various maps throughout the game, each with their own distinct look and feel, and each offering plenty of room for exploration and tackling side content. Side quests, optional dungeon-type areas housing navigation challenges and puzzles, random encounters against enemies, opportunities to hunt down more credits and upgrades- Chorus’ large maps do more than enough to motivate the player to stop and dive into the optional offerings rather than sticking only to the critical path. If nothing else, simply taking in the beautiful and varied environments is rewarding in and of itself. Some side quests are a little underwhelming, if I’m being honest, and some of them force arbitrary restrictions on you that can make for a frustrating experience, but I found it quite easy to get over those issues. When it comes to side quests, I know that they can’t all be winners.

"Chorus’ large maps do more than enough to motivate the player to stop and dive into the optional offerings rather than sticking only to the critical path. If nothing else, simply taking in the beautiful and varied environments is rewarding in and of itself."

In the audio-visual department, Chorus is similarly solid. The soundtrack here is an excellent one, acting as a perfect foil to the general brooding tone and atmosphere of the story and the world. Meanwhile, visually, Chorus combines evocative art design with crisp visual quality. Though there are a few minor issues such as texture pop in, by and large, this is a crisp, sharp looking game with stable performance and quick load times. 

Honestly, Chorus has surprised me. I went into this game not knowing what to expect, not least because of the fact that Fishlabs and developer Deep Silver have been awfully quite about it in the month leading up to launch. Perhaps that’s worked out for the best though, because they’ve let the game do the talking for itself. This is a constantly thrilling and enjoyable space shooter with tight combat and movement and progression mechanics that are just deep enough to feel like a meaningful part of the experience. On top of that, you have a surprisingly captivating story that is propped up by excellent world-building and rich, dense lore. Coming at the tail end of 2021, Chorus is a great way to say goodbye to the current year, and ring in the new one.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.

Chorus is billed as a story-driven title, focusing on ace pilot Nara and her sentient ship Forsaken. Once soldiers of the galaxy-ruling cult of zealots known as the Circle, the two, disillusioned by their former masters, must now come together once more to fight against the Cult’s dark powers and restore peace to the galaxy. Promising slick space combat, a dark universe, and more, Chorus is certainly looking like an intriguing prospect.

Chorus is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The mission in question sees Nara and Forsaken traveling to Maka Haven to free it from the Circle’s occupation. Psychic Totems are present and seem to be hampering Nara’s powers so the player must destroy them, weaving in and out of the star-base to do so. Upon liberation, the duo can dock into the station. This brings up the ship customization menu with the player able to change and upgrade weapons.

Chorus is out on December 3rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. There’s a lot more to the gameplay, whether it’s exploring the various systems for allies or venturing into Ruins of the Faceless for powers. To learn more about it, head here.

Story

Chorus begins with Nara who’s part of a dangerous cult called the Circle that’s fairly serious about ruling the galaxy. As the leader’s right-hand, she possesses immense power but following the destruction of the planet Nemika Prime, Nara is overcome with guilt and decides to leave the Circle. While she escapes at first (and seemingly loses her powers), the cult’s imminent return brings widespread destruction. Nara must thus rise up against her former master and the Circle to bring them down for good.

Dual Protagonists

She won’t be undertaking the journey alone though. Nara enlists the help of Forsaken, a sentient ship that is also seemingly her oldest ally. They were previously an “unstoppable force” together though how they first met, what led to Nara joining the cult and splitting from Forsaken, and how their bond grows is yet to be revealed. As such, Forsaken has its own personality and effectively serves as the second protagonist of the story with both characters having extensive voicework throughout.

Multiple Star Systems

Throughout their journey to topple the Circle, Nara and Forsaken will venture to multiple star systems. There’s a good amount of freedom to the exploration and plenty of variety in the environments, from outlands that resemble Mars and asteroid fields to populated cities and star bases. Each location is fairly dense and offers plenty to see while also providing cover in combat. There are also places “beyond our waking reality” to explore though their nature is still a mystery. Not every place is super-intense though – there will be moments where the player can relax and take in the sights.

Story and Side Missions

Chorus offers both story and side missions – the former encompasses mission chains like Disruptive Tactics where you hunt down three Circle targets to distract the cult while preparing for a bigger attack on their citadel. This doesn’t mean you’ll just be hunting wandering ships though – the first target is a Phantom-class ship that’s attacking refugee convoys while the second is a Circle supply station containing hundreds of fighters that must be destroyed. You might even need to be stealthy to recover intel in some cases. Side missions include dealing with the Cobra Clan, answering a Resistance Convoy’s distress call, investigating a lightning field and also facing off against space pirates. Mission rewards like mods can be earned though there is a greater purpose to all of this.

Recruiting Allies

While Nara and Forsaken are formidable together, the Circle is an overwhelming threat and as such, you’ll need to build up a resistance to fight back. Completing missions is one way to do this but it’s not completely clear how your allies will help out. Will they provide different benefits and perks or simply join you in the end battle? Are there more nuanced characters to meet? Time will tell but you’ll still need their support.

Drifting

As a space combat title, Chorus leans more into fast-paced action than realistic simulation. To that end, there are quite a few movement options involved thanks to Forsaken’s ability to drift. Lead artist Leggett told Polygon that, “The back halves of Forsaken kind of separate, and then there’s sort of an energy between the parts. [That’s what] allows him to drift around, and that’s something that was built straight into the design. […] We wanted to push it to the forefront, to sort of show that functionality as you do the special maneuver that we like the best.” Of course, Forsaken is also capable of doing a barrel roll (which seems capable of deflecting shots, just like in Star Fox 64) and boosting.

Ship Customization

Along with upgrading her powers, Nara can also upgrade Forsaken with a variety of weapons. There are three main types of weapons – Gatling, laser and missile. Each weapon has its own stats like hull damage, armor damage, and shield damage along with fire rate, overheat time and cooldown time. They each play a specific role – Gatling guns are more effective at hull damage while laser weapons deal more shield damage – and there are different rarities to find. Weapons have perks and you may find unique weapons like the Guardian Fang which comes with Reaping Storm – this significantly increases rate of fire while reducing accuracy, making it strong in close range.

There also seem to be set bonuses depending on the kinds of items equipped. Equipping four Guardian items, for example, gives you Shields Down which allows for siphoning and absorbing enemy shields when in close proximity. Equipping Blaze items grants Energy Transfer which instantly recharges a laser weapon when disrupting an enemy with Rite of the Storm and Supercharger which grants two additional laser charges. Weapons can also be upgraded, making them more potent in combat.

The Rites

Weapons aside, Nara can also wield the Rites. These are special abilities which provide a variety of uses, both in and out of combat. The Rite of Senses is used to uncover things around Nara which others can’t see but also reveals points of interest and other activities on the star map. Rite of the Hunt allows for a short-range teleport that can pass through barrier fields and position Forsaken behind enemies. Rite of the Storm can disrupt enemy thrusters, shields and weapons along with destroying Faceless Corruption Clusters. Each Rite has different Rite Fragments which seem to be upgrades to add unique effects, like overcharging Rite Energy capacity after teleporting or chaining together Rite of the Storm to disrupt multiple targets.

Ruins of the Faceless

While the number of Rites that Nara will have to start with is unknown, it seems she can find more by venturing through the Ruins of the Faceless. These are labyrinthine environments created by the Faceless, inter-dimensional beings that are capable of bending reality. How they play a role in the bigger story remains to be seen (aside from Nara also possessing some of the same powers). But the Ruins themselves will be a challenge to navigate with puzzles to solve and “trans-dimensional horrors” to deal with.

4K, 60 FPS and Ray Tracing Support

According to its official Xbox listing, Chorus will support 4K Ultra HD on Xbox Series X along with 60 FPS, ray tracing and Smart Delivery. This should also apply to the PS5 and PC versions, though whether there will be cross-gen saves and upgrades on PlayStation remains to be seen. Performance and Quality Modes should also be expected though Fishlabs has yet to outline them or PC hardware requirements.

The release date was confirmed with a new trailer, which also provides an overview of the game, with various details being given on its story, setting, and world. Combat and progression mechanics are also detailed, while some brief information is also provided on the game’s structure and its quests and side quests. By the looks of it’s going to be quite an open-ended experience with various quests and side activities to tackle throughout the game’s world. And of course, there’s plenty of gameplay footage to check out as well- you can view the trailer below.

When Chorus launches, it will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia.

On the official Twitter for Fishlabs, they released a brief video, which you can see below. It shows very little outside a small snippet from gameplay, but does say they are ready to make an announcement tomorrow, September 23rd. There’s obviously no word on what that could be, but it seems a release date could be in the cards. We’ll just have to stay tuned.

Chorus has been announced to release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and Stadia. You can check out the developer’s vision for the game, which includes story, gameplay, and more through here.

The clock is ticking… Who's ready for our big announcement tomorrow? pic.twitter.com/dnhkV0cxuB

— FISHLABS (@fishlabs) September 22, 2021