"We are fans of the classic Helldivers on PlayStation, and we felt this genre could work very well, that is what brings us here."

Killsquad has been available on the PC for a while. For new players, can you tell us what Killsquad is about?

Killsquad is a 4 player co-op twin stick top down action shooter game about bounty hunters who raid planets seeking fame and fortune. We took the classic Gauntlet formula and gave it a spin, with new character classes, unique skill trees, and tons of character customization options. Killsquad allows players to traverse five worlds and forty missions, leaving no-one alive along the way. It’s frantic fun you can enjoy solo or in co-op, on PlayStation or using cross-play with Steam.

Killsquad was primarily built with PC players in mind. What kind of changes are you making to the base experience so that console players can jump right into it?

Of course, we did a complete review of the game with the console in mind: controls, UI, etc. Playing Killsquad on DualShock 4 or DualSense is a joy, especially in the most intense battles. However, the experience remains largely untouched. We are fans of the classic Helldivers on PlayStation, and we felt this genre could work very well, that is what brings us here!

Was there a specific reason to bring it to PlayStation, four years after the game’s early access release?

Our past is as a Sony developer, working on PSP, PS Vita, and PS3 games. So, we always wanted to bring Killsquad to Sony platforms. However, like many other games, Killsquad was affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, which took a bit longer than we would have desired. As a positive consequence, PlayStation players will get the full package, which includes the core game and the 15+ updates we released on Steam, as part of their PlayStation game from Day One. Also, we’re including cross-play between PlayStation and PC at launch.

The PC version was largely received positively but the game had glaring issues in the form of excessive grinding and mission design issues. Have you addressed these concerns for the console launch?

PlayStation players receive the final version of Killsquad, which went through more than fifteen updates on its PC form since its Early Access release. Along those updates, new content was added (maps, deeper progression, etc.), but also a lot of feedback from the community was addressed as well, in terms of new enemies, new mission types, to reduce grinding and increase fun and mayhem. In a way, it’s the difference between enjoying a game in constant evolution, and enjoying the final, finished product. We hope players enjoy it!

"PlayStation players receive the final version of Killsquad, which went through more than fifteen updates on its PC form since its Early Access release."

One of the most praised aspects of the original release was its exciting skill-based combat and boss fights. What can PlayStation players expect in this regard? Are you making them better by any chance?

Thank you! Yes, we iterated our boss fights a lot on PC, and made sure the same cool experience comes to PlayStation, especially in terms of sheer audiovisual spectacle and frame rate.

Do you have a roadmap for post launch support for PlayStation players? If yes, can you tell us about it?

At this moment, we are focusing on the launch, any future plans belong… to the future! But for now, our development efforts are put into United 1944, our newest game. We’re incredibly enthusiastic about the potential of this project, as we really believe it is an innovative approach to multiplayer shooters, with original gameplay mechanics based on strategy, building and crafting, and a compelling world building. Our aim is to provide gamers with an immersive and exhilarating journey, and we can’t wait to engage with the community to shape the future of United 1944.

Can you tell us why you are skipping Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One releases?

Our studio has worked 10 years as a Sony exclusive studio, so for us doing a PlayStation version was a natural thing.

Are you using the PS5’s SSD in any way to improve the experience for console players?

Of course! With SSD, players can enjoy faster load times which, on a graphically intense game like Killsquad, with lots of characters on screen, is very noticeable. SSD means more fun and less wait!

What resolution and fps does the game run on the PS5?

The game runs at a natively full HD resolution of 1920×1080 and flat 60 FPS. So yeah, it looks really nice and intense on a big TV, the way it’s meant to be played.

Do you see Killsquad evolving into a franchise at some point? If not, what can we expect from the development team in the future?

We hope! But for now, we’re fully focused on the development of United 1944, our new multiplayer shooter that is in beta phase. And that’s our plan for the near future.

In a recent interview, we posed the question to game director Daniel Sanchez-Crespo, who said that given Novarama’s history of working as a PlayStation-exclusive studio, it felt “natural” to follow the same path with Killsquad. Novarama has, of course, released a number of Invizimals titles exclusively for PlayStation platforms over the years.

“Our studio has worked 10 years as a Sony exclusive studio, so for us doing a PlayStation version was a natural thing,” he said.

And how exactly does Killsquad make use of the PS5’s hardware, especially given the fact that it is, after all, a four-year old game? In addition to running at a locked 60 FPS, Sanchez-Crespo told us that the console’s SSD also makes for faster loading times.

“With the SSD, players can enjoy faster load times which, on a graphically intense game like Killsquad, with lots of characters on screen, is very noticeable,” he said.

Killsquad is available now for PS5, PS4, and PC. Read our review of the PlayStation port through here.

That moment-to-moment action is, in fact, perhaps one of Killsquad’s biggst strengths, and maybe the only one it has without any major caveats. While it has all the progression and loot systems of an action RPG, when it comes to the actual combat, Killsquad is a twin stick shooter. Thanks to snappy controls and the action feeling immediate and satisfying, the combat is, at least on a fundamental level, always fun. Yes, it does wear a little thin as you progress deeper in the game, but that loop of dodging, using abilities on cooldowns, and shooting at enemies does tend to be an engaging one, especially thanks to the variety of enemies you face.

"While the twin stick shooting remains engaging for the most part, the experience does get dragged down a little bit when you realize how it’s lacking in depth."

That’s not to say combat is flawless. One of the bigger issues it has is with difficulty, which tends to be wildly unbalanced on occasion, and not always in the same fashion. Enemies, bosses, and mobs that should pose a serious threat can often be disappointingly easy to destroy, while at the same time, the game also randomly has difficulty spikes where it can feel like yo’e beating your head against a wall. While the twin stick shooting remains engaging for the most part, the experience does get dragged down a little bit when you realize how it’s lacking in depth.

The progression and loot systems have similar issues. On the surface, they provide a decent amount of options and control over build variety, from being able to unlock and power up abilities to optimizing your build with the gear and equipment that you have equipped. But it’s rare to find a weapon or equipmeant piece that genuinely excites you in any way, which is not something that you want to be saying about a loot-driven action RPG. While there’s enough layers here to keep players engaged on a fundamental level for some time, for those who like to dive into the weeds and tinker with builds to see tangible effects, Killsquad might be a disappointment.

It doesn’t help that the levels that you’re going through in Killsquad are quite bland. Though there’s some variety to be had in terms of the environments and scenery, the actual design of the levels is forgettable at best, and downright atrocious at worst. There’s very little room for exploration, and most levels end up being little more than linear corridors going from one point to the other, with a few minor branches and deviations thrown in here and there. Mission objectives also tend to be uninspired and generic, and often, even downright obtuse, making it difficult for you to understand what you’re even supposed to do in certain situations. On occasion, you’ll be stopping to pick up items, open doors, or collect loot from chests, but on the whole, there’s very little to do other than walking in one direction and shooting at enemies. As you can imagine, that can get repetitive pretty quickly.

"Though there’s some variety to be had in terms of the environments and scenery, the actual design of the levels is forgettable at best, and downright atrocious at worst."

Thankfully, Killsquad does have multiple different playable characters, and there is some variety on display here. Characters have different looks and specialize in different forms of combat, from ranged to melee, which, of course, also grants them with their own set of abilities. For those looking to go through Killsquad solo, that means there’s at least one reason to run through every mission multiple times, just so you can experience it as different characters and keep leveling them all up. Meanwhile, for co-op players, having the right party composition and synergizing their abilities and attributes can also be fun on occassion, even if the previously-mentioned unbalanced difficulty dulls the edge on that front a little bit.

Outside of the actual gameplay, however, Killsquad misuses its characters horribly. In fact, it’s not just the characters- it also misuses its setting and story horribly, to the extent that I wonder if there even is a story here. In my time with the game, I’ve vaguely been able to put together that there’s conflict between different factions in the game’s sci-fi setting, and that you’re part of a group of mercenaries who take on different contracts from these factions. Though all of that is presented through small bits of background dialogue at the beginning of a mission… and that’s pretty much it. A good setting can elevate an experience in significant ways and grant it a distinct, unforgettable identity, but unfortunately, Killsquad completely squanders its potential in this area (if it had any, that is).

And really, that encapsulates the whole experience rather well- Killsquad is unremarkable, it doesn’t implement the important elements of an action RPG as well as it does, and it’s an experience that wears thin and gets repetitive too easily. No, it’s not without its merits – the moment-to-moment twin stick action is fun on a very basic level, and I do appreciate the variety on offer in the roster of playable characters – but all of that amounts to an experience that’s only fun in short bursts, and even then, not for a very long time.

"Killsquad is not without its merits – the moment-to-moment twin stick action is fun on a very basic level, and I do appreciate the variety on offer in the roster of playable characters – but all of that amounts to an experience that’s only fun in short bursts, and even then, not for a very long time."

Given how crowded the market is, and especially how crowded the action RPG space is, that makes it incredibly hard to recommend Killsquad. When there’s so much else vying for your attention and competing for your time, it’s hard to look at Killsquad and recommend it over other options. Perhaps if it was available on Game Pass it’d be an easier sell, but given the fact that Novarama hasn’t brought Killsquad to Xbox yet, as things stand right now, it’s on a pretty lown rung on the action RPG ladder.

The PlayStation 4 version of this game was reviewed on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility. 

"KILLSQUAD can definitely be played solo, and we have some members of the community that prefer to play that way. That said, we firmly believe that our game shines when you play with others in coop mode."

With a game such as this one, squad-based co-op is often the best way of playing, but for those looking for a solo experience, is Killsquad equally satisfying to play?

KILLSQUAD can definitely be played solo, and we have some members of the community that prefer to play that way. That said, we firmly believe that our game shines when you play with others in coop mode. Some of the game’s mechanics are intended for playing as squad.

Do you plan on adding more bounty hunters to the game down the line?

Yes, we do! In our roadmap we revealed that one additional Bounty Hunter was planned. The engineer is well underway in the development state, and we’re just starting to flesh out the rogue fed bounty hunter which will be announced at the end of the year. It’s still very likely that we add more next year.

Can you talk about Killsquad’s real-time contracts and how they function in the game?

Contracts are our missions, our quests. When you are on the lobby you can see what contracts are active. Each contract has an objective and a specific reward in the form of materials from that planet.

Can you talk about why you went with procedurally generated planets for Killsquad?

We don’t have a story mode nor a campaign. Our game is purely about unleashing hell and getting some loot, and procedurally generated levels are perfect for that kind of games for they add variety and allow players to have a different experience every time they repeat a contract.

"Some of the game’s lore you can find through item, skin, contract and hunter descriptions, and others through environmental storytelling. We don’t have plans to add a story mode, but we do have plans to add more ways to learn about KILLSQUAD universe."

Killsquad’s world looks like one that’s hiding a lot of interesting lore and locations- is that something you want to double down on before the game’s full launch?

Some of the game’s lore you can find through item, skin, contract and hunter descriptions, and others through environmental storytelling. We don’t have plans to add a story mode, but we do have plans to add more ways to learn about KILLSQUAD universe.

How do the Vectors tie into the game’s progression mechanics? Are they an added layer on top of the usual levelling up and upgrades?

Vector level is our persistent progression system, since your Bounty Hunter level restarts after every contract. We see our in-contract-leveling-up system as a way to adapt on the fly, choosing skills that best suit the contract you’re on. Vector level on the other hand is the overall strength of your equipment, higher vector level allows you to play higher vector contracts and unlock rare equipment that change the way you play your character.

What are your hopes for the game’s early access period?

We’re hoping to build a strong community that will help us see what’s best for the game. In fact we decided to go Early Access to see what people like and don’t like about the game, to gain this useful feedback in the hopes of using it to improve the final product.

The PS4 and Xbox One versions have been confirmed for 2020. Do you think you may consider cross gen support for PS5 and Xbox Scarlett as well, given they both launch next year?

It’s still very early to talk about next generation consoles, but if there’s enough demand we’ll probably port it.

The PS5 is confirmed to have SSD. From a development perspective, how will this help you to improve game performance in the future?

SSD technology allows us to quickly load content, making load screens less annoying and allowing us to load more enemies, particle effects and environments on the fly without compromising the performance, making our worlds more diverse and interesting.

"Higher memory bandwidth is very important to us. With a higher download speed and together with SSD it allows us to quickly download and quickly load assets, making our worlds bigger and more diverse."

The PS5 will have a Zen 2 CPU processor which is a major leap over the CPUs found in the PS4 and Xbox One. From a development perspective, how will this help you in developing games of the future?

For us it means bigger hordes of enemies and smarter, more complex foes that will enrich the experience.

Xbox Scarlett features GDDR6 memory. How will this increase in memory bandwidth help you in the future?

Higher memory bandwidth is very important to us. With a higher download speed and together with SSD it allows us to quickly download and quickly load assets, making our worlds bigger and more diverse.

Backwards compatibility is a big feature PS5. How will it help your past library to evolve and grow?

Backwards compatibility is always welcome, although we would prefer an improved upgraded last generation version of the game. With KILLSQUAD we would like to improve what’s already there, but we always want to take advantage of the latest generation of gaming consoles.

The PS5 and Xbox Scarlett both boast some seriously impressive hardware – especially for the console market – and though the bulk of the conversation surrounding them has been dominated by how both will be making use of solid state drives, there’s a lot more to be excited about as well. The Xbox Scarlett, for instance, boasts GDDR6 memory in its specs, while both it and the PS5 will be making use of AMD’s Zen 2 processors.

And according to Ricardo Seligmann, producer at Novarama – developers of the co-op action RPG Killsquad – both those things will allow for some tangible improvements in the design and development of games next generation.

Speaking with GamingBolt about the Zen 2 CPU to be found in the PS5 and the next Xbox, Seligmann said that it will lead to “bigger hordes of enemies and smarter” and “more complex foes that will enrich the experience.”

Meanwhile, the Xbox Scarlett’s GDDR6 memory, according to Seligmannn, will allow games to quickly load assets for better and more immersive game worlds, especially when it works in conjunction with the system’s SSD.

“Higher memory bandwidth is very important to us,” he said. “With a higher download speed and together with SSD it allows us to quickly download and quickly load assets, making our worlds bigger and more diverse.”

Novarama’s Killsquad is currently in early access on Steam. Our full interview with Seligmann will be live soon, so stay tuned for the whole thing.

Of all the new things that next generation hardware promises, the one element that has got most developers excited is the inclusion of solid state drives, which promise to have a tangible impact on the way we play games, and the way they are made. Sure, as of right now their application is more hypothetical than anything else, but the promise SSDs hold is certainly exciting for console gaming.

We’ve spoken to quite a few developers over the last few months about the SSDs of the PS5 and the Xbox Scarlett. Another developer we spoke to recently who’s quite excited about the PS5’s SSD is Ricardo Seligmann of Novarama, developers of the co-op action RPG Killsquad.

Speaking with GamingBolt about the benefits he expects to see with an SSD in the PS5, Seligmann said that being able to “quickly load content, making load screens less annoying, and allowing us to load more enemies, particle effects, and environments on the fly without compromising the performance” is something that’s going to be an obvious and tangible impact. Seligmann expects SSDs to help make worlds in games “more diverse and interesting.”

As I said, the applications SSDs are something we’ve yet to see with our own eyes right now – for instance, we don’t know how much games natively running on and built for next-gen hardware will be impacted by SSDs – but the potential is certainly exciting.

Novarama’s Killsquad is currently in Early Access on Steam. Our full interview with Seligmann will be live soon, so stay tuned.