A brand new gameplay video from Bethesda Softworks’ Battlecry shows how things will go down in the upcoming free-to-play multiplayer brawler.

The game is basically a sort of gun free version of Team Fortress, with players duking it out in teams on various maps, each player belonging to a certain class that dictates their role in the match.

This will be Bethesda’s first free-to-play video game, and the company promised that it would be quite different from what other people have done in the genre, offering gamers a fresh type of experience.

In any case, the game was showcased in action this weekend during Bethesda’s panel at PAX Australia, showing everyone just what developer Battlecry Studios has in store.

The game’s setting is a sort of alternate World War I era, in a world devoid of all firearms.
Class-based multiplayer action

Just like in Valve’s hit multiplayer shooter, players will be able to pick a class that will enable them to take on certain roles, each of them with their distinct strengths and weaknesses.

The video below shows the first three of the five announced classes in action, namely the Enforcer, Duelist and Tech Archer. For the time being, the Gadgeteer and Brawler remain a mystery.

The Enforcer is the character with the most health in the game, with the ability to further boost his survivability by turning his sword into a shield of sorts, blocking some of the attacks directed at him.

The Duelist is a deft individual specializing in rapidly inflicting damage through a series of quick slashes and dashes, with the ability to teleport close to his enemies, an unrelenting chase, but also the one with the lowest health pool of them all.

The Tech Archer is a true ranged character, fighting from afar and employing his crossbow with great proficiency, slaying his foes from a distance and using various trick shots that bounce enemies back

A mix that’s both new and familiar

The video shows some of the fighting styles and moves that players will be able to make use of, showing something that looks somewhat similar to some already existing titles, but that is also different enough to offer a fresh experience.

Gamers can switch between the classes on the fly, being quick to adapt to the current needs of the battlefield, and to take opponents by surprise, and the neat grappling system makes sure that you can get wherever you need to be in no time.

Battlecry will be available on PC sometime in 2015, supporting up to 32 players battling in various team-based combat scenarios.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0-i2jzIS-g