Concord: A Geek Foolish Review
Great lore alone can’t carry a live-service game
Editor’s Note: This review was originally written on September 04, 2024 during the early soft launch period of Geek Foolish and is being republished in its original form.
Concord shows promise in the live-service gaming world, but as it stands, it feels incomplete. The game’s lore is where Concord truly shines—it’s deep, detailed, and clearly well thought-out. Players will appreciate the fleshed-out universe and planetary exploration that isn’t forced upon them but offers a rich backdrop to the gameplay. The Freegunner abilities are cool, and the pacing of matches strikes a good balance—not too fast or too slow, making them easy to jump into.
That said, the game falters in several key areas. Despite the mature lore, the mechanics feel disconnected from it, which is a missed opportunity. There’s no competitive mode, no meaningful progression system, and the cosmetic options are disappointing, with the majority being bland recolors. Players looking for a reward system will be let down, as there’s no way to track individual team stats or unlock cosmetics effectively. This lack of progression leaves you feeling unrewarded, even after hitting level 20 with barely any exciting unlocks.
The absence of basic shooter features, like kill cams or a play-of-the-game highlight, makes the overall experience feel bare bones. Respawning issues disrupt the flow of matches, often putting you in unfavorable positions to be easily picked off by the opposing team. Adding insult to injury, the notable absence of consumer engagement leaves players feeling neglected post-purchase.
For a game advertised as having “everything included,” there’s little to show for the $40 price tag. Right now, Concord feels more like an early alpha than a fully realized product, and while the foundation is there, it’s just not enough at this stage. Given another year of development and a visionary game director—think Naoki Yoshida of Final Fantasy XIV or Jeff Kaplan of Overwatch—Concord could become something special. Unfortunately, as it stands, it’s a hard sell.
