Annihilation: A sci-fi, post apocalyptic, Bangladeshi Battle Royale game

Imagine yourself battling through a post-apocalyptic Dhaka with your friends armed to the teeth with futuristic weapons and unique character abilities in a fight for survival against countless others.

That is the experience "Annihilation" by Crisis Entertainment promises to give players in its upcoming release for free across all platforms. Players can expect to find themselves in a dystopian, cyberpunk, future, facing off against a diverse cast of characters with unique backstories that pay homage to 90's nostalgia like "Tin Goyenda", "Baker Bhai" or "Masud Rana".

The Business Standard sat down with the founder and CEO of Crisis Entertainment, Shadman Sian, to gain further insight into this promising game.

According to Shadman, the game will allow players to engage in 60-player battle royale matches in maps based on Dhaka and Chittagong while also offering 5 vs 5 matches in Nordic and Japanese themed maps.

There are also additional game modes like bomb diffusion, clan vs clan, or squad vs squad, planned for future releases.

From the teaser recently released by the gaming startup, a very detailed 3D map of Dhaka can be seen in the game, complete with CNGs, BRTC buses, local landmarks, and election posters.

When asked about the attention to details, Shadman said that a lot of time was spent by the developers getting the unique details of the city right.

For example, the election posters that hang over the alleys of Dhaka were painstakingly recreated to offer an immersive experience. The local vehicles in the games like the CNGs and trucks are also likely to be operable for players to cruise through the city.

With the help of his lead developer, Siam Hasan Udoy, Shadman and his small team tried to create a game that portrays the inner conflict among mankind as a result of an alien invasion in 2030.

As a result, each character in the game is designed and developed separately with their own unique backstories, motives and abilities. "We wanted to design characters that the players can relate to," says Shadman Sian.

Additionally, the game will pay homage to 90's nostalgia, Isaac Asimov, and Titanfall through its character design, backstory, abilities, etc.

The game also supports strategic and versatile gameplay using the abilities of each character. For example, the hacker Damien Oscar can operate drones and spy on the positions of enemy players to facilitate coordinated attacks by teammates.

The game has been under development since 2018 and the developers have been taking their time to get it just right.

What sets this game apart from the rest of the battle royale games in the market is its focus on story-based multiplayer gameplay as well as its unique Bangladeshi sci-fi theme. Players are not expected to play the same game over and over again as the plot of the game will progress with each new season.

According to Shadman, "There is a clear beginning and end to the game," so that the players can partake in plot-driven gameplay.

Shadman and his team are adamant on developing a game that promotes "community over cash grab" and supports the national e-sports scene.

To ensure that this game is not another pay-to-win title, the game will be released on all platforms for free while simultaneously ensuring that every player can earn unique premium items in the game through gameplay, according to the founder.

Regarding his views about e-sports in Bangladesh, Shadman Sian thinks that it is a matter of time before it gains a foothold in the local community with his game laying the foundations for it.

He holds a steadfast belief that one day, e-sports will become as much as if not more successful than traditional sports due to its ability to attract a much wider viewership with huge brand sponsorships.

As for the game itself, enthusiasts can expect a public beta to be released around December. Shadman says that as a small indie game studio, they are trying their best despite technical limitations to create a game that is worth playing while remaining optimistic that the story-driven, nostalgic and sci-fi elements of the game will make players want to play the game.