Bodycam's Unique Perspective Demands Your Attention

First-person games have been around for a long time, with Castle Wolfenstein often the first example people think of in the genre. Back then, the unique perspective of id Software's creation blew many players’ minds as they could see guns, Nazis, and even Hitler right before their eyes. The game's first-person view allowed people to see the world from the character’s eyes, fully immersing them in the pixelated reality. Fast forward to today; visual media has pushed the boundaries of what is real, and the FPS game Bodycam shows just how realistic that viewpoint can be today.

A new perspective

Bodycam is being developed by Reissad Studio, a developer founded in 2017 that has yet to release a game. Although it is their first, its unique take has already impressed many observers of the first-person genre.

Bodycam offers players a first-person perspective from, you guessed it, the perspective of a bodycam worn by your character. You might have seen bodycam videos on YouTube, many from police officers, and this is what the game does very well in trying to imitate. The first time I came across a video of Bodycam I couldn't tell if it was a real-life marketing stunt or actual gameplay. I was surprised to discover that it was indeed real gameplay, not footage of an assault in a criminal compound that someone had found. Actual players were running around, peeking out from corners, and shooting each other.

The game’s stock in trade will be the sense of immersion it can deliver, and I felt immersed the moment I saw the guns move realistically whenever the player pointed them at a target. In the game, you experience the realistic perspective of aiming a gun, with distant sights to avoid recoil. The guns move realistically, too, when you sprint. They also don’t cover half your screen. When you move, they sway realistically, and guns don’t immediately follow your line of sight. This is all done, again, for the sake of immersion, to make you feel like a camera on a real body rather than a floating gun on someone’s face.

Bodycam's audio is amazing as well; the guns sound like real guns being shot right inside the room, and the gunshots reverberate and echo to where it’s almost deafening. This game can certainly give its share of jump scares from the sound design alone.

First-person shooters have been around for quite some time, but Bodycam is revolutionizing this perspective by adding its own immersive twist to the genre. The game’s bodycam perspective gives it a brutally realistic look, and Reissad Studio’s creativity ensures every detail looks like it’s from the real world, even how bodies fall after shooting enemies. This game is not afraid to show its brutality.

A more tactical approach

Bodycam isn’t offering anything unique in terms of gameplay. Being a first-person shooter, the core gameplay mechanic of shooting enemies until they’re out of the picture remains the same. Movement is where the game strays from the formula. There’s no Call of Duty-style run-and-gun gameplay here. The movement is slow and intentional, just like how a specialist would move when clearing a building.

You won’t be sprinting in every match, nor will you keep your gun up, mowing down enemies. You’ll need to find and protect yourself from enemies while figuring out who they are, as this new perspective can make it difficult to distinguish friends from foes.

Every shot is deadly, and your character’s life ends after just one or two bullets. This ensures players stay engaged, clearing corners efficiently before moving to the next room.

The camera also plays a vital role in the gameplay. You cannot simply point and shoot in this game, expecting the bullets to land directly where you aim. Recoil is more apparent from a body cam perspective, and your guns sway drastically if you move too fast. Your movement will always affect your aim, and if you find yourself in the wrong position, it's game over.

Ultimately, what matters is positioning and getting used to the new point of view. If your goal is for your team to win this game, moving slowly can have a significant impact, and coordination is crucial. Getting used to how the game looks can also make a vast difference, as it can help you navigate the game.

First-person shooters have been around for quite some time, but Bodycam is revolutionizing this perspective by adding its own immersive twist to the genre.

Body problems

Despite all the great things Bodycam does for the first-person shooter genre, a few problems could hinder its potential for success. The main problem is also the game’s unique strength: the body camera perspective. If you’ve seen the trailer and gameplay, you know how motion sickness could be a real problem for some players. The shaking camera and swaying guns might overwhelm certain people, and it may not be something that can be easily resolved. The same issue could keep players from sitting down for hours-long sessions, affecting the game’s overall longevity.

Removing the bodycam perspective would obviously undercut the game's core value proposition by eliminating the very design element that makes it unique within a very crowded genre. Sure, it's a tactical shooter, but that's already an overly saturated sub-genre of first-person shooters. Games like Squad and Arma have that covered, and those games have a lot more going for them than Bodycam in terms of community, longevity, and the like.

As it currently stands, Bodycam appears to be a unique game that offers a fresh perspective in a crowded genre. Although the game’s novel perspective brings an immersive element, it can cause unintended issues like motion sickness. The game’s one-of-a-kind perspective will ensure its place in people’s memories, but it may also be why it will stumble with long-term success. If you’re looking for a more “authentic and ultra-realistic” shooter, this could be an exciting choice.