«Previous post | Next post»

Press release:
New-York, NY, September 6, 2024.
The Netherlands-based indie games developer Flying Squirrel (the developer behind the innovative multiplayer shooter title “Battle Cry of Freedom”) are today very happy to announce that they have just kicked-off a time-limited play test for their upcoming WW1 action shooter “Over the Top: WWI” (the said play test is available right now for PC via Steam).

Flying Squirrel Entertainment is initiating a special play test campaign. This maneuver, set to commence today, and conclude on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 9 am ET, invites players to enlist and engage in the game’s initial skirmishes. Prospective soldiers eager to join the play test can rally at the Steam page here.

Play Test Campaign Briefing

From September 6, 2024, onward, the play test campaign offers players a unique opportunity to engage in the pre-release battlefield. This period will allow participants to experience the intense trench warfare scenarios, strategic operations, and the dynamic environmental conditions that authentically mirror the Great War’s brutal realities.

Check out Over the Top WWI playtest trailer here:

About Over the Top WWI

Over The Top WWI brings brutal real-time third- and first-person multiplayer and singleplayer combat set in the muddy fields of the First World War, presenting players with the opportunity to re-fight the Great War as either the Central Powers or the Triple Entente. Arm yourself with a diverse arsenal, including rifles, artillery, and even tanks, as you navigate the fully destructible battlefields of the Great War.

Key Features:

Multiplayer and Singleplayer Modes: Engage in intense multiplayer battles with up to 200 players or bots, or immerse yourself in the game’s single player modes, each offering unique challenges and narratives.

Destructible Environments: Players can alter the battlefield with a variety of artillery, axes, and explosives, demolishing buildings, bridges, walls, and other structures to gain a tactical advantage.

Deformable Terrain: Experience the chaos of war as explosions and artillery impacts deform the terrain. Engineers can dig trenches and foxholes, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay.

Directional Melee Combat System: Inspired by games like Mount & Blade: Warband, this intuitive yet challenging system lets players master close-quarters combat with period-specific melee weapons.

Massive Battles: Participate in epic confrontations with up to 200 players or bots, each bringing unique strategies and roles to the sprawling battlefields.

Diverse Artillery Options: Choose from a range of heavy machine guns, mortars, and other artillery pieces to support your squad and devastate enemy positions.

Realistic Projectile Physics: The game meticulously models projectile velocity, twist rate, and other factors, providing a deeply authentic shooting experience.

Grim Realism with Gore & Blood: “Over the Top WWI” doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of war, with detailed gore and blood effects adding to the visceral atmosphere.

Usable Tanks and Armored Vehicles: Drive iconic tanks like the Mark IV and the A7V Sturmpanzerwagen, bringing formidable firepower and mobility to the front lines.

Engineer Class Capabilities: Engineers play a crucial role in constructing barricades, digging trenches, and setting explosives, enhancing the strategic depth of gameplay.

Authentic Weapons and Uniforms: Featuring over 50 unique weapons from bolt-action rifles to submachine guns, each weapon is crafted with historical accuracy in mind.

Strategic Artillery Call-Ins: Call in powerful artillery strikes such as Chlorine Gas, Incendiary Bombs, and Creeping Barrage to turn the tide of battle.

Historical Maps and Music: Wage war across more than 12 maps inspired by historical World War I locations, accompanied by a selection of period-specific background music tracks.

Powerful Map Editor: Players can create their own custom maps with the included easy-to-learn yet powerful Map Editor, expanding the game’s replayability and community engagement.

Dynamic Environment Effects: The game features a dynamic time of day, weather, and seasonal changes, influencing gameplay and creating ever-evolving battle conditions.

Comprehensive Customization and Admin Tools: With over 120 server settings, players and administrators can fine-tune every aspect of the game to suit their preferences.

“We are thrilled to mobilize our community and bring players into the trenches with the early access release of ‘Over the Top: WWI’,” said the studio’s spokesperson.

“The upcoming play test campaign is a critical phase in refining the game, and we eagerly await the community’s feedback to shape the final experience.”

Over the Top: WWI is scheduled for PC on Steam. For more information, please visit Flying Squirrel Entertainment or follow Flying Squirrel on Discord, X, Youtube and Facebook.

About Flying Squirrel Entertainment
Flying Squirrel Entertainment was originally formed from the team behind the “Mount & Musket” modification for Mount & Blade: Warband, to make the official expansion for the same game: “Napoleonic Wars”. Based in Europe, the team consists of four members. All of us are former modders, and formed Flying Squirrel Entertainment when we decided to start making our own games instead of spending our skills tweaking other people’s creations.

We are also progressive/hardcore reenactors/roleplayers and take part in living-history events all across Europe. As we come from both a gaming and a living history background, we are naturally very passionate about what we create!