Boss Key Productions, developers of Lawbreakers and home of video game designer CliffyB are bringing out a new game called Radical Heights. Their first self-published title.

“Partake in high-stakes battle royale gunplay in a sunny SoCal dome as contestants drive-by on BMX bikes or stalk other contestants from the shadows in search for weapons and prizes…but also CASH that you can bank – win or lose!”

The game is sold as “an 80’s-fuelled battle royale game show where cash is king” and could be a serious competitor to the ever increasingly popular Fortnite. BMX’s are shown as a selling point for the game boasting the ability to display your sick tricks while you pop a cap into the nearest foe. Check out the trailer here:

Radical Heights uses a unique GRIDLOCKED Closure system where the map is split up into squares. Each match, squares can be randomized meaning no matter where you are on the map, on the edge or in the center, the game will trap players and force them to think quick as the world around them closes in.

Even when you’re starting out in a game some parts of the grid will be shaded out. What color you ask? Boss Key explains:

“Yellow = get out of the zone, stat! Red = you’ll take damage, so leave!”

Cash is stressed to be an important commodity in the game. ATMs are scattered around the map allowing you to deposit or withdraw your hard-earned dollars used to purchase items only available each round.

Winning a match will grant you a double of how much you have in your wallet HOWEVER if you lose all the money will go to the player who picks it up.

Looting cash is easy; cash registers, money stacks, and presents (yes, presents) are the golden tickets to making you richer or perhaps you want to go for something more… exciting.

Vending machines are on standby waiting for you to feed them a hefty amount of wad but you could choose to invest your cash into something more cosmetic in the prize room, your virtual wardrobe. In addition to purchasing newly gained clothing, you can find some across the map although there is a limit to how many you can bring home with you.

Cash isn’t the only currency, however; rad gems are an easier way to get the items you want, sacrificing real money in the process. Everything that can be bought with cash can also be purchased with rad gems and to avoid the P2W trap Boss Key have kept this premium currency strictly for cosmetics only.

Another way of getting ahead of the flock fashion wise is to purchase the Radical Heights Founder’s Pack, available for $15. The package includes 20 cosmetics in the theme of 80s action heroes, exclusive and not buyable in-game; 1,200 rad gems and a 10% permanent cash booster.

Creative director Zach Lowery talks in a blog post about why Radical Heights might grab your attention:

  “I think the experience you get when you play Radical Heights is very different than other BR games. Our tone is very comedic and lighthearted, we have a faster game time so you don’t have to invest 40 minutes to win a game, which means you and your friends can have more games together, which means more adventures and stories to share at the water cooler the next day.”

Also stating why they chose a battle royale title:

“We wanted to make a BR game because not only are there a lot of BR fans that work here, but also because we had some fun ideas to put our own spin on the genre. Many BR games follow a specific formula, but with Radical Heights we wanted to bring in elements of juxtaposition to see how they would create unique, interesting experiences. What came out of this juxtaposition was the creation of what we call “Risky Opportunities”, which are game show style events that offer great rewards but also make the players take risks if they want to reap the rewards.”

He also explains the reason behind the controversial early access and why the team adopted it:

“From day one of conceptualizing Radical Heights, we knew we wanted to launch in an early access state. Early Access for us means that we can get the game out to our consumers early, give them a taste of our world and mechanics and evolve the game with the community as we move forward with development. There are some features in RH that are bare bones because we want to test the waters and see how players respond to these mechanics. If they respond well, then we can go all-in on it and build the mechanics out with the player’s input in mind. If the feature isn’t well received, or happens to reveal that it doesn’t make long term sense for the game, then we can cut it without significant investment. We want to be agile with our community, listen to them and try new things, while also being realistic of the possibility of success and failure of certain features.”

Radical heights is only hours away at the time of writing and as we prepare to pwn some noobs we have nothing but excitement for this battle royale title. The bountiful economy, BMX tricks, and choice of fresh digs have my spine tingling and ready to download this game (which by the way is available on Steam right here).