Ahead of its release on November 2, Nacon has dropped a new gameplay trailer for Gangs of Sherwood, an anachronistic PvE take on Robin Hood that seems to take inspiration from sources as diverse as Borderlands and Devil May Cry. Narrated by game director Andrea Di Stefano, the trailer offers a deep dive into what expect from the co-op adventure.
The game is set in an industrialized, clockwork take on medieval England, following the familiar story of Robin Hood and his bandit gang fighting back against the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham. In this version of the tale, the Sheriff has gotten hold of the magical Lionheart and is using its power to oppress the population.
While the game allows for four-player co-op, the trailer puts more of a focus on the single-player experience. You’ll be able to choose from four playable characters from familiar archetypes. Robin Hood is an archer with a fast-paced assault-style playstyle; Friar Tuck is a healer; Little John is a brawler; and Marian is a rogue. As you might expect, each has unique abilities based on their class, and you can unlock and customize further skills as you progress through the game.
While all that is pretty standard for co-op games, the actual gameplay of Gangs of Sherwood seems surprisingly involved. Taking cues from Devil May Cry, there’s a style gauge in the top right corner of the screen, which you can boost with combos of light, heavy, and special attacks. Getting a high score will increase your gang’s power at checkpoints and ultimately net you greater rewards at the end of each mission.
The full trailer below shows off plenty more details, including the ability to take out enemies using the environment and more about the RPG elements to be found both within the game’s overarching structure and the individual levels.
I’m personally pleasantly surprised by the presentation, and hopefully the game can eclipse 2021’s Hood: Outlaws & Legends when it launches on November 2, 2023 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X.
