

Co-op and game-as-a-serviceĬontraband is a co-op game, where up to four players work together to pull off crazy heists all over the fictional world of Bayan (inspired by the South Asian coast).

The focus on "non-lethal" combat is especially interesting, and ties into Contraband's overarching theme of heists and thievery over needless violence. Vehicular combat is notoriously difficult to nail, but Avalanche's pedigree makes me confident they'll be able to pull it off. That means the end goal for both you and your enemies is to disable and stop vehicles rather than destroy them. Vehicular combat is more dynamic and fluid, as players and enemies both wish to avoid damaging smuggled goods and treasures at any cost. Most interestingly, it seems that Contraband considers guns to be a last resort for players rather than as the initial response to danger. Of course, vehicles will also feature a wealth of different utilities, tools, and potential upgrades so that players can outfit them for their playstyle and specific heists.īecause of Contraband's central vehicular gameplay, combat is also most prominent on wheels rather than on foot. Using vehicles, players will be able to maximize their defensive and offensive power as they explore Contraband's diverse open world. Contraband is reportedly "vehicle-first," with your vehicle being a crucial and wildly customizable tool. While Contraband's focus is on co-op heists, the delivery method is the vehicles.

Keep in mind, all of this is subject to change throughout Contraband's development. That being said, we have seen some internal documentation from the game that gives us a good idea of what to expect from Contraband as far as gameplay and features are concerned. More specifically, we have this description: "A co-op smuggler's paradise set in the fictional world of 1970s Bayan." Beyond that, we know that Avalanche is using the latest version of its powerful Apex Engine to deliver its most ambitious open-world yet, similar to how the Just Cause series is infamous for pairing prettier-than-life worlds with larger-than-life action-packed moments. When it comes to Contraband, we don't have a ton of "official" information. Source: Avalanche Studios | YouTube (Image credit: Source: Avalanche Studios | YouTube)
