Perhaps the next big thing: Hyper-realistic Hong Kong FPS launches soon

Bodycam kicked off a trend in 2024 that other studios are now joining: first-person shooters from a bodycam perspective with a focus on raw presentation and maximum realism. The genre is still small, but it has real potential to become the next big thing among shooter fans. While Unrecord, probably the most anticipated entry in the genre right now, still has no release date, the developers at Monte Gallo are already preparing to launch their own bodycam shooter: Better Than Dead will enter Early Access on Steam on May 12.

Better Than Dead sends players on a revenge campaign through Hong Kong. At the start of Early Access, the game is set to include a full main mode with 14 handcrafted levels. As a hyper-realistic shooter, it completely does away with health bars and HUD elements. Instead, the focus is entirely on quick reflexes, precise shooting and tactical movement, including the use of cover.

What makes bodycam shooters special is their unstable perspective. The weapon is not fixed rigidly in the center of the screen, but moves with the body and camera. As a result, players cannot shoot perfectly from every angle. Deliberate blur effects and shaky movements add to the realism. Games of this kind create a feeling of stress and immediate danger while also producing a fairly realistic look. On closer inspection, however, it quickly becomes clear that Better Than Dead does not quite reach the graphical level of Bodycam. Steam Deck support also seems rather unlikely. The Early Access price is still unknown.