G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a third-person shooter video game based on Hasbro's G.I. Joe toyline, released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 13, 2020, and for Microsoft Windows on December 15, 2020. The game was developed by IguanaBee and Fair Play Labs and published by GameMill Entertainment in North America and Maximum Games in Europe. It is the first G.I. Joe console game since 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
| G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout | |
|---|---|
 Game cover | |
| Developer(s) | IguanaBee Fair Play Labs |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Series | G.I. Joe |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 Unreal Engine 5 (Xbox Series X/S) |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 Xbox One Microsoft Windows Xbox Series X/S |
| Release | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One October 13, 2020 Microsoft Windows December 15, 2020 Xbox Series X/S
|
| Genre(s) | Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Plot
editDuring an attack on the USS Flagg, Cobra has managed to take over the world by creating a device called the Blackout Sphere, which knocked out all electrical equipment across the globe and claimed Cobra's victory known as "C-Day". Now the Joes are being hunted down by Cobra and must figure out where their leader Duke is being held, find the other teammates, and take back the world from Cobra's clutches.
Gameplay
editIn the base game, players can take on roles of 12 characters. Players can play the story missions with another in local split-screen co-op, or compete in up to four-player player versus player local matches in four multiplayer modes: Capture the Flag, Assault, King of the Hill, and Deathmatch Arena.
Characters
edit| G.I. Joe Team | Cobra Command |
|---|---|
Development
editThe game was announced on August 12, 2020.[1] A trailer for the game was released the same day.[2] Maximum Games handled publishing duties for the game in the PAL regions.[3] On the day of the announcement, Chilean indie developer IguanaBee revealed that the game was their secret project for 2020.[4] The game is available in a Digital Deluxe edition on all platforms.[5]
On October 19, 2020, six days after the game's release, GameMill Entertainment announced that a Microsoft Windows version was in development.[6]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 51% (PS4) 56% (XONE) 55% (NS) |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 5/10[7] |
| Nintendo Life | 5/10[8] |
On Metacritic, the PlayStation 4 version of G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout has a score of 51% based on sixteen reviews,[9] the Xbox One version has a score of 56% based on eight reviews,[10] and the Nintendo Switch version has a score of 55% based on four reviews,[11] all indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
References
edit- ^ G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout Announced, Coming in October - IGN, 12 August 2020, retrieved 2020-08-13
- ^ "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout (Announce Trailer) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
- ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
- ^ "We have exciting news for everyone! The IguanaBee team is proud to finally reveal our secret project for this year". Official IguanaBee Twitter. August 12, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
- ^ "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout Looks to the '80s for Inspiration". Xbox Wire. 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
- ^ "Review: G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout". Destructoid.
- ^ "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. 24 October 2020.
- ^ "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
- ^ "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
- ^ "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-12-01.