Upcoming PC-Exclusive FPS Toxikk Promises Properly Old-school Arena Combat

It goes without saying, but games have changed a lot over the years. I'm not talking graphics, but mechanics. Take free-to-play, for example. Its impact on gaming today is enormous, but ten years ago? It was virtually unknown. And then there are our first-person shooters. Remember the old days when regenerating health wasn't a thing? Leveling? Classes? Heck - a cover system? I do, and I think back to those days fondly.

Apparently, I'm not alone, as the upcoming PC exclusive FPS Toxikk proves. Developed by Germany-based Reakktor, Toxikk promises a 1999-esque arena combat experience that gets rid of all of the "enhancements" we've seen added to such games since then. Based on what's seen in the gameplay video below, it's safe to say that this is a cross between Unreal Tournament and Halo - two very excellent FPS titles for their respective platforms.

With Toxikk, the developers promise "no BS" - no leveling, no covering, no health regen, no classes, no iron-sight aiming, no customizable weapons, and, believe it or not, no reloading (adhering to the UT design). Effectively, it's skill and skill only that'll help you succeed in Toxikk, not class or skill choices you make. And to me, that's awesome.

Another promise from the developers: Toxikk is not going to be a "free-to-play" game. Pay up front, and it'll be like the old days where you actually got an entire game for that purchase price. The game is set to launch this December on Steam as an Early Access title, and currently sells for $15. If you like what you see and want to support the game's development at a greater level, many other packages exist, which include multiple copies of the game and other perks.

This is one release I'm looking very forward to.