Capture the Flag enthusiasts, lead singer of Imagine Dragons included, are facilitating the return of the CTF shooter. Known for their childhood pastime of playing CTF in the woods at night with flashlights.
Get Ready to Flag It! Let's talkabout Last Flag, a wildly entertaining 5v5 capture-the-flag shooter from the creative minds behind Imagine Dragons' very own Mac and Dan Reynolds, and their studio, Night Street Games. This dope game gets a shout-out to the legendary Quake 2 CTF and seem to be heading in a similar direction, albeit with a third-person perspective (third-person cutie, if you will).
At this summer's Game Fest event, the Reynolds brothers, along with their team, announced the upcoming game that, visually, looks like a mix of Team Fortress 2 and Quake 2 CTF. Mac Reynolds mentioned, "Last Flag is our homage to the purity and excitement of those childhood nights playing capture-the-flag, brought to life by the freakin' awesome team we've got workin' with us."
I got hands-on with Last Flag during a recent media playtest and, although the third-person shooting might not be my preference (shoutout to Quake FPS fans), this multiplayer game's design is top-notch.
The game begins with one player on each team hiding their team's flag – on the map we played, this meant darting into the hills and ‘hiding' in a network of shallow mining tunnels on my side. Once the match starts, both teams simultaneously emerge from subterranean spawn bunkers and crash into three capture points that form a line across the map's center.
Capturing these control points has benefits like passive healing, rapid travel, and providing intel about the enemy flag's location, making it harder for the enemy to hide their assets. But, if you're bold, you can forego this intel, grab a buddy, and go hunting for the flag. While some characters have abilities to aid in this pursuit, it's pure adrenaline-fuelled fun when you find it and plant your team's flag while under heavy fire.
The defending team's goal is to protect the planted flag for a brief period, allowing their fellow players to mount a rescue. One capture wins the game, creating a constant tension since every play could be the game-winning moment. If the game extends past the 20-minute mark, overtime rules are triggered to push the teams into a fast conclusion.
Even with the playtest's chaos, one detail I appreciate is Night Street Games' commitment to a paid release model, where all characters and content are available to everyone. This philosophy ensures a level playing field and less annoying in-game store surprises.
Last Flag is a tantalizing promise, offering a lively multiplayer experience for anyone looking to relive the glory days of classic CTF games. Mark your calendars for a 2026 release (PC and console), and be sure to grab your friends for some rec-room retro game action!
Tyler Wilde, our resident exciting news reporter, brings his deep gaming knowledge and love for all things childhood-nostalgic to the table. When he's not reporting on the latest gaming news, Tyler's indulging in amateur boxing or adding to his already impressive Rocket League playtime.
- Fans of first-person shooters might not appreciate the third-person perspective in Last Flag, but its design is still top-notch, offering an exciting multiplayer experience.
- As the defending team in Last Flag, your goal is to protect the planted flag, allowing your teammates to rescue it and maintain the upper hand in the game.
- The environment of Last Flag includes various locations like mining tunnels and control points, adding an extra layer of strategy to the game, especially during the capture-the-flag action.
- With Night Street Games prioritizing a paid release model for Last Flag, fans can look forward to playing the game on equal footing, without worrying about pesky in-game store surprises affecting their gameplay.
