No Trace is a top-down, stealth-action game that looks like it has a great atmosphere. Developer Square Mountain released a new gameplay trailer (above), which shows more relaxed areas in addition to the typical, tense areas of covert decision-making and assassination.
The trailer shows a low-poly art style that makes me think someone added more colour to the world of Superhot. And while it does seem to focus more on stealth in this trailer, Square Mountain says you'll be able to take a more action-packed approach to situations as well—which is also demonstrated near the end of the trailer. On top of that, Square Mountain is promising randomly generated NPC profiles, which are supposed to "provide new and unique challenges on each playthrough."
Some of the unique gameplay elements include Inspection mode, which lets you stop time to scan the environment and plan your approach. There also appears to be more precision in this top-down shooter, especially when compared to a game like Hotline Miami—at one point in the trailer, you can see the character aim specifically for a headshot.
You'll also be able to slow down time with a "mark & execute" ability, which reminds me of Splinter Cell: Blacklist. This ability is something I'd like to see more of in games, so it's nice to see it here—also, a sequel to Blacklist would be nice.
While the combat sequences look nice, I'm more interested in the quieter scenes, such as the marketplace and alley lit by a trash fire. Stuff like that is why games like Deus Ex and Dishonored have a special place in my heart.
Square Mountain told us that it's now working on No Trace full time. It hopes to release the game in Q2 2018. You can see more of No Trace on the developer's website.
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