Day Four of E3 2021 is coming to a close. With all of the AAA titles out of the way, the GameSpot Play For All Showcase presented many indie titles to look forward to. Amid all of the creativity, developer Xalavier Nelson Jr. talked about his upcoming game El Paso, Elsewhere with Tamoor Hussain.
A Blast Into the Classic Shooting Past
After the Nintendo Direct and Treehouse events at E3 2021, Managing Editor at GameStop Tamoor Hussain interviewed Xalavier Nelson Jr. about the new shooter. As they talked, snippets of bloody slow-motion action ensued, straight from the initial announcement trailer that premiered just 10 days ago.
El Paso, Elsewhere is essentially a love child between the original Max Payne installment and Dead to Rights. Set within a neo-noir setting with supernatural elements, the game features a jumpy shooter inside a dangerous motel. As he works his way up by slow-motion dodging and shooting, he’ll eventually have to face his final threat: eliminating the one he once loved.
Xalavier Nelson Jr.’s Passion
When Xalavier Nelson Jr. spoke about the inspirations in regards to the game’s development, he delved into personal territory. There is an obvious love toward the legendary titles that motivate the game’s creation, but Xalavier went a bit further into El Paso, Elsewhere‘s themes:
A huge piece of this project comes from the idea and the fact that you can be anything and Black these days, or at least that’s what you’re told. You can be president, you can be an astronaut, you can be a game developer. The thing you can’t be, is Black and angry. “
He then went on to talk about the game’s soundtrack and its importance:
Long story short, we’re making an original hip-hop soundtrack, including such lyrics as, “Terrorism is easy, be Black in public.” Because there is nothing that more clearly expresses fighting through hell, floor by bloody floor than some good old-fashioned hip-hop.”
El Paso, Elsewhere is slated for a 2022 release for PC via Steam. You can wishlist the game here to stay up-to-date with Xalavier’s progress. If you’re looking forward to this love letter to classic shooters, be sure to leave a comment down below!
