UPDATE 7/9/17: Not content with giving you a chunk of the game free on launch, developer MercurySteam will let you play Raiders of the Broken Planet's opening missions a week early without charge.

An open beta featuring the first two levels of the game will be available next Friday 15th and Saturday 16th September.

These levels consist of First Round, a tutorial mission which is the only single-player part of the game, and the first main campaign level, Hanging by a Thread, which can be played in single-player and multiplayer and from either side of the game's four-versus-one gameplay.

When it launches a week later, Raiders of the Broken Planet will arrive as a free download, with the first expansion campaign then available to optionally purchase for £10.

It's almost like MercurySteam would really like you to try their game.

ORIGINAL STORY 18/8/17: Raiders of the Broken Planet, the upcoming game from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metroid: Samus Returns developer MercurySteam, finally has a release date.

Raiders of the Broken Planet, the upcoming game from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metroid: Samus Returns developer MercurySteam, finally has a release date.

The four-versus-one shooter will launch for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 22nd September via a free download containing two lengthy missions.

This free download will also include multiple characters and online multiplayer across four stages.

You can then choose to pick up the game's first expansion, Alien Myths, for a tenner. (That's £9.99, €9.99 or $9.99.)

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Three more campaigns will be released afterwards, and are playable in any order: Wardog Fury, Hades Betrayal and Council's Apocalypse.

"We want to be a developer in constant dialogue with our audience and ethical in our dealings at all times," MercurySteam boss Enric Alvarez said. "Games are expensive and sometimes disappoint after all the media hype. We think allowing players to jump in for free is fair and if they like what they see, paying a reasonable price for more content is a better way to win them over."

I played Raiders of the Broken Planet at Gamescom last year - it's a clever mix of shooting from multiple perspectives, and which lets you play as either the four raiders or on the other side, as their antagonist.