Open beta for Dirty Bomb starts on June 2

The open beta for Splash Damage's team-based shooter Dirty Bomb will kick off next week, the developer has announced. To take part you just have to grab the client from Steam.

In the beta you'll find five maps set up for the game's fast-moving Objective mode, plus a dozen of the game's Mercs, special characters who each pack their own unique skills and weapons.

To mark the announcement, Splash Damage has released a video diary which features the dev team discussing the original idea behind Dirty Bomb, and the game's MOBA-inspired elements. Such as the way the game's dropped traditional classes in favour of the aforementioned Mercs.

“The game's going to change every time a new Merc comes in,” says studio co-founder Richard Jolly, “and there's going to be strategies and counter-strategies when a Merc comes in. It makes the game feel very different, and it's going to keep it feeling fresh.”

If the team can handle all those tricky free-to-play elements right, then Dirty Bomb could be a very solid shooter. From what I've played, it certainly captures the spirit of the addictive, fast-paced objective play that Splash Damage was known for in its heyday. You'll be able to start playing on June 2.