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0 Gray Zone Warfare is a tactical FPS in early access by MADFINGER Games. Take on missions solo or with a squad of your own as you explore a persistent, remote Southeast Asian island in both PvE and PvPvE combat. The game is only available on Steam.
Tactics are Needed in the Gray Zone
I’m no stranger to first-person shooter games. My most consistently played series over the years is without a doubt Battlefield. They provide a nice blend of ground and vehicle combat that I think draws me, alongside the steady paced action. Gray Zone Warfare is one that I’ve seen but not really taken a look at as far as FPS games go. I was guessing it would be a mixture of Rainbow Six Siege and Squad from the tactical standpoint. Let me share what I found thus far in my time with the game below.
Gameplay
Gray Zone Warfare is a tactical first-person shooter with a focus on squad and solo play. You play as an operator in a persistent world of a a fictional Southeast Asian island, completing strategic missions to stand out and increase your reputation. Making tactical decisions both in planning and on the fly is key to survival, as the game also falls into some hardcore survival style of mechanics. One or two bullets could mean a prompt end to your exploration if you cannot reach a safe zone to leave the mission area. Take care to conserve your ammunition and supplies as you work toward your objectives.
My one gripe thus far with the game is I can’t find loot. That or I’m just not familiar enough yet on where to be looking, and also too accustomed to looting in games like Arc Raiders. Not long into a session of Gray Zone Warfare I found myself with a leg injury after jumping out of a window. (Yes I purposely jumped out; not knowing just how much it would hurt.) Without anything on me to heal the break, being unable to locate any supplies that would aid me; I very slowly made my way to a safe point to extract. It easily took me about five or more times longer had I been able to properly care for the injury. At least it was better than my first run where I got shot and instantly died…
You have the option of playing on a PvE server or a PvPvE server in Gray Zone Warfare. I found this to be a nice change, as it seems like most days it’s either all or nothing. I guess Marathon has PvPvE gameplay but there’s not a way to guarantee no PvP like there is here. I’ve found over the years that PvP just drives up my blood pressure too quickly, so I’ll be sticking to PvE as much as possible. Just because there aren’t other players also tactically looking to eliminate you doesn’t mean the game isn’t difficult though. I am finding it to be quite the challenge and definitely a change of pace from what I’m used to. The freedom to basically roam as you please too is an additional bonus.
Graphics & Audio
The graphics in Gray Zone Warfare are quite immersive. This includes everything from the character and equipment models to the environment and buildings you explore. It also feels like the play area is fairly large without having to use a bunch of repetitive models or layouts. This presents more of a realistic overtone and the lighting and weather effects are well done too.
Audio in a tactical fps game can be make or break for your strategy. Gray Zone Warfare is no different. I was able to pick up on audio cues that alerted me to enemies quickly. I’m sure it would have been a better experience had I been wearing my headset.
Longevity
One of the things I did note in the game menus was a tracker for area completion. The tracker includes how many of the possible lootable containers you’ve found, which is quite a few. Gray Zone Warfare is already time-consuming from it’s tactical nature. Collecting everything on top of that will add even more time in the game. Not to mention that this is still early access, and MADFINGER Games expects it to stay that way while in development for a number of years. Thus far it’s been about two years and already has a full game worth of content. The latest update added a plethora of changes too so even if you may have taken a look a while back it’s worth returning to check out the new content.
Final Thoughts
Gray Zone Warfare is a deep tactical fps that allows for both PvE and PvPvE. It provides a wide arrange of ways to play, alone or with a group squad mates. It’s also visually stunning and in early access now on Steam. If you’re a fan of tactical games like Squad, Arma and Ready or Not but enjoy the survival/looting mechanics of Escape from Tarkov and DayZ this should be on your radar. If not quite now, then definitely in the future.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoy this review, be sure to check out my other reviews here.
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