#Ww1 verdun game series#

ThereвЂ™s also a problem in the rifle deathmatch mode - itвЂ™s largely amazing, with a handful of players armed with bolt-action rifles creeping around cluttered maps, trying to spy enemies before catching a bullet. Gunning them down isnвЂ™t particularly satisfying or challenging until the numbers get overwhelming, and even then it doesnвЂ™t feel like superior technique is winning the day, itвЂ™s just being overwhelmed. Unfortunately, AI enemiesВ are as dumb as dirt, and tend to clump together, running in crowds. Teams of players (or a single masochist) are tasked with defending a position from wave after wave of AI foes. Unfortunately, while VerdunвЂs versus is worthwhile,В the co-op mode is a wash. A wide variety have been simulated, each one with accurate sights and action - and with rifles generally killing with a single shot, learning to love iron sights is an absolute must for success, That said, itвЂ™s clear the devs love bolt-action rifles.

#Ww1 verdun game series#

ThereвЂ™s no вЂbestвЂ™ way to play the game, just a series of least bad options, as it should be. Machine guns are wildly inaccurate, rifles have to be re-chambered after every shot, and pistols donвЂ™t do much damage. Each one has advantages that are offset by huge drawbacks, and nothing ever feels overpowered. Much of VerdunвЂs success can be attributed to the primitive weapons. Also, stalemates are historically accurate. Surprisingly, this didnвЂ™t seem to frustrate any of the players I ran into, since the moment-to-moment combat feels so intense and satisfying. The game is scored solely based on how much land one team is able to take away from the other, and I found that games would frequently end in ties. Players are divided up into groups of four and given perks and bonus experience points based on their ability to stay together and function as a team. The mode is much more fluid in practice than it may sound, and the time limits are actually dynamic - if a team manages to keep their momentum up by killing enough enemies and moving into enemy territory, they can receive time extensions on their assault. Fail to push far enough before the clock counts down, and suddenly theyвЂ™re placed on defense, trying to preserve their own line. Players have to push into enemy territory, holding trenches within a time limit. The central mode of play is based around holding land - two teams start in the middle of a football field-sized section of trenches, with one assigned the role of attacker, and the other set to defend their territory. Their animation is stiff, and way behind the curve for modern shooters. That doesnвЂ™t excuse the player models, though. Everything looks like a broken, ugly mess, which is exactly how it should - trench warfare was ugly, and these pared-down graphics reflect the reality better than вЂrealisticвЂ™ graphics could. The developers are depicting sections of France that have been torn to pieces by years of shelling, bombing, and desperate shoveling. In another game, these would be huge drawbacks, but in Verdun these slightly shoddy production values actually work towards the gameвЂ™s aesthetics.

Textures are indistinct, trees are sparse and blocky, and even the ground has the unnatural rounded quality of thrown-together environments. Verdun wonвЂ™t be getting praise for its graphics - this is obviously a small-studio title. Setting aside personal feelings about the subject matter, I was determined to judge the game solely on how well it executed its aspirations. Knowing this about myself, I was mindful of my biases when going into Verdun, a online competitive shooter that simulates the push and pull of WWIвЂ™s trench warfare, in all its muddy horror. This led to a wildly unbalanced review I once turned in that excoriated a Snoopy game for making light of mustard gas. Yet, I also care passionately about games involving the early days of air combat. That entire enterprise was so pointless and horrific that I have trouble being objective about attempts to gamify its tragedies. Historically, IвЂ™ve had grave misgivings about games based on World War I. WTFВ The devs just didnвЂ™t bother putting in a вЂwearing gas maskвЂ™ version of the AI models.

LOW Getting spawn-camped three lives in a row. HIGH Disappearing into the trees and picking off a dozen soldiers before anyone knew where I was.