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Insurgency: Sandstorm is a team-based, tactical FPS based on lethal close quarters combat and objective-oriented multiplayer gameplay. Experience the intensity of modern combat where skill is rewarded, and teamwork wins the fight.
The game was released last Dec 12, 2018 and was highly praised for its realistic gameplay, sound design, level design, atmosphere, graphics, and fluid animations. Those who have yet to play this game: you might missed something, mate ;)



I still regret sleeping on the original Insurgency, a hardcore tactical shooter that launched in 2014. It received a lot of good buzz among fans of the genre, so I decided to keep tabs on its sequel, Insurgency: Sandstorm, which launched on Steam a few Weeks ago.

After just a few hours with the game, it’s clear that it’s still rough around the edges. But it might just have one of the best cooperative modes from any first-person shooter that I’ve played all year.

Not a game for the faint-hearted, this first-person shooter game won fans over with its realistic depiction of military combat. It’s definitely not the most relaxing way to spend your weekend, but that doesn’t change the fact that “Insurgency: Sandstorm” is one of the best multiplayer shooters around, especially when it comes to co-op. (!!!!!)

The mode in question is called Checkpoint, and it launches a team of eight players into a pitched battle against waves of enemy AI. Every session has its own kind of narrative, converting a very technical shooter into a thrilling combination of Call of Duty’s classic Domination and an edge-of-your-seat horde mode.
When a mission begins, players find themselves in the back of a pickup truck driving toward a raid on an enemy compound. When the tailgate drops it’s a fairly linear push on the first objective, giving everyone a decent chance to warm themselves up. That’s when things get interesting.
Once that first objective is captured it’s on to the second, which is generally located in a more exposed location. By the time you reach the third of fourth objective, the enemy could be coming from any direction. Players’ ability moderates the pace of the fight is crucial, as is good communication. Luckily Sandstorm has an excellent radio model, allowing players to talk to allies in close proximity as well as all the way across the map.
Another key to Checkpoint’s excellent pacing is the way it forces you to manage your resources. The act of reloading, for instance, is modeled very differently in Sandstorm than it is in other games. You can take your time if you like, carefully removing an empty magazine and placing into in your chest rig to use later. Or you can double-tap the reload button to drop the mag on the ground and get back into the fight.
Insurgency features an experience system which grants cosmetic unlocks. Among the first that I was able to earn was a new pattern of head scarf for the insurgents. But the number of magazines you can carry is finite, and leaving your kit scattered around the map reduces the effectiveness of your main weapon. Protracted standoffs regularly reduce one or both sides to their sidearms. When you do manage to clear out the enemy, that’s the time to spend a few extra seconds to fully resupply at a weapons crate.

Health in Sandstorm feels fairly abstracted, but in a good way. Players aren’t made of glass, but they aren’t invincible either. You’ll go down eventually if the AI lands three or four shots at range, and even faster if you turn the wrong way in close quarters. But when I feel pressure from the enemy, and they do land a few shots, there’s a good chance I can maneuver out of harm’s way where my health can recharge. The result is that lending fire support to other players is both impactful and necessary.

Once you reach and clear the final objective, that’s when you’re tasked with holding it at all costs. This is where the game’s unique class system comes in. In addition to a generic rifleman and a heavy weapons guy, there’s also a commander and an observer class that can work together to bring in artillery and helicopter support. There’s a breacher that can make short work of the enemy in close quarters, and an advisor that supplies an exotic selection of additional small arms into the fight.

But getting those more elite classes together during the endgame standoff can be challenging. That’s because each player has only one life to live during the assault on each objective. If you go down early on, it’s up to your team to finish the fight without you.
The game offers dozens of weapons right from the get go, with a myriad of options including magnified optics, bipods, and extended magazines. I quickly fell in love with the FN FAL, which offers excellent stopping power up close and precision at range.
What was so bizarre is that I didn’t have to unlock anything. It was all just there, waiting in the character selection screen for me to pick my favourite bits. There are limits, however. It seems like there’s a finite number of each of the higher-end items, especially body Armor, that are made available at the start of every mission.
I mentioned the game’s roughness, and it’s noticeable in both obvious and strange ways. There’s the usual framiness that is common in multiplayer shooters on launch day, which required me to turn all the settings down to medium and eliminate post processing. Even now things get a little crazy during close quarters battles.
Animations feel wooden, with almost none of the gracefulness on display in modern AAA shooters. But there’s also a lot of clipping issues. Kicking down doors is a neat mechanic, but seeing them hung up on the terrain while allies phase right through them is distracting.
Additionally, the game’s fiction has some challenging international optics. You will definitely be playing as either an insurgent or as a member of a security force in places that feel an awful lot like Iraq and Afghanistan. Graffiti includes references to the indelible ink used to mark voter’s fingers during elections and elaborate tobacco pipes are common bits of window dressing. Sandstorm’s voiceover work does a decent job to mitigate some of these cultural issues. Both sides of a fight sound like they could include multinational forces, and there are female avatars, albeit only on the side of security. That makes the game feel, at the very least, like an equal opportunity offender.
Insurgency: Sandstorm also includes a robust multiplayer component, including ranked play. But, for now, I’m more than happy with the cooperative mode.;)

Additionally, the game drew fans in with its competitive multiplayer features. “Insurgency: Sandstorm” gives players a glimpse into what it’s really like on the battlefield, and team coordination is an absolute must when playing this game. Players experience realistic battles through the war-torn environments of a fictional conflict in the Middle East. The game creates a lot of drama without relying heavily on scripted sequences. The enemy AI in PvE is also more than competent, and will feel like you’re playing with actual people rather than bots.

Some of the features of the game include:

○ Character and weapon customization
○ Unprecedented audio design with position-based voice-chat for realistic teamwork
○ Heart-pounding ambient audio that will transport you into the battlefield
○ Peek around corners, use smoke to cover your team’s advance, tactically breach doorways,
and call in air support for that realistic battle feel
○ Battle across large, expansive maps in 16v16 player game modes, or 8-player co-op against
AI
○ Competitive multiplayer features that include matchmaking, replays, and broadcasting UI



See Karmakut´s perfect review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB26LK9mzQA

or stack deeper here ;)

https://worthplaying.com/article/2019/2/21/reviews/113025/

In case you are on the fence or just want a perspective of someone who's been playing a bit, here's a review I just left on Steam for Black Squad -- let me know if you think I missed anything!

As someone who is generally skeptical of free-to-play titles, particularly with FPS games, I am shocked at what I've stumbled upon here with Black Squad.

I've been playing FPS games on PC and console for sixteen years and let me tell you, the netcode and hit registration in this game is no joke. It makes CSGO, Battlefield, and CoD netcodes seem like they were hacked together by middle school children; considering the budget difference it’s actually quite embarrassing for the bigger publishers. This is coming from someone who is a long-time Battlefield and Counter-Strike player (and occasionally CoD fan, particularly pre-2010 titles).

Netcode is undoubtedly the most important underlying factor for a shooter, but there's a lot more this game does correctly:

All weapons unlockable without any premium / monetary investment

Premium weapons are literally stock weapons with skins. Zero statistical advantage.

So now that we know the game has a solid foundation, let’s get into details:

Starting weapons shred people, so you are golden from the moment you begin your first game

No automatic health regen

Multiple classes, each with their own killstreaks (4 per class)

Killstreaks (which are obtainable with objective points as well) are reasonable, similar to what you saw in CoD 4

If you have good muscle memory and decision making, you will not lose a firefight unless it is entirely your fault

Black Squad's game modes are a great deal a fun, and they put together a well-rounded list of options. There's classic TDM, VIP, and Demolition (5v5 and 8v8), however I'm currently gravitating toward Battle Match (16 v 16) which features multiple objectives that need to be destroyed by both sides.

Maps are comparable to current AAA titles -- there's long stretches for snipers, close quarters for runners, and generally an assault rifle or carbine will serve as your adaptable option. You have three class kits to customize, so you can easily adapt to the circumstances of your game.

There are three live currencies:

Gold (Purchases 14-day items. Earned through many general tasks/games/achievements/etc.)

Medals (Purchases permanent weapons. Earned through more difficult challenges.)

BS Coin (Purchases cosmetic variants of weapons)

Overall I'm surprised to see myself get slightly addicted to this game. Did I mention the netcode was (nearly) perfect? ;)

Considering it's free, this game is worth your time and effort to try. Really hope the developers stick to this formula and just add more maps. Everything else is great.

pls rename to: Cheater-♥♥♥♥ Game: Global Offensive

Alles andere als leicht:
Von Beginn an ist deutlich, Squad ist kein Battlefield 1, kein CRap Of Duty Abklatsch, Squad ist viel mehr ...

Squad ist wirklichkeitsnaher, roher und genauso deutlich anspruchsvoller. Hier erwartet uns kein pathetischer Orchestral-Soundtrack, der uns über die Hügel der Spielwelt trägt. Stattdessen steht der schnörkellose Kampf im Zentrum und das ist gleichwohl akzeptabel in dieser Art. Der höhere Realismus bringt allerdings genauso einen höheren Schwierigkeitsgrad mit sich, sodass in erster Regel Gelegenheitsspieler einige Zeit benötigen werden, um einleitende Erfolge zu erzielen. Besonders das Waffenhandling, das wahrhaft hervorragend gelungen ist, dürfte für AAA-verwöhnte Spieler übergangsweise ein wenig Arbeit bedeuten, bis die Ziele in jedweder Hinsicht konzentriert werden können. Hinzu kommen Kleinigkeiten wie das Nachladen der Waffe, das gleichermaßen während leerem Magazin nicht von alleine geschieht, oder genauso die Tatsache, dass es keine Granaten-Taste gibt, statt dessen dass ebendiese vor der Verwendung von Hand im Inventar ausgewählt werden muss.

Wählt eure Rolle:
Wie in der Battlefield-Reihe nehmt ihr gleichfalls in Squad eine von mehrerlei Rollen ein. Diese sind in vier enorme Verbänden unterteilt, bekanntlich in Führungsrollen, gewöhnliche Squadrollen, Spezialisten sowohl das Gebiet der Feuerunterstützung. Zu den Führungsrollen gehört nicht lediglich der Squadleader, der exemplarisch Rallypunkte platzieren kann, die von den Teammitgliedern als Spawnpunkte verwendet werden können, an Lokalität exemplarisch gleichwohl der Sanitäter. Dieser heilt verletzte Spieler und kann sie überdies wiederbeleben oder ihre blutende Wunden versorgen. Die Spieler, die eine Führungsrolle aufweisen, werden den Squadmitgliedern mit einem spezifischen Symbol auf der Karte markiert, sodass man im Notfall bspw. rasch einen Sanitäter aufsuchen kann.
Im Bereich der typischen Squad-Klassen finden sich nicht allein Allrounder wie der Schütze mit unterschiedlichen Ausrüstungsvarianten, stattdessen ebenso Sniper oder LMG-Schützen. Als Adjutant kommen ansonsten Grenadiere oder Truppen mit leichtem Panzerabwehr-Equipment hinzu, die in erster Regel den kleineren feindlichen Fahrzeugen zusetzen können. Ergänzend dazu stehen uns obendrein drei Spezialisten-Klassen zur Bereitschaft, bekanntlich der MG-Schütze mit schwerem Maschinengewehr, die Heavy-Anti-Tank-Klasse, die gleichermaßen erhebliche Panzer in Schach halten kann, ebenso das Besatzungsmitglied, das auf das Fahren von Fahrzeugen wie Panzern oder Artillerietrucks spezialisiert ist. Die bedeutende Bandbreite an Verbänden, die allesamt über individuelles Equipment verfügen, gewährleistet ein abwechslungsreiches und genauso ein taktisches Gameplay. Setzt ihr die zur Verfügung stehenden Gruppen geschickt ein, kann der Gegner ausgesprochen okay prüft werden, genauso daraufhin, wenn er euch mit Fahrzeugen das Leben schwer macht. Die beim Einstieg gewählte Qualität kann an Versorgungsstationen, an denen ihr im Übrigen gleichwohl eure Vorräte auffüllen könnt, sowohl beim Respawn zu jeglicher Zeit gewechselt werden.
Insgesamt steht das Teamplay in Squad deutlich mehr im Vordergrund als in der Battlefield-Reihe und geht hier deutlich mehr in Richtung ARMA. So kann man tatsächlich lediglich erfolgreich sein, wenn die Gruppe an einem Strang zieht und sämtliche Spieler ihre Aufgaben verantwortungsbewusst absolvieren. Alleingänge, die in Battlefield konkret an der Tagesordnung sind, da trotz des Squad-Systems viele Spieler mehr oder weniger auf eigene Faust losziehen, enden im Falle von Squad etliche Male tödlich. Um eine gewissenhafte Absprache sicherzustellen, steht uns neben einem Teamchat gleichwohl ein Voicechat zur Verfügung. Einige Server gehen hier darüber hinaus soweit, dass allein derjenige Squadleader sein kann, der ein Mic konnektiert hat. Das taktische Spiel ist für Anfänger sicherlich fürs Erste gewöhnungsbedürftig, wenn man sich nichtsdestotrotz darauf einlassen kann und sich miteinander einen Sieg konzipiert, fühlt sich die getane Arbeit richtig in Ordnung an.


Maps und Spielmodi:
Schon in der Early-Access-Phase geizt Squad nicht mit Maps. So können wir uns in vielen differenzierten Settings mit unseren Gegnern registrieren, sodass verspricht keine Langeweile aufkommt. Städtische Karten wie Narva oder Al Basrah gehören gleichfalls zur Verfügung wie ländliche Orte wie Belaya oder Gorodok. Hinzu kommen Wüstenabschnitte wie auf der Sumari-Map oder ebenfalls Schauplätze mit enorm Wald wie die Mestia-Karte. So ist tatsächlich für jeden Geschmack ein wenig im Zuge alledem, vom freien Feld bis hin zur Großstadt. Die Auswahl an Settings ist für einen Early-Access-Titel beachtlich und übertrifft auf diese Weise wenigen Full-Release. Dank Unreal-4-Engine sieht die Umgebung mitsamt Pflanzenwelt gleichermaßen wahrhaft okay aus, ebenso im Zuge Tag als gleichfalls im Mondschein. Das eine oder weitere Gebäude dürfte gerne noch ein wenig mehr installiert sein, trotz alledem insgesamt existieren an den Karten nicht ausgeprägt zu meckern.
In Sachen Spielmodi stehen diverse Versionen zur Bereitschaft. Hauptsächlich gespielt werden solcher Tage drei Modi. Der am mehrheitlichen verbreitete hört auf den Namen Advance and Secure und verlangt von uns, hintereinanderweg eine gewisse Anzahl an Flaggen einzunehmen und zu verteidigen. Die Reihenfolge ist unterdessen vorgegeben. Wer seine Kontrollpunkte lieber in beliebiger Reihenfolge einnimmt, der ist im typischen Conquest-Mode okay aufgehoben, der fast der Battlefield-Eroberung entspricht. Wirklich von Interesse ist gleichermaßen der Invasion-Modus, binnen dem eine Seite versucht, gegnerische Kontrollpunkte einzunehmen, im Zuge jene alles daran setzt, die Stellungen zu halten. So drängen die Angreifer die verteidigende Fraktion nach und nach zurück. Da die Verteidiger überdies keine Punkte einnehmen können, ist ein Zurückerobern ausgeschlossen, wobei die Luft für die verteidigenden Spieler fortlaufend dünner wird. Hinzu kommt ein wahrhaft gelungener Trainingsbereich, der uns die verschiedenartigen Waffen und Verbänden begutachten, unsere Skills im Schießstand unter Beweis stellen, sowohl sämtliche Fahrzeuge ausprobieren lässt. Hier genügt die Auswahl von Motorrädern, über Pick-ups mit Maschinengewehren bis hin zu Artillerietrucks oder Panzern in andersartigen Größen. Hinzu kommen Truppentransporter, die ein komfortables Befördern des vollständigen Teams realisieren.

This is the fourth edition of the military simulation game franchise, the officially licensed U.S. Army game that allows players the chance to experience the training, teamwork and values that give "American Soldiers Strength Like No Other."

It is available on Steam and, like all previous versions of the game, is completely free. Proving Grounds is aimed to be a small-squad focused experience with 6v6 and 12v12 matches taking place in urban or outdoor environments. As you might imagine, a platform that has been used to train actual soldiers in virtual environments has a lot of realism in it, and you’ll be going down with one or two shots if you’re not careful. It is this focus on communication, tactics, and realism along with the completely and truly free to play model that has given the America’s Army series a great amount of respect in the FPS community.

At the start of each round you are able to choose from all the available weapons and equipment. Currently, that is all the customization that is offered, but more may be available in the future. There is an advancement system in the game, wich will be used to unlock unique looks, weapons, or other equipment.
... however, that everything put in the game will be available to everyone at no charge, which is quite nice. :)
I can’t quite complain as this game is completely free and I honestly don’t care to paint my guns or make my character look like a clown.

The graphics in America’s Army: Proving Grounds is a nice step-up from America’s Army 3, which was already nice to begin with. The higher quality textures make a huge difference, especially when added with the nice smoke and light affects. Don’t get me wrong, the graphics aren’t as impressive as a title like Battlefield 3 (or 4), but they are more than decent for a free to play game. The urban and outdoor maps that are available are well designed and are interesting to explore. Part of the fun of Proving Grounds is learning all the ins-and-outs of the maps to find the perfect spots to snipe or ambush the enemy team.

The controls in Proving Grounds are your standard FPS control scheme. WASD to move, left mouse button to shoot, right mouse button to aim, G for granade, C for crouch, etc… If you’ve played any other FPS ever, you will pick up these controls very fast. There are some nice intuitive effects that have been added. For example, if you sprint and then press C, you will slide into a crouch, making your escape to cover much quicker and safer. This is something that came naturally and I made a lot of use of it. Overall I am very pleased with the controls.

Gameplay

America’s Army: Proving Grounds is a fairly standard FPS experience, but with a more tactical twist. As I’ve said earlier in the review, you’ll be working with your teammates more than you would in similar titles. Lone Wolfing is a quick trip to being taken out of the game, and working together is the key to success. The two biggest factors that play into creating this tactical and cooperative experience are the built-in voice communication and the fact that you do not die immediately after you are taken down. You can still be revived by your teammates, or ‘secured’ by the enemy to take you completely out of the round.

The maps have been designed for tactics to come into play with every turn. You won’t get far if you try to just run at the enemy team with your assault rifle. You won’t be jumping around and shooting, either. No, if you want to do well you will need to go slow, use cover and be smart about what you do. Taking care to make sure you aren’t making too much noise or exposing a part of your body to an enemy sniper. At the same time, you will be communicating with your team to coordinate your attacks, reviving those that fall so they can stay in the round and continue to help you, and securing your enemies so they won’t be able to come back and bite you in the butt when you least expect it.

Game modes are pretty simple. Essentially it comes down to capturing something or taking down and securing the whole enemy team. My favorite game mode was a variation of Capture the Flag, which Proving Grounds has given a few unique twists. As a result, it felt a lot more tactical than what I was used to from other FPS with CTF. I’m used to just going for a mad rush at the flag and then trying to get out ASAP. That won’t work here, fortunately. :)

Realism is important to the folks in the U.S. Army, or at least I get the impression. Combat and situational awareness is probably the most important thing to learn. The sounds of enemy gunfire or footsteps, the muzzle flare when someone shoots, or using smoke screens and flashbangs are all important. You will go down with one or two shots in most cases, so you have to be extremely careful with where you go. You might think it’s OK to sprint across a room with a large window, but more likely than not you’ll get sniped, or alert enemies to where you are so they can ambush you around the next bend.

America’s Army: Proving Grounds is shaping up to be a very fun FPS. The fact that it is completely free to play is a major plus, especially when you consider the quality you’re getting. There won’t be any cash shops for you to waste your money on, only a fair environment where you can test your skills. The tactical gameplay is a refreshing change from the usual mindless twitch-fest that most FPS games have become, too. If you’re looking for a modern tactical FPS, fire up Steam and download America’s Army: Proving Grounds today and you won’t be disappointed.

So what are you waiting for, soldier!?