Should i buy ARMA 3?

[Kevin]

I have recently started watching this YouTuber called OperatorDrewski and have started to enjoy his content, especially his ARMA operations. So, I was wondering if I should buy the game, and if I do, will I be able to play the game mods and servers that he plays or similar ones?

[Chuck Jiggles]

Well, you're asking on a certain game's forum if you should buy that certain game so the answer is usually pretty much yes. And also yes, you will be able to play similar games to OperatorDrewski, but you have to join a private unit. "Units" are basically just a synonym to traditional video game "clans" that run their own servers and missions, so the hardest task is finding one that is to your taste.

Public multiplayer consists nowadays mostly of KOTH PvP & Altis Life RP, so if you want similar experiences to OperatorDrewski on public you're out of luck.

Arma 3 is a kickass singleplayer game though with a ton of mods and the best and easiest to use 3D mission editor around, so if you're creative there are no limits on what kind of battles or gameplay you create yourself.

Some of OperatorDrewski's content is also from Arma Reforger, so ensure that you're buying the right game.

[|H|H| Fr3ddi3]

I will echo everything already said in the first reply.

You must understand that the organised gameplay you see in Drewski's content is all but impossible to emulate in the public setting, random players thrown together with differing skills, experience, knowledge, languages and expectations ... just don't make an effective fighting force, or to be more precise, different personalities clash and ruin the game for everyone.

The whole reason why units exist is to gather a bunch of like minded players together so they can have an organised game and to have fun, so while it is 100% true that you can have the same experiences as Drewski (In PvE, PvP ... no chance), you are gonna have to look for and join a unit that suits what you want, you are most certainly not gonna find it otherwise, sadly that is not an easy task for one reason or another.

That all being said there is a huge caveat,

Invade and Annex

It's just about the only publicly played gamemode in Arma 3 where almost every person on the server buys into the idea that you are a member of a squad and you fight with your squad under the command of a squad leader. It is no where near as complex as custom operation that units run but it as close to that kind of organised coordinated gameplay you can get as a free agent.

If you do get the game, the 77th Jsoc Servers are very popular and is as good as it gets really.

BUT I really must stress this final point, Arma is not an easy game, not just because of the gameplay itself but because there are a ♥♥♥♥ load of keybinds and it's absolutely not intuitive in the slightest, so if you do buy it, PLEASE play the 'basic' tutorials first and try to learn as much as you can with reagards to just beign a basic rifleman before you hop online, players don't mind helping the newbies out at all but they don't want to be doing it as an unpaid job instead of playing the game themselves, so try and meet them half way.

[the.lovewyrm]

On a sale, 100%.
It's one of the best bang for the buck investments you can get, gaming wise.

It's janky, it's obtuse in places (people get confused about the AI and stuff all the time)
But the sheer amount of content and flexibility and diversity you get.. whew man.

Think of it like Military Rimworld, including the warcrimes.
Or Military Factorio (mods + content wise)

Specialist games/sims will beat Arma in their specific fields
Flight sims > Armas flight model
Tank sims > Armas tank model
Driving sims > Armas driving model
Action shooter > Armas action shooting aspect (you need mods and setups to get acceptable action shooting, Arma on its own wants to be a patrol based slow shooter, even house garrisoning is virtually nonexistent without mods)

But Arma > * in its overall palette and capabilities, and...even though specialists beat it in their specific niches. Arma is *good* on those fronts too.

Just don't get it full price if you're not immediately enamored by its concept.
That's reserved for the people who drool at the game and milsim barbie and multiplayer and mission making etc.

Those are the ones who slam down the cash to not be separated from the game and want it 'right now'.
You just seem interested in it. So, look for a sale, at least for basegame and apex, those two have the biggest return on investment.

Edit:
Or maybe I should say "No! Don't buy it!" Then, if you don't buy it, I'm right, too!