Recent reviews by Jags

While I would absolutely love a game like this, probably wouldn't recommend to someone until the network connectivity issues are fixed. Hoping it does get improved soon.

Network connectivity still spotty with joining random players but quickplay works and you don't get disconnected from games anymore. I'd recommend the game now.

• Love the ambience of the game. Like the art direction. Reminiscent of starship troopers.
  
• Playing the missions are cool with other people. Seems very coop oriented. Fun ways to die by your friends, abilities. weapons etc.
  
• Meta game mechanics like a Galactic War to fight against the bug threat in unison seems engaging enough. Very much a live service model. But this isn't necessarily bad given the price point and the game's premise itself.
  
• Progression seemed acceptable but honestly can't speak too much to it as I have only played like an hour

• Annoying disconnect issues. I was disconnected from games/lobbies with other ppl multiple times in a row. There were even times when I was getting disconnected right while we were extracting. Issue seems transient but having to constantly retry connecting to people and hoping you don't get disconnected mid-game kills it for me. Feels like I'm wasting my time if I end up getting DCed and lose my progress from that mission. I was even getting disconnected from games when I was the only one playing in the game.
  
• I've read that people have more success if they directly join friends but that just seems like a ridiculous thing to have to rely on for a game like this. Also that wouldn't change the fact of me getting disconnected from lobbies while playing alone.

Disclaimer: I bought this game on sale for $14.

I'd recommend this game to someone that enjoys FPS games and wants a semi-casual experience. There is a slightly higher skill ceiling compared to something like Battlefield or Call of Duty because the majority of the time you are using single-shot weaponry. Though that is off-set by the fact that most shots to an enemy will be a one-hit kill.

The sound design is immersive. The VFX are solid. The more you play the more you realize it doesn't have to be mindlessly running up a hill to charge at the objective (it can if you want it to be). Officers, one of the classes in the game, can play an important role in providing supporting artillery fire, spotting enemies, laying down smoke cover and so on.

To also speak to the comments some make that the game is "dead". Here's my take on it: if I can consistently find games to play when I hop on with real people then I don't consider it dead. Typically see at least a few hundred on when I'm playing at the worst. The game also mixes in real players with bots. They seem competent enough I don't care to weed out the bots from the real players besides the name when you kill them. At the end of the day they're serviceable and help to fluff the battefield in a war that was brutal.

For context other types of FPS games I enjoy to play as well are Squad, Post Scriptum, Halo Infinite, Halo MCC and Battlefield (no specific title).

My favorite FPS to play with a controller ;)

Though seriously it is amazing to see all the FPS Halo content under one banner (excluding Halo 5) and have it so seamless. I remember when I first tried to play MCC on launch night almost a decade ago on Xbox, matchmaking was broken and I sat staring at a queue screen. It's come a long way and with workshop integration!

This is the way to play Halo and worth the cost without hesitation. A timeless franchise.

I have had countless amazing experiences with this game from crude car bombs to shock the enemy advance to hiding in the grass with a recon team as enemy transport helos land nearby. This game is both simultaneously amazing and terrible. As your experience is determined by two things: your attitude and the attitudes of the others in your game. It can be a gamble, and sometimes you're going to get snake eyes, but hot damn is it spectacular when you strike gold.

Spent 30 minutes waiting for the game to pick "optimized settings", run a benchmark, and watch through the opening cinematic. Once I finally got to the first splice of gameplay the game immediately crashed. Wait a few weeks, or possibly months, on this one.

EDIT: Performance issues are nowhere near what they were when I first played back in August 2020. Now that I get to play the real game it's a blast. There really isn't anything like dodging and weaving between giant mechanized beasts while trying to outsmart them against all odds. The game is an absolute blast and now it is is actually playable. Highly recommend.