Friday, 05 July 2019 05:20

Hell Let Loose Early Access Review

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Edited by: Amanda Lillie

Hell Let Loose pits players against one another on the Western Front of WW2 between Germany and the United States. Each team has fifty players, delivering a large-scale battle experience on every server. The teams are further broken down into squads, such as infantry squads, recon teams, and armor units. Recon teams have a sniper and a spotter. Infantry squads are diverse in their abilities, offering anti-tank roles, squad leaders, machine gunners, and combat medics. Armor units are responsible for manning and operating the battle tanks on each team, giving a tactical advantage if they operate correctly.

If this all sounds familiar, then I think it is fair to assume you are a veteran of tactical team-based shooters. Hell Let Loose is comparable to titles like Squad or Post Scriptum in makeup and gameplay, yet something about it is simply more enjoyable. In my one week of owning Hell Let Loose I put in double the amount of hours playing it compared to Post Scriptum, which I have owned for months. Both titles are currently in their early phases of development, nevertheless, Hell Let Loose is far more stable and immersive.

BAND OF BROTHERS

As you may know, titles from this genre demand an immense amount of communication amongst teammates. Calling out targets, designating defense positions, asking medics to revive downed teammates, requesting fire support, etc. The list goes on and on, and all require communication. Sadly my experience consisted of silent squad after silent squad. Game after game, I rarely had a team that communicated, unlike in titles such as Squad, where I’m usually deafened by the constant call-outs or at the very least basic chit-chat.

With that being said, any game that I did have with communicative teammates was an absolute riot. Hearing your squadmates call out that there are enemy infantry troops moving through the woodline or that a German tank is coming down the road into town is where Hell Let Loose shines above others like it. There is a certain feeling that Hell Let Loose is able to inspire. I do not know if it is simply from the immersion it supplies or if perhaps it evokes nostalgia of old WW2 movies, but whatever this feeling may be, damn do I like it.

GRAPHICS AND SOUND

Graphically, Hell Let Loose will not be winning any awards. The ground textures are pretty impressive and the explosion and bullet effects are top notch. Some of the weapon models, trees, buildings, and even large rocks seem a little subpar compared to other items in the game world. What stuck out to me the most were the tanks. They look incredible. From the treads pushing into the mud to the turret rotation, everything about them looks real.

Soundwise, once again, the tanks take the cake. The engines, cannons, and mounted machine guns scream with authenticity. The explosions across the board are fantastic! Most of the weapons sound pretty good, providing feedback for each shot, though there are a few that do not seem quite right. Walking on different terrain gives you a good feel for your environment as you slosh through mud or stomp down sidewalks.

GAMEPLAY

There are key areas on the map that both teams wish to capture. The maps are fairly large, so be prepared to walk (a lot) and make your way to these objectives if you ever want to see combat. On opposite sides of the map are the headquarters for each team. Here you can find your tank spawns and even some indirect fire support. Artillery cannons can be utilized by the players with the option to be manned by them. Calling for fire on the front line means relying on other players to not only be listening but also to know how to use the cannons correctly, lest they fire on their own team. Commanders on each team can also utilize “off-map” units such as planes that will provide air support as well.

The main focus of this title is infantry combat. Although armor units play a pivotal role in taking objectives, I seemed to always see tanks off on their own, in a field, racking up kills. When teams finally utilize mutual support between infantry and armor, you will see quick wins during any battle.

6

The Verdict: Good

Hell Let Loose has a pretty solid gameplay loop, though I can see they will need new game modes in the future. I hope to see updates come sooner rather than later. With all the greatness that Hell Let Loose brings to the tactical table, it also feels very clunky. Without the ability to lean around corners you cannot aim down your sights and low crawl at the same time. There is also a slight delay when you press crouch or sprint. The game feels Early Access, but with each match played you can truly see the potential shine through.

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Bric Hudson

Bric is a US Army veteran and a passionate gamer. While in military service, he found gaming to be a way to connect with his friends all over the world. This blossomed into a fascination with the gaming culture and the experiences had while launching up a whole new title. He is fond of a variety of genres, which is reflected on his Twitch streams and on his Youtube channel. Find Bric on YouTube. Find Bric on Twitch.

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