Recent reviews by Acid Wolf

I'm only giving it a thumbs up cos I want to like the game.
Honestly, for me, the game is a bit laggy.
The biggest issue right now from the last few days of playing is of course, cheaters. Something that seems to go hand in hand with competitive multi-players.
There are a few more issues that annoy but I don't want to spoil the surprise.
Other than that, game plays pretty well. Combat is decent. Maps look good yada yada yada

My opinion means nothing, so I'll say nothing

I recommend this game based on the base building & looting aspect alone.
It's early access so it does have its quirks, hopefully ironed out over time.
My only issue is the combat. Although not tragic it alone is a bit under-done. The AI will shoot you through things/anything but you cannot do the same to them. Hit registration does not always proc. It's not a game breaking issue, more frustrating really.
That aside, I'd give the game 6 out of 10 at this stage. I am keen to see what they can implement in the future in regards to DLC, quests, building, exploration, etc.
The other gripe I have is that I have to physically remove my save files out of the game file to play co-op & vice versa to again play solo. The game doesn't support multi-saves or multiple game worlds.
Anywho, give it a try. It is in fair shape for what it is. The underwater world is done really well.

The game itself plays well. Combat is smooth-ish, sometimes not fluid but not enough to be painful.
My only gripe would be the buffs/potions used to enhance weapons during combat. They do not last anywhere near long enough for a player to gain an advantage from using them (so I don't use).
Also the harps that enable extra chance for loots drops from enemies, again, don't last long enough to gain any advantage from using them.
Other than that, the game is decent. Story line is intriguing & spins a different narrative on the gods & their in-fighting.
Interested to see where this game goes from here

I'm saying not recommended mainly because the game is not good. It's not bad but definitely not good.
I feel a lot of aspects are hidden behind a paywall if you wish to progress with any confidence.
The enemy AI will quickly outmatch you as you do progress.
The loot drops are average even if you do attain something you can use. Most of the time, you find yourself trying to make average gear decent until you quickly deplete your crafting items.
The crafting system is absolute trash. One of the worst I've ever encountered. Complete randomisation of stats unless you buy or are lucky enough to have made it far enough through the game to attain the items needed to successfully craft.
Storage is extremely limited & again, aspects of it are hidden behind locked tabs that again are unlockable if you want to part with coin or manage to make it far enough into the game to attain the items to unlock said tabs.
The worst for me is that the closest servers are Asia based & even there, the minimum ping is 110+ so lagging is a major issue for game play. Most of the time, you're hit before you dodge. Or you spend up to 2 min firing before your actual arrows, spells, etc connect with an enemy.

It's playable, that's it.
Thought it would be in line with D3 etc. There is no replayability.
You are basically forced to march on through the tiers, normal, elite, ultimate & then nothing.
There is no option to replay the campaign for when you get bored of crucible.
Only way to replay is to start over (I won't be) & start the grind over again. If that's what players want, then they can have it. I don't play Escape From Tarkov or The cycle for the same reasons. I don't like being forced to start again. Starting over should be a choice.
Not everyone wants to play crucible. Some of us wanna replay the campaign for giggles but alas that's not possible.
Anywho, they got my coin.
I played their game.
I beat all the difficulties in less than 2 weeks.
Time to uninstall & find something that will hold my attention for more than 5min cos this game isn't it, not without replayability (from my perspective only)
Actually going back to play D3, far more viable imo when it comes to replayability & providing optins for the player base.
For those who continue to play, enjoy, don't let my opinion bother you

Best game in the series

Game is just trash. Combat mechanics are absolute garbage. Graphics are sub standard. Game as a whole just feels like poorly made. Movement, interactions, combat, all janky as hell. I've revisited this a few times now & it never improves. Game is just poor & I've a strong feeling that is where it will stay. Will not be revisiting again ever

Altering my initial review.
The game itself (when it works) is great to play. Fluid movement. Combat is decent. Not a huge variety of maps but all in all not a bad game.
If I had to nitpick it, it would be over the fact that this game is relentless & unforgiving on the casual player base.
I'm a sniper & yet the game punishes you for being just that. The game itself in its current state panders to the ninja's, the run & gunners by forcing every player to consistently move/run everywhere.
I'm 50yrs old & just watching players jump everywhere makes me tired. No combat expert but pretty sure that's not how combat/war works. For a game that claims to be realistic in its combat, I find that to be a fraudulent claim in my opinion. No person can run, dive, slide their way into combat in real life & no one person can continually do so without fatigue in some way.
The DMZ, great idea, feels nothing like tarkov btw or the other versions of pvp open worlders they acquired their ideas from. My problem with it is that it fails (once again) to accommodate the casual player. For me, I would like to see a DMZ that is actually co-op/pve so that the casuals have an avenue to enjoy the same zones as the hardcore tools (yes, I meant tools) without being obliterated in the first 5 seconds. The "git gud" line from said tools is just dribble. Some players are not capable of the same game play as those guys, even if they spend lots of time trying to "git gud" (facepalm here). The AI are great. I like that they are op & will/can challenge players but even the AI don't ninja everywhere. Who knows, maybe they get tired as well watching players do so.
DMZ is also focused at pushing players into the battle royale mode as that mode gives you far more time to explore & become familiar with the map. The non-battle royale mode gives players a measly 25min in zone to do what you need to do. Breaking that down, you have 15min approx to do your quests/dailies there & then the last 10min is trying to get to an extract that isn't occupied by campers/griefers. For me here, I'd like to see a cycle/deadside type of map that is a constant with no time limit. With players having the ability to just roam around at their own leisure getting to know the map, exploring, looting, whatever.
That aside, I do like the DMZ but I rarely play it.
The re-spawn system! I have never played a game with the most non-sensical spawns in the world. The amount of times you spawn under vtols/heli's or in front of enemies/in the enemy spawn is beyond reasonable & completely boggles my mind. The fact that players immediately jump into a vehicle at game start to just drive straight to the opposition spawn to run heaps of players & bots over for the sake of killstreak activation & k/d% is beyond frustrating.
Skills based matchmaking doesn't work. Or doesn't work how the dev's envisioned it would. Players will continuously lose a match or 2 to get into easier lobbies to raise their k/d%. I don't care about stats, %'s or any of that crap. I play for laughs & to hang with my friends. Ultimately we always end up rage quitting for multiple reasons, being smurfed, connection issues, booted for inactivity while sniping (heaven forbid an army has snipers, another facepalm moment), being kicked back to the lobby while the rest of my friends load into game matches, game crashes mid game, the list goes on.
There's no way to alter the hud & remove the dailies element. I want to remove it because I don't do them, am never going to do them.
I find a setup that works for me & I'm happy. I have no interest in chasing attachments/skins because I have to play with setups I would never play with in order to unlock said attachments/skins. Using a shotgun to unlock a mod for a sniper rifle or using an lmg to unlock a mod for your pistol, what the! (analogy's prob wrong but you get the idea)
Hacktivision /infinty ward are happy to take your coin but do little in the way of making you feel like it's money well spent.
To sum up my dialogue. I do recommend playing it, can be great fun & great laughs at times. It can also test your patience continuously.
Still, it's a thumbs up from me & I certainly hope that at some point they do consider us poor casuals who aren't capable of the feats & skills that others have, so that we too can enjoy this game fully.
Just a side not here. Exfil camping "IS" a thing & it happens in 90% of DMZ runs. Was always going to happen with static exfil locations. Has happened in every game that has had static exits, yet somehow the geniuses at hacktivision/infinity ward never considered this. In saying that, how could we as a player base have expected them to make a stable product if they couldn't even fathom that that was going to happen. I'm pretty much down to playing just invasion mode. At least I know where all the players are there & that I'm going to be shot at some point.
Peace, enjoy this sublime game from the sublime stupidity of hacktivision/infinity ward.

Honestly, in the state it's in, the game is poo. The whole thing just feels clunky. Movement, combat. It's just trash, not holding out much hope for it