Ongoing Evaluation of Delta Force

When you hear “first-person shooter,” a wide array of games might come to mind. You could be picturing the eerie, monster-laden halls of F.E.A.R., the sci-fi corridors of Metroid Prime, or the pulse-pounding demon hunts of Doom. Even within the realm of “military FPS,” the genre ranges from Call of Duty’s linear campaigns to Battlefield’s grand-scale multiplayer wars and the intense extractions of Escape from Tarkov. Delta Force, the new installment in a 26-year-old series, aims to capture a little piece of each of these experiences. It features a dedicated large-scale PvP mode, a separate extraction shooter mode, and an upcoming campaign. While it’s too soon for a final verdict, my initial playtime has been promising, leaving me curious and eager for more action when the game goes live later this week.

The game’s release effectively marks the beginning of an indefinite “open beta” – in other words, it’s basically out there, especially being a free-to-play title. Presently, only two out of the three main game modes are accessible, with the campaign slated for later release as paid DLC. Of the available modes, Warfare is Delta Force’s take on things like Battlefield’s big team battles. Here, 64 players engage in combat across a selection of sprawling maps. During the early review phase, I focused on the “Attack and Defend” option within Warfare, though other modes like King of the Hill are expected at launch.

In Attack and Defend, one team goes on the offensive, trying to capture strategic points before their respawns run out, while the defending team has infinite lives to thwart their progress. Success on the offensive side refuels their respawns, shifting the battle to another map section until they either secure everything or are stopped cold. Initially, the attackers have the advantage thanks to terrain and vehicle support, but the match levels out as defenses fall back toward their base, giving each team a turn as attacker and defender.

The scale of the battles is impressive and definitely adds to the thrill. Swift respawns keep both sides teeming with players, and once the projectiles fly, the chaos of battle is exhilarating. Piloting a vehicle and essentially laying waste to the other side can particularly add to the fun. Tanks with full crews can be devastating, but even a simple machine gun turret atop an armored car can make a significant impact.

Abilities play a supportive role in combat without overshadowing the need for strategy. Fortunately, even when I’ve found myself staring down the barrel of an enemy tank, my chosen operatives have provided me with options. These characters serve as a combination of loadout preferences and bespoke heroes, fitting Delta Force’s theme of versatility. If vehicles overrun the area, spawning with a rocket launcher could be wise, or when battles shift to open areas, opting for a sniper rifle might save the day. These unique characters have distinctive abilities like Luna’s Detection Arrows, which reveal enemies periodically, proving handy yet balanced within the game’s dynamics.

Though the excitement is there, I wish the gunplay felt more polished. Weapons have bullet arcs and trajectories that require you to lead targets, which resembles a military simulator vibe akin to Arma. While this precise shooting might appeal to some, it seems misaligned with the fast-paced demands of Attack and Defend, where slow-moving bullets that feel affected by gravity appear slightly unrealistic for such intensely contested areas.

Switching modes, Operations follows the familiar extraction shooter pattern: you and two buddies dive into an area to engage in combat, grab loot, and make a quick escape. Whatever you successfully extract can be stored, sold, or reused in future attempts, while anything left behind during a failed escape is permanently lost. Though this design isn’t particularly new, Delta Force executes it with enough skill to compensate for its lack of originality.

The maps brim with objectives, clearly highlighting bounties, safes, and intel points, streamlining the process of picking your path. In a genre often dominated by games priding on complexity, this transparency offers a refreshing take. Knowing what awaits through a simple waypoint is appreciated, as it circumvents the burden of memorizing each map’s intricacies.

Once you select a target, expect engagements with AI troops occasionally mixed with player-controlled adversaries. Each encounter requires quick judgment calls: take the shot and potentially expose your position or slink by unnoticed, leaving an unknown threat for later. This balance of risk versus reward keeps the gameplay sharp and strategic. Human players pose a greater danger yet also promise richer rewards if you can successfully engage them.

The diversity of enemies stands out positively. My squad has battled wandering riflemen, darted into cover to dodge snipers, and devised spontaneous flanking strategies against shield-bearing foes. I vividly remember being pinned by a heavily armored enemy with a minigun, our team desperately retaliating with grenades from behind cover. On another occasion, while one teammate cracked a safe, an unexpected alligator ambushed us, adding a jolt of adrenaline.

However, my main concern with Operations lies within the loot loop itself. Plenty of containers – from file cabinets to coat pockets and fallen foes – seem less enticing once you realize where the real prime loot can be found. Although the maps might initially present dynamic challenges, they might begin to feel predictable with each completion.

Between skirmishes, the Black Site serves as your headquarters where you can trade, buy, or upgrade your gear, especially your stash space. The well-designed loadout system shines here, allowing quick reconstructions of several kits you can carry into battle with just a few clicks. Integrating this smoothly into the gameplay mitigates frustrations from failed extractions.

For now, these are my preliminary thoughts. It takes time to fully assess a PvP mode like Warfare, and I haven’t ventured into all Operations yet, so my complete judgment will hang on experiences from the live servers. However, the extraction mode has been enjoyable so far, and I relish the scale of Delta Force’s PvP, even as I question if the current gun mechanics fit the gameplay style. Delta Force shows promise as a competent free-to-play shooter appealing to diverse FPS fans — whether it maintains its allure once the novelty fades remains to be seen.