Everything you need to know is right there in the title: MID.

People love to hate. And while some might hate the state of the game at launch, I hate Chaos more. The game is awesome, and coming from playing Vermintide 1 & 2, I think its off to a good start. There is tons of room for this to grow, and I hope that it does so. In its current state, I'd say it definitely holds up to a fun and mechanically sound game with a distinct difference to Vermintide in the fact that there are medium to long range engagements--giving it more dynamism and combat variety than the Vermintide hack-and-slash/close-quarters focus.

This game sure does has some issues and a had rocky release, but does that affect the core game or the enjoyment I'm getting out of it? No.

Does it mean we have to wait a bit longer to receive some of the things we were anticipating? Yes, but ultimately, I'm still playing it and having a great time wit me ogryn. Most of the fuss is just refusing to understand that what happened at release for Darktide is, sadly, pretty much just industry standard these days...

Oh yeah, and the soundtrack BUMPS

---

TDLR: Kill Chaos, get me rations. Simple as

Boring, no dimensionality.

Loving it so far. Lots of mechanics to puzzle out and it always feels like you're under pressure which I appreciate in a strat game. Def still buggy, but it has not subtracted from overall playability. With the anticipation of fixes and additions, absolutely worth the price.

Hour 69 ;)

a vote for presidente, is a vote for me!

Note -- This is an update to the review I left Dec of 2019. I will provide the original review below my update should anyone be interested. Anyways, on to my new review:

I want to love this game. I want to enjoy it. I had such high hopes for it a year ago, but I've found all that enthusiasm to have waned. My experience with this game can be summed up by the wise and ever-poignant lyrics of the Everly Brothers 1960 hit single, "So sad to watch good love go bad."

I have watched a game with great promise and a pretty cornered market completely squander their resources, taking the game from what could have been great to something that ultimately resembles a bowl of Corn Flakes.. soggy Corn Flakes. Gameplay just does not feel responsive, and it somehow feels clunkier than it did a year ago. There have been persistent issues that fail to be addressed, let alone acknowledged by the developers. The perpetuation of all these issues has plagued the game for quite some time. Meanwhile, devs push through and keep trying to release content. I'm writing this review post U9, which has to be the most underwhelming update so far. If the devs really engaged the community, why are so many issues seemingly going unnoticed?

The slow watering down of gameplay mechanics can probably be attributed to some degree to the fact that they have planned to also release this game to the next gen consoles. I think most subsequent content will be console friendly, meaning it will be streamlined for console play as well as PC. This shifts the trajectory of what the game could have been (the game promised in Kickstarter) to what it will ultimately become.

Maybe I had too high of hopes for this game and wanted it live up to them, but I think the discontent with each subsequent update speaks for itself -- especially for the people who have been following the game since its inception. The meta is constantly shifting, sometime due to what seem like arbitrary decisions by the developers without any context or justification to their reason for the changes. It takes ages to get to combat, and most games these days are a complete steamroll by one team over the other.

They devs continue to spin their wheels re-releasing facelifted content. I can't tell you how many maps have gone through multiple iterations... The direction of the game seems scattered, it is hard to conceptualize why and how the new features are being prioritized. Most updates come once every blue moon, so its not even like content is being chugged out. There's a lot of waiting and a lot of hype in between, but the deliverables just don't hold water. I likened U9 to someone caught unprepared, digging their hand into their pocket and trying to pass off the balls of lint, spare change, and empty lighter they found as the work they had to show for the past 4+ months.

C'mon y'all, this game could be the BEST WWII realism shooter, but it seems like the devs are complacent with the project. Aside from visuals, which have even taken a hit with the recent update, this game leaves a lot to be desired.

I hope things turn around and this game turns itself around, but I will be stepping away for a while.

================================================================

For comparison, here is my original review (I had 72 hours at the time, Dec 2019)

I have to say, I'm actually quite surprised with Hell Let Loose and the amount of content the devs have been continuously rolling out throughout the first few months I have been playing. (I know my hours wont look substantial, but I play when I can). Coming from 5 years or so of playing RO2/RS, this has to be one of the best milsims on the market in my opinion (let's face it, WWII or bust).

The amount of content the devs have lined up is enough to show great promise as the game continues through early access. They have been very consistent and open with their plans and what to expect. They are some of the most transparent developers I have seen in a long time, and they truly care about their community and the game.

Game mechanics are still getting polished, but combat and the overall game play feel great and responsive. The game is visually impressive and the developers did a great job capturing the grit and intensity of combat. There are various classes for you to choose from and to cater to your play style, and the combination of said classes makes each squad unique in its ability to contribute to the fight playing to their strengths and capabilities.

One quip I do have (and this is coming from a new parent with limited game time) is that the rounds themselves typically last between 45 minutes to 1+ hours if the teams are comparable in ability. This is great if I have the time to sit and play for the duration, but you are also penalized in terms of EXP/Class progression if you leave prior to the match ending-- Which is understandable, but to play for almost an hour and then having to leave due to life obligations stings a little knowing that the whole hour you just played wont be counted towards your progression.

Ages like a fine wine...