Gaming Review: Hell Let Loose

As someone who enjoys the odd video game every now and then, I do try and find something that is worth my time. Since the start of 2020 I drifted between the FIFA franchise and Call of Duty, specifically the Warzone mode. Both are entertaining to a certain degree. The kind of games that when it's going well it's good, when it's going bad it's awful. I got bored playing them and needed something new, that's when FarCry 6 came on the scene. The game is really fun and offered some single player enjoyment, but as the game was coming to its conclusion I wanted something new. Hell Let Loose was the new and it came at just the right time.

I downloaded it for free due to my PlayStation Plus and jumped in as soon as I could. The game was released in July 2021 for Microsoft Windows, with PlayStation and Xbox getting the release on October 5th 2021. It is purely online multiplayer, so that can be quite disappointing for those single player lovers out there. However, it is totally worth trying out.

I didn't know what to expect from it at all, I just saw that it was a World War 2 shooter and it piqued my curiosity. I didn't even really look at what it was all about before jumping into my first game. I'd recommend looking through the manual first though.

So the concept around it is that you're placed in a famous battle from World War 2. If you know your history then you'll experience Omaha and Utah beach, Foy, Carentan, Hurtgen Forest and a few others. There are two modes being 'Offensive' and 'Warfare'. One is essentially holding the most sections, of which there are 5. The other is more one team trying to take all 5 sections. The games last up to an hour and a half, but vary based on what occurs in game.

More to the in game process. So you have the British and German factions and lobbies will have up to 100 players. Each faction is separated into units and you’ll have one Commander in charge of all units. Each unit will have an officer and various classes for you to choose which each have unique loadouts. For example, if you selected the anti-tank class you’d be equipped with items to help destroy tanks which other classes won’t have.

Commanders influence the whole battle. The decisions they make, and the tactics they use are vital to any win. This is where the game starts to differ from other games I’ve played online.

With a game like Warzone, it’s quick and communication isn’t key. It plays a part and can be helpful, but it’s whose best at the game and has the best weapons/attachments. When you drop into a Hell Let Loose game you’ll realise how spoon fed you are on Warzone.

Everyone pretty much has the same guns, with no attachments. There’s no hit markers and you only really know you’ve killed someone if you get a headshot. You also can’t eliminate recoil, you kind of have to deal with it in the best way you can. You can die in one or two shots, even to the body. There’s no perks or killstreaks. It’s a hardcore game and it does take some getting used to. Only the Commander can call in air strikes or a recon plane, officers can ping various guides like where the enemy is or if there’s a tank present.

Tank squads can be very useful, as well as the recon/sniper unit. However, all of your success hinges on getting the tactics right and communication. Skill is almost the last throw of the dice. When all three of those elements come together, it’ll usually result in a win. But, if the opposing faction have all three then it makes for an almighty battle.

The game also runs on resources which are built by a certain class. However, should no one build any resources then your bullets and fuel will run out. The Commander will then not be able to call in supply drops or use any of the functions available. Supply drops are essential because otherwise you won’t be able to build garrisons. Garrisons are spawn points and their positioning is incredibly important to the battle. If one faction has one closer to the sector than you, they’ll most likely be able to take it. Alternatively, you can get your officer to build outposts which don’t require supplies to build. However, they can only spawn people in their squad.

There’s more to sink your teeth into and find out, but you can load it up and give it a go to find out those things.

Moving away from what the game is about and what you can do, I feel like I should mention my opinions on it. They’re subjective and I don’t expect everyone to agree with me.

The game is absolutely brilliant. The guys behind it have nailed it. The graphics and detail on it is absurdly good. I remember games like Brothers in Arms, Medal of Honor and the early Call of Duty games and when you’re running through the map you really feel those games. It sounds stupid, but you get a slither of what it must’ve been like to be there. More so than most other games I’ve played in this genre.

The sounds as well. The way the guns shoot, reload or even empty the magazine. It sounds so right. When a bombing run comes in or a rocket ricochet’s of a tank or an artillery strike comes in, it all comes together in a truly terrifying way. They captured it so well.

I also really like the fact that no one has an advantage over someone else. Only in experience. Knowing how the game works is your advantage, so I'd recommend using all the classes as well as taking a turn as being a Commander. When you start to understand what other classes offer then you can use them to your benefit.

As I say, it's not easy when you get started as you'll experience things that other popular online shooters don't have. One consistent comment I see online, with regards to why people don't continue with the game, is they don't see or kill any enemies and find themselves running around for a long time doing nothing. It's a fair comment to make when you don't understand the premise of the game, when you have to run from your HQ spawn to the sector strong point, it can take a while. However, that doesn't happen too often. If you've got garrisons and outposts up then you can get straight into the thick of the action. It's vital to check your map to see where the action is and deploy as close to it as you can.

To summarise, it's a gorgeous game. The detail is insane and actually modeled on the battles that took place. So everything you see will be almost identical to how it would've been. It's action packed and you find yourself immersed in it all. There's details I've not touched on, but you just need to play it. The team behind the game are excited for its future. They're planning on introducing a variety of new elements throughout 2022. It's the perfect time to get online and get into the action.