First and foremost, this is purely opinion based off playing the beta since release and is compared and contrasted against my years of playing not only realistic tactical shooters such as ArmA, RO:CA/Ost. Insurgency, PR etc but also against other shooters and action games like the Battlefield series. Whilst I'm aware that even mentioning BF or CoD usually manifest seething rage and condemnation I am being purely objective and highlighting gameplay elements, not content. I am 100% aware of RO2 intent, target audience and setting. So anyways with that disclaimer out the way let me get on with my review!
The Good
HoS is perhaps one of the few multiplayer games I've played in recent years that creates a terrific sense of atmosphere, in fact the only game I can compare it to in that regard is STALKER. Sound is superb, graphics sublime and the voice work really adds to the atmosphere. I can also happily report I've had no issues with graphics or sound beyond UI issues which where mostly resolved in the patch. The map's are fairly expansive and some like Red Factory really highlight the strengths of these elements, combined with good numbers and team-work the experience is probably unparalleled.
The choice between relaxed and hardcore realism is an excellent addition, the selection of weapons is great and the way the feel is brilliant. I'm really enjoyed the new mantling and rest system (which feel's natural vs Ost.) The tactical view is a wonderful idea and really helps with coordination.
Overall the good outweighs the bad, in fact I wouldn't call the following problems as deal breakers but niggles and even if they went unresolved I'd still rate HoS very highly.
The Bad
I must first point out that not all of what I am about to say is "bad" in the sense that it ruins the game or is game braking, merely that particular systems could be better incorporated and tuned.
My first issue is the cover system, for the most part it works well but against some surfaces you get "stuck" or go from being in cover to popping up exposed on terrain - this happens an awful lot on Barracks along the trench lines. It's got me killed a whole bunch of times and is incredibly frustrating, perhaps the worst part of the cover system is the fact that action/cover/bandage are all bound to the same key. Frequently when trying to bandage I go into cover and then die from a bleed out or when I attempt to resupply a friend I will go into cover. The solution would be to separate the commands, something that's been mentioned many times.
The wound/bandage system is good, though not without its faults and niggles. I find that a enemy who is sprinting and is shot can continue to sprint, bandage and return effective fire in little to no time. This is wrong and should be addressed, characters who are non critically shot should be winded at least if shot in the torso, knocked to the ground if in the leg and have there aim effected if in the arms/hands. I've shot people with my rifle in the leg and watched them still able move just as if they hadn't been injured. The speed to of bandaging is silly, it's should be a tactically consideration not a quick heal, at the very least they should be the option to bandage an injured ally - this would open the door to a medic class who could further enrich the game.
Ironsights and collisions appear to be off on CQC, I've hit someone 3 times with the butt of my rifle and shot them only to be instant killed by a pistol whip which seams to have huge range. When shooting up close under 30m with iron sights I've missed point blank which my sight over the center mass.
MG's from the hip are incredibly accurate and defeats the point of them, equally as echoed across other thread SMG's are just to accurate at range. This may seam like poor skill but as an example I unloaded a full SVT clip in the NCO Barracks corridor at 3 Germans, I only killed one even though they where lined up, the room was cleared when an ally ran in with a MG34 hip firing.
With the little recoil, semi-auto's and SMG's rule supreme and MG's are not the fearsome beasts they where on Ost. I wouldn't want to see a return to Ost level recoil but something between (realistic arguments aside).
Grenades, ...are just awful, the whole process is clumsy and they very rarely go where your aiming, I'm aiming practically at the floor to avoid hitting the roof and vice versa.
Suppression, I get more suppressed stood next to my own machine gunner - there's no incentive at the moment (particular evident on Fallen Fighters) to suppress as return fire is so accurate and withering. It's also very random, I've gone from full suppression to none and back stood in my own spawn.
Teamwork, it's very hard at the moment to coordinate in a game unless your playing with friends and in a teamspeak. People might argue that's the whole point but I would think that TWI would want public servers to have some level of teamwork. The saving reward, support and capping rewards are great but people supporting from the flanks and rear this is no gain. Kill assists should be issued to those flanking and suppressing. My biggest issue is coordinating. It's hard to even find your Fire Team TWI should take a leaf out of Bad Company 2. Squad mates are color coded against the rest of the team, if each FT could be issued green and your own say blue both on the name float and map then figuring out where your team mates and organising would be easier. Similarly the VOIP needs a clear definition for the various channels, chat to should be color defined.
Issuing orders is a clunky affair - my suggestion would be moving your FT should be as simple as holding down a button and dragging the intended position, basically the exact system from Brother in Arms. At the very least we should be able to pull up the Tactical screen and looking at our intended objective, press action and that should issue the order to attack/defend - ala Bad Company.
My final issue is the minimap, I think it's great that it's included for relaxed but it's just to small to be useful. My view is it needs to be larger (say on par with CoD) and have different colors for Squad/FT.
The Good
HoS is perhaps one of the few multiplayer games I've played in recent years that creates a terrific sense of atmosphere, in fact the only game I can compare it to in that regard is STALKER. Sound is superb, graphics sublime and the voice work really adds to the atmosphere. I can also happily report I've had no issues with graphics or sound beyond UI issues which where mostly resolved in the patch. The map's are fairly expansive and some like Red Factory really highlight the strengths of these elements, combined with good numbers and team-work the experience is probably unparalleled.
The choice between relaxed and hardcore realism is an excellent addition, the selection of weapons is great and the way the feel is brilliant. I'm really enjoyed the new mantling and rest system (which feel's natural vs Ost.) The tactical view is a wonderful idea and really helps with coordination.
Overall the good outweighs the bad, in fact I wouldn't call the following problems as deal breakers but niggles and even if they went unresolved I'd still rate HoS very highly.
The Bad
I must first point out that not all of what I am about to say is "bad" in the sense that it ruins the game or is game braking, merely that particular systems could be better incorporated and tuned.
My first issue is the cover system, for the most part it works well but against some surfaces you get "stuck" or go from being in cover to popping up exposed on terrain - this happens an awful lot on Barracks along the trench lines. It's got me killed a whole bunch of times and is incredibly frustrating, perhaps the worst part of the cover system is the fact that action/cover/bandage are all bound to the same key. Frequently when trying to bandage I go into cover and then die from a bleed out or when I attempt to resupply a friend I will go into cover. The solution would be to separate the commands, something that's been mentioned many times.
The wound/bandage system is good, though not without its faults and niggles. I find that a enemy who is sprinting and is shot can continue to sprint, bandage and return effective fire in little to no time. This is wrong and should be addressed, characters who are non critically shot should be winded at least if shot in the torso, knocked to the ground if in the leg and have there aim effected if in the arms/hands. I've shot people with my rifle in the leg and watched them still able move just as if they hadn't been injured. The speed to of bandaging is silly, it's should be a tactically consideration not a quick heal, at the very least they should be the option to bandage an injured ally - this would open the door to a medic class who could further enrich the game.
Ironsights and collisions appear to be off on CQC, I've hit someone 3 times with the butt of my rifle and shot them only to be instant killed by a pistol whip which seams to have huge range. When shooting up close under 30m with iron sights I've missed point blank which my sight over the center mass.
MG's from the hip are incredibly accurate and defeats the point of them, equally as echoed across other thread SMG's are just to accurate at range. This may seam like poor skill but as an example I unloaded a full SVT clip in the NCO Barracks corridor at 3 Germans, I only killed one even though they where lined up, the room was cleared when an ally ran in with a MG34 hip firing.
With the little recoil, semi-auto's and SMG's rule supreme and MG's are not the fearsome beasts they where on Ost. I wouldn't want to see a return to Ost level recoil but something between (realistic arguments aside).
Grenades, ...are just awful, the whole process is clumsy and they very rarely go where your aiming, I'm aiming practically at the floor to avoid hitting the roof and vice versa.
Suppression, I get more suppressed stood next to my own machine gunner - there's no incentive at the moment (particular evident on Fallen Fighters) to suppress as return fire is so accurate and withering. It's also very random, I've gone from full suppression to none and back stood in my own spawn.
Teamwork, it's very hard at the moment to coordinate in a game unless your playing with friends and in a teamspeak. People might argue that's the whole point but I would think that TWI would want public servers to have some level of teamwork. The saving reward, support and capping rewards are great but people supporting from the flanks and rear this is no gain. Kill assists should be issued to those flanking and suppressing. My biggest issue is coordinating. It's hard to even find your Fire Team TWI should take a leaf out of Bad Company 2. Squad mates are color coded against the rest of the team, if each FT could be issued green and your own say blue both on the name float and map then figuring out where your team mates and organising would be easier. Similarly the VOIP needs a clear definition for the various channels, chat to should be color defined.
Issuing orders is a clunky affair - my suggestion would be moving your FT should be as simple as holding down a button and dragging the intended position, basically the exact system from Brother in Arms. At the very least we should be able to pull up the Tactical screen and looking at our intended objective, press action and that should issue the order to attack/defend - ala Bad Company.
My final issue is the minimap, I think it's great that it's included for relaxed but it's just to small to be useful. My view is it needs to be larger (say on par with CoD) and have different colors for Squad/FT.
