When you see the words ‘free to play’, the first thing that might come to mind is what the catch in the game might be. Is it going to limit me in terms of how far I can go? Will it force me to buy a season pass at some point? What exactly is the catch!? And those sentiments are often well-placed, but not with Delta Force.
While the game is free to play and I’m sure there are some microtransactions somewhere in it, the non-play-to-win game is truly a fun experience when it comes to massive online tactical shooters. Delta Force is in the same vein as the Battlefield series. It has massive maps and features different level tiers that unlock weapons, vehicles, and other goodies. If you enjoy the online play of BF, then you’ll probably be in heaven with Delta Force.
Now, that isn’t to say that the game doesn’t have its faults. It certainly has a few. The big one for me is that it doesn’t support a controller, which is baffling because all of us PC noobs out there don’t love the mouse/keyboard. Is the latter accurate? Oh, sure. Is it more comfortable than a controller? Lord, no. Anyway, we can get into that shortly.
So, sit back, make sure your loadout is ready to go, and let’s discuss Delta Force.
Massive maps, simple gameplay
Delta Force comes with three initial modes of play – Warfare, Operations, and Black Hawk Down. Each brings an incredibly different style of play, but you’ll probably lean towards one mode over the others, and that would be Warfare. Let’s get started with that mode.
Warfare
The majority of my time with Delta Force has been spent team-playing on massive maps. The main game that I have been having fun with for the last two weeks has been capturing points and pushing forward. Battlefield 4 had this type of gameplay, where you capture points and try to conquer your enemy by pushing them back. That was always a fun way to play the game. We always had choke points in BF4 where we knew enemies would be and if we could hold them at those points, then we were almost guaranteed a win. Ah, the memories.
Anyway, Delta Force features this gameplay mode, where you traverse huge amounts of terrain to outgun your enemy while controlling most of the map for the most amount of time. Each point is full of gunfire and just waves of enemies, which makes the gameplay incredibly chaotic. Not to mention, the battles are 64-player affairs, which means it will be a sludge trying to take control of points.
Now, the sludge-y gameplay works in Delta Force’s favor, as controlling points might feel like a chore but it will also feel like you have accomplished something when you take one. Much like Battlefield, the slow progression of gameplay forces you to work with your teammates and find the best strategy to take said points. The joy of BF is the opposite of Call of Duty, where you’re required to work with your team on movement, strategy, and good communication. Delta Force brings that same mentality to the playing field, as it’s best to go into the fight knowing what you should be doing and following teammates rather than going all ‘gung-ho’ into battle. If you go into Delta Force knowing that this is the best method of play, then you’re going to find a rewarding time waiting for you. If you CoD it up, then you’re going to be miserable.
The reason Delta Force doesn’t work well with the CoD method of gameplay strategy is because the maps are so darn massive. You will have enemies scattered everywhere and the design of the areas is built for more openness than linear, narrow hallways. CoD always keeps the player pushed into a map together, which means that you can wait around for someone to run around the corner and then kill them. Delta Force does the opposite, where the map opens and you must be very strategic and diligent about how, when, and where you move. It’s an intoxicating good time that is a firm reminder that bigger battles are more fun.
The only drawback of this game that I have seen in its early days is how imbalanced it is with player selection. Throughout this review, I have constantly found myself pinned down by good players who had more time to play the game than me. I have been put into matches with these types of people and it always makes me feel bad for my team because I’m the weak link. I’m sure as the user base becomes bigger, then this problem will be resolved. As of right now, I have been getting my ass handed to me on a game-to-game basis.
That said, some design elements worked in my favor to rectify my lack of experience. The first big element is the maps. During my review period, I played a couple of different maps. The first was a huge open desert area with a city and base sitting right in the middle of nowhere. It featured places to climb and hide, tight corners to surprise people, and plenty of different structures to push through. This was my first big map experience for Delta Force, and it left me wanting more, as the map was built for every type of player, though snipers appeared to have the most fun and success. The large structures were climbable and hideable within. That is a perfect recipe for any sniper to enjoy some good numbers.
The other map consisted of a giant shipping building with lots of containers and tight rooms. The containers were stacked on each other, which allowed people to climb up, wait around for enemies to show, and then start a big gunfire fest. Between the two maps I was on, I enjoyed this one a bit more. It was tighter, all the enemies were a bit more cautious about running down hallways or stepping out into the open, and it just seemed a bit less chaotic than the other.
With all the chaos and non-chaos maps combined, the game is fun regardless of the map. Delta Force does a good job of keeping you interested in the gameplay by leveling up your efforts thanks to a very microscopic point scale. While most FPS of this type have points for calling out enemy positions and performing assists, this is the first one that I have played that gives you points for shooting someone – not killing them. Well, you get points for killing them, but the game gives you points for doing your best. It’s a nice reward system that doesn’t feel like you must be the best at the game to level up or even have a good time.
Now, what that point system equals is easier leveling and more rewards. The progression system here is deep and fast, and it opens options to improve quickly. You won’t find yourself being the small guy on the battlefield for too long, as you will hit people, gather points, and progress. That creates a healthy amount of motivation to keep playing and improving. I like that a lot and it is easy to get into a constant system of battles thanks to feeling like you’re getting rewarded for your efforts.
Overall, the Warfare mode is quite good and probably the best part of Delta Force so far. We will certainly keep playing it and reporting on this aspect of the game in the coming months.
Operations
Eons ago when we demoed the alpha version of this game, we were thrown into Operations before anything else. It’s a decent mode that is far less chaotic than Warfare, as it features PvE, infiltrating behind enemy lines, collecting material, and taking out enemies. It’s engaging in some respects but certainly not as enticing as a 64-player battle on a massive map.
This mode, while a change of pace in comparison to Warfare, is a bit bland in its execution. Essentially, this is slow-moving, more methodical, and far more linear in layout. But! It’s not meant to be a replica of Warfare, rather it’s a more personal mode of play that keeps its adventures nice and tight.
Is it as intense and exciting as Warfare? Not in the least, but if you’re tired of dying and probably getting visually abused for being an awful player (like yours truly), then this is a nice change of pace.
Black Hawk Down
Currently, it is locked and under development. Not sure the story behind that and I haven’t explored it but it’s not accessible as of this review. I’m not paying for this game, so it’s fine. As I stated above, I think Warfare is probably the biggest reason you’ll get into Delta Force. Operations is a good change of pace, and Black Hawk Down has me curious. What you do get right now will more than suffice your itch for a Battlefield-type game.
Limited controls
There are no controller options for this. Before any of you PC elitists decide to roll your eyes and write me off, just listen to me for a second. Controllers should always be an option for FPS games. Some of us were not born with a mouse/keyboard in our hands, so it’s not as comfortable. Some of us noobs are coming into the situation with controllers as a crutch. Eventually, we might be great at this game with a mouse/keyboard when we want solid accuracy, but for now, it’s nice to use thumbsticks to navigate a map and quickly fire a gun using triggers on a controller to make the chaotic gameplay more manageable.
I understand the fault in my gaming stars by playing with a controller, but not having that as an option doesn’t make me want to return to the game right now. I like having a controller for FPS games. This one should feature that option.
Love that opinion or hate it, it’s how I feel.
Graphical Prowess
I ran Delta Force on two different systems. The first featured a 40xx series card, that brought in some amazing details for an online battle game. The second machine ran a 30xx series card that brought most of what the 40 delivered. The game is going to be middle-to-high on details for textures, shading, and effects. There is some minor ray tracing going on in the game, especially in Operations, but it isn’t prevalent throughout the online experience.
Now, having said all of that, the game is quite gorgeous. The maps are deliciously detailed and beautiful to play on. You will find pop-ups and renders here and there, but nothing so atrocious that you’ll hate looking at the game. It’s a nice-looking game.
On that sweet note, let’s get this review wrapped.
Conclusion
Delta Force from developer Team Jade is a wonderful free-to-play tactical shooter. It is driven by a massive 64-player online mode featuring gigantic and towering maps, while also containing some reprieve in its Operations mode that is more personal and linear. The game needs a bit more balance in its player selection at the moment, and a controller option, but as of right now it looks to be on the right track.
