I honestly thought this game was kind of a joke when I first checked it out, but it turned out to be one of the best first person shooters I've played. Initially I thought it was just a little ghetto indie project, but it really grew on me after a few hours. This game has the best sound effects by far out of any FPS I have ever played. The gunshots and explosions actually sound real, which is huge for immersion.
This game is nearly what I would consider a Skyrim of FPS games, or at least the closest to it I've seen. It has a visceral sense of realness, especially since you cannot pause the game. It feels like you are really there. Some of the enemies are legitimately dangerous to the point where even with good equipment and a high level, you may just nervously sneak around them instead of trying to engage. There's a good stealth system that you'll definitely want to make use of to get the jump on enemies or just avoid unnecessary battles entirely. There's enemy infighting which really brings the game alive, and I remember at one point having to cower in a corner in a barn so I could have a smoke in real life, hoping I wouldn't get blown up by a stray missile while I took a moment to relax while explosions from a nearby battle boomed around me.
Whether by low budget or by design, the developers aren't afraid to allow some downtime while traveling or exploring. This really adds to the feeling of tension and was refreshing since games like Far Cry are so terrified of leaving you alone for ten seconds that you can't take a step without some annoying event happening or being attacked by an eagle or some other nonsense. When battles do happen, they feel real, dangerous, and intense. There might be a massive fight that you're not even a part of, and you need to try to creep past it to reach your destination. Even though there's no real penalty for dying, the game still evokes a genuine sense of danger. I think just having to start again from the nearest safehouse is the only real penalty.
The world is large, and there is quite a bit of copy pasted environments and buildings, but for the most part you can go into nearly any building and explore almost anywhere you want. The world is massive, and even though much of it looks fairly generic, my full playthrough still had me searching for better equipment up to the last mission. There are plenty of side missions, but most of the random events are just battles between enemies or stumbling upon a note or point of interest that triggers a side mission.
I think this game would have been epic with co-op, so I regret that I did/t have anyone to play it with. I cannot stress enough how fantastic the sound design is. Play it with a good headset, and I don't think you could find another example of a more immersive environment. The guns feel and sound powerful and real.
This game ended up being fantastic overall despite the somewhat low budget and even janky feel. The graphics are pretty good overall, and I didn't notice any performance issues. If you are looking for an open world FPS, you should really consider giving this a try. It has a vibe that reminded me of old school games like Halflife 2 and the original Deus Ex. There are a ton of systems in the game, some of which I never really investigated, but there are levels and skills to unlock, things to craft and gun modification. The devs really did a good job with this one and I'm honestly impressed.
