I love this game. I love, love, love this game
However, I love it, because I'm good at it. And so is my trio that plays this game together every weekend.
This game is like learning a language. At first it feels impossible, there are so many things to keep track of, so much to do, so much going on that you don't know what you're supposed to do or what is expected from you
But, as you learn how everything works, concepts start fitting into place. Suddenly things that felt crazy become familiar
I would say this most difficult concept to learn about this game is that everything is slow, like pulling yourself through mud. Except at any point, the mud can turn into a raging river that whips you off your feet.
For the people that love this game, that swap from slow to fast is amazing. For the people that hate this game, that swap is the worst.
Guns are slooooow, reloads are sloooow, animations and running speed are slooooow... except any bullet from any range can 1 shot headshot you (fast). Melee can one shot you (fast). Explosives will one shot you (fast)
The constant flip from agonizingly slow to suddenly lighting fast is often too much for a new player, or for people expecting consistent play speed
Characters are vanity items - no hero shooter mechanics here.
Guns are available to everyone regardless of time played.
Game mechanics are available from the first match.
The game asks you to do one thing - get a bounty token out. How you do that is up to you. For some that freedom of choice might be a bit overwhelming at first, but later understanding that freedom lets you do so much more
Onto the actual critiques of the game:
The menus and UI are a pain. No matter what they try to do to sort, or organize the menus it's just always a pain to do things at scale. Applying multiple charms or animations to items or guns is at least 3 menus
There isn't much in the way of onboarding new players. There isn't a reduced size map, or new player modes, you get into the same game that I would get into. Granted, there is some level of matchmaking, but I don't think the levels make any sense
Matchmaking. It feels like its not been considered well. From my understanding its an individuals rank vs the level of the opposing players rank. If I at 6 stars die to a 2 star, my level will drop, and their level will rise. However, if I kill a lower rank player, nothing really happens. The issues with this system, as many reviews have pointed out, is that I can run solo in a team game mode (there by getting placed in lower skill lobbies to give me a handicap), get killed by lower levels to drag my rank down relatively quickly, self revive and win a game by killing the last guy alive with the token.
You may think that sounds pretty boring, but in most games, I'm balls to the walls fighting, killing 2-3 teams before being downed. As most of the players are lower rank than me, nothing happens while I'm getting kills. But I'm getting de-ranked only when I die. For newer players, I can understand this must be very frustrating (check the reviews that call out hackers, and their play time and you can see this viewpoint in real time)
Weapon balancing feels arbitrary. Every weapon in the game is viable (one shot headshot) - but some require insanity to be used. Some guns get forgotten about, while others are left untouched due to the fear of upsetting the community. That or the person who is deciding which changes to allow is using an excel spreadsheet to make their decisions.
Onto the Good!
The events are amazing, holy smokes I love them. Cool mechanics added each time, new things to see and do, often new weapons added (that aren't DLC!!!! :D!)
The VIBES! Game ooooooooozzzzees vibes all day every day. It has its identity down - Eldritch horror cowboys and cowgirls! Yeeeeeehaaaw! Did I mention the art?! And the music!? Ahhhhh - so good
Gunplay. It can skip the date and just take me. The guns are snappy and hits are obvious and they shoot where you are pointing! If you've got great aim, this game loves you.
Proximity VOIP. If you're one of the lower ranks that have run into me Solo, I'm sorry (not sorry) for the smack talk. If you're part of the sweaty trios that have run into me and my sweaty team, you deserved the smack talk.
This game is not a cheap date that you can quickly get what you want out of it then leave.
Its kinda like having a partner, if you spend some time understanding the language this game communicates in you'll love it
Its a great game, I highly suggest it.
