World War 3 - PC/Steam Review

ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review

A new scene for global warfare.”

  • System: PC (Steam)
  • Publisher: The Farm 51
  • Developer: The Farm 51
  • Release Date: Oct 20, 2018 (Early Access)

World War 3 Warzone Giga-Patch Trailer

Who it Caters to

World War 3 is perfect for shooter game veterans, people who know how to play a role in a team without running around the map just hoping for the best. Heavily focused on character customization and online matches, a lot of gamers may ditch this game for not having a Campaign mode, but World War 3's alt-futuristic setting has a lot to offer regarding gunplay, strategy, and most importantly, competitiveness. If you enjoy games like Battlefield, then World War 3 definitely has something for you. Keep reading for more details!

What to Expect

ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review
When you're tired of frantic battle royale games, maybe going back to the times when it was all about teamwork and strategy can help you. World War 3 is just that, a shooter game about two teams fighting each other in a never-ending war, a well-proven concept that also aims for outstanding graphics and enough customization unlockables to keep you busy. Since World War 3 is still in Early Access, a lot of things definitely need some improvements, but it's nice to see how much the game has improved with every new patch since its debut.


Visuals

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One of World War 3's objectives is to catch your eye, earning a spot among the most popular games thanks to its photorealistic graphics. Sure, it's not easy to compete with all those high-grossing franchises, but if you can mix breathtaking visuals and fun gunplay, then you might have better chances.

While other games create their own environments, here we have a lot of real-life elements that show a lot of attention to details. That's why World War 3 takes pride in a lot of accurately depicted elements, like weapons and uniforms that will delight all those who come to this type of games thanks to their interest in armies and wars. In addition to that, all 5 available maps are based on real-life locations: Berlin (Germany), Warsaw (Poland), Polyarny, Moscow, and Smolensk (Russia).

ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review
In terms of menus and interfaces, World War 3 looks really nice with its military theme. Not only the game options and modes are easy enough to navigate, but the main page will show real-time statistics to keep your immersion at all times.

Sound, Music

There's not so much we can say about World War 3's music; it only helps generate a nice ambiance and never tries to steal the show. However, once you jump into the game, the sound department plays a key role since that's how you know what to do and when to do it… other than opening the map every 5 seconds.
ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review
We'll get to the gameplay later, but we must say that having constant updates on what's happening and how we can help our team is great for those taking their first steps in the genre. All weapons and vehicles sound pretty much like they should, and music helps fill the gap left between shots. Still, neither the music nor the gunfire is louder than the voice lines telling you to attack/defend a certain spot, something that seems obvious but not many other games respect. Unfortunately, not everyone has a decent mic, and that's a huge problem when you try to get the best out of a game like this.

Gameplay

As soon as you log in, there are 2 game modes you can participate in: Team Deathmatch and Warzone. If you play Team Deathmatch, you deploy in a smaller map and then you race to be the team with the most enemy kills; the most interesting mode, however, is Warzone, where two teams dispute over a series of buildings that you must conquer or defend with the help of your teammates. As you can see, it's all about playing as a team and collaborating, so even if you can ignore your teammates and go for the one-man-army approach, it's always better if you find a nice group and play as intended.
ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review
Given the nature of a game like World War 3, there's no story other than whatever forced these nations to wage the third world war. Once a season starts, everything you do in-game gives you and your faction (East or West) a certain amount of points that will define who wins the war, but that will also help you rank up. Using the money you earn after every game, you can even customize your character in terms of new clothes and uniforms, badges, headgear, and weapons... with banners and other options coming soon.

If you ask us, the game mode we enjoy the most is definitely Warzone, because that's when you truly feel the combination of skills and strategy. The objective here is to conquer 3 linked points: A1 and A2, B1 and B2, and C1 and C2. When you defend or conquer them, you earn points, so if you want to win, you need to score 5000 points or be the team with the most points in a 45 minutes match. It's awesome to see how the game evolves because by earning enough Battle Points, you can summon vehicles to help you in the late game, like a recon observation quadcopter at 1200 BP. In addition, every time you deploy (every time you die, basically) you can choose if you'll be attacking or defending, but also your weapon setup. Sometimes you'll need to play a defender and fend off the enemy advance with heavy weapons, and some other times you'll be a sniper or an LMG attacker.

ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review
The problem with World War 3 is that you won't always find a balanced match... or a good team, for that matter. Sometimes you join a game that's pretty much lost or won, or you find yourself playing alone versus a full team. Having a rather low player base hurts World War 3 a lot, and it shows.


Honey's Gameplay Consensus:

ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review
If you like tactic FPS games, you will enjoy World War 3 because it has everything a player needs, but we can't say this is a game for everyone. In fact, even FPS lovers need a reliable player base to keep them coming back, and to be honest, that's something that most Early Access games struggle with. From what we've seen so far, however, we can say that the devs definitely care about players' feedback and we can expect many improvements before the official release. If you feel like supporting an indie game with enormous potential, don't hesitate about buying World War 3!

Honey's Pros:

  • Awesome graphics for an indie game.
  • Realism is the key, so teamwork and a perfect balance between strategy and tactics make every victory more accomplishing.
  • Lots of customization options, which is a nice addition.
  • So far, they have been listening to the community and making relevant changes.

Honey's Cons:

  • Low player base.
  • Although the game has been improving with every new update since launch, it still needs more optimization and better server connectivity.

Honey's Final Verdict:

Even if at times we had problems finding a good match, either because it wasn't balanced or because the servers didn't respond in the best way, we had a lot of fun killing people and making things explode in World War 3. We really want this game to improve over time, and trust us when we say we'll come back to it with every new update. But hey, now it's your time to do the talking. What do you think about World War 3, and what does it need to become popular? Leave us a comment below!
ww3_splash-560x315 World War 3 - PC/Steam Review

Editor/Writer

Author: Rod Locksley

Hey! I'm Rod, and when I'm not watching anime or playing video games I'm probably writing about them, but I'm also a graphic and web designer, and I even published a comic book and worked like 4 years for a well-known MMORPG. Curiously, my favorite series are quite different from each other, so I'm still trying to understand what I really like in an anime...

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