If Battlefield, Tarkov, and ARMA Had A Baby (Early Access Review)

Like the title states, that pretty much sums up Wardogs in a nutshell. But that doesn't mean you will fall in love with it immediately. Even though this game draws inspiration and takes some of the best parts from these 3 titles, it also inherits some of their setbacks. My goal here is to highlight the gameplay loop, progression, etc., and to give you, the reader, a good idea of whether this is a game for you before you buy. Keep in mind, this is an Early Access release with a dedicated, community-first developer, so some things will change during this projected 1-year-long Early Access period.

The Gameplay

Wardogs is first and foremost a first-person military shooter. The gunplay is solid, and the movement is within the bounds of realism. This is not an arcade/"twitch" shooter like Call of Duty, but it also isn't a borderline mil-sim like ARMA. It sits in a happy medium between the two. Projectiles have damage drop-off, travel in an arc like real bullets do, and even penetrate through certain cover. This makes sniping VERY rewarding in Wardogs.

Three teams of 33 players fight over a Control Zone (CZ) on the map. The team with the most bodies in the zone every 30-ish seconds gets a point. First to 100 points wins. Seems simple enough, right? On paper, yes — but within this CZ is a Hot Zone (HZ), a smaller circle that roams around the CZ and counts for 2 bodies toward scoring instead of one. Needless to say, this is where the action is. Three teams all battling for the HZ over the course of an hour is something special. Since the HZ is always moving, this makes for a new and unique firefight every time you deploy. But what if you don't want to sweat the whole match and want to contribute to victory in another way? The game has you covered there as well.

Another major part of this push-pull between the 3 teams is the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and building in said bases. Pick a tactical location on the map in the CZ and build out your own base of operations, which includes AA defenses, mortars, sniper perches, and more. FOBs are an essential asset for the team, and it takes some serious teamwork to build one, but once built, they give you a great upper hand over the other teams. You can even build an oil drill that will actively pull the HZ to your base for the upper hand. Once that happens, all bets are off, and both enemy teams will mount attacks to take your FOB by force, adding to how dynamic the gameplay is here. Don't want to sit in one place on the map building sandbags either? Well, there's one more way for you to support your team on the way to victory.

How do you even get to the action on a map that's about 10km wide? That's where your drivers and pilots come in. Flying helicopters to transport troops, driving transport vehicles with build supplies and ammo to supply your FOBs, or even driving a Ford F-150 with a machine gun mounted on top into the HZ are all enjoyable, low-effort ways of contributing to a victory. Personally, I love flying in Wardogs. The Black Hawk chopper is a beast and handles like an elephant. After dropping the initial waves off at the CZ, I kick back and just air-drop supplies to the FOBs, making passive XP and income.

Progression

Wardogs works like Battlefield in terms of its class structure. Every gun, piece of equipment, and action is tied to a class. What I mean by this is you don't choose a class like in Battlefield, but rather you fill a certain class role with what you're using and how you're using it. Using an assault rifle to clear the HZ? You're gaining Assault XP. Building the team's FOB defenses? You're gaining Support XP. Air-dropping supplies into the CZ? You're gaining Pilot AND Support XP. Healing and reviving teammates a lot? You're gaining Medic XP. This structure adds to the sandbox nature of Wardogs and gives the player absolute freedom to play how YOU want to play.

Wardogs also has its own economy. Every action you perform earns you cash, and cash is used to unlock new gear and build your loadout. What you earn, you can also lose, giving the game a very nice risk-reward aspect. I've had many games where I built a nice $13k kit, just to get shot out of the sky as I was parachuting down to the HZ. And if no teammates are around to revive you, that $13k goes right down the drain. This is akin to Tarkov and may be frustrating to some players. Progression is also wiped on a seasonal schedule, which varies in length depending on the update schedule in Early Access — another thing some players may not enjoy, but one that must be done to start everyone off at the same power level occasionally. This means that if you play casually, you may see players with better armor and vehicles, but the devs are listening and still working on balancing this.

Final Thoughts

Let me reiterate that Wardogs will not be for everyone, but if you're even the slightest bit interested in trying it, you may be surprised at how well this formula all comes together. Hell, even the devs encourage you to refund the game if it's not for you, and I think that's an amazing move and shows how dedicated they are to making this a unique experience with the community in mind.