The term “first-person shooter” is ambiguous. It can refer to anything from a sci-fi adventure like Metroid Prime to an action-horror game like F.E.A.R. to a demon-eviscerating frolic like Doom. Even reducing it to a subcategory like “military FPS” lumps in the white-knuckle extractions of Escape from Tarkov, the massive PvP battles of Battlefield, and the linear narrative of Call of Duty, among other games.
With a separate extraction shooter mode and a dedicated large-scale PvP mode, Delta Force, the most recent resuscitation of a now 26-year-old shooter series last seen in 2009, may best described as a combination of the last two. It also sits somewhat oddly at the center of that Venn diagram. It is therefore a one-stop shop for “just fine” that is free to play: Although it is competent overall, it lacks any significant novel ideas that would set it apart in a fight.
Even though Delta is officially “out,” whatever that means these days, only two of the three primary modes are currently accessible. The third is a single-player campaign that will eventually be available as paid DLC. Of the two now available, the Warfare mode is Delta Force’s take on Battlefield’s large-scale team warfare, in which 64 players compete for supremacy across a few expansive battlefields. Deathmatch is not a straightforward kill-focused game; rather, it focuses on objective-based games, such as variations of King of the Hill.
The most notable of these is Attack and Defend, in which one team uses an infinite number of lives to defend certain places while the other team tries to capture strategic spots before running out of respawns. The mode, which we have seen a lot of in Battlefield, is given a nice twist by this minor rule change. At first, the offense has the advantage because of advantageous terrain and a large number of vehicles, but as the game goes on and the defense retreats toward their home base and has easy access to respawned reinforcements, things level out. This implies that each side usually gets to act as the nail and the symbolic hammer for a while.
It is a good thing that the conflicts feel large. Both teams are always crowded with soldiers due to quick respawns. The mayhem and confusion of battle are as thrilling as you might anticipate from a Battlefield-style game once the rockets and bullets begin to fly. As is typical of contemporary military shooters, each gun you use gains experience points that can be used to unlock component alternatives. It is especially enjoyable when you take possession of a car and start outpacing the opposing squad.
Do not underestimate the impact of a basic machine gun turret on top of an armored car, even though a tank filled with gunners can dominate. Additionally, helicopters and other aerial vehicles are difficult to maneuver but can be powerful in the proper hands, rewarding smart play, much like Battlefield (yeah, you are hearing that comparison a lot, and for good reason).
On a fundamental level, I only wish the action felt better.
On a fundamental level, I only wish the action felt better. I find it odd that bullet trajectory and arc play such a significant role in shooting, making it necessary to lead your targets to fire accurately from a distance. Although I do not mind guiding a target, I sometimes feel as though I am firing airsoft rounds since the bullets are moving so slowly. It feels completely out of sync with the frenetic tempo of play that the objective-based Attack and Defend mode promotes, even though it might be more realistic than Call of Duty’s more arcade ballistics approach.
After you die, you usually have to run back to the target, but you are a prime target because you are racing over open terrain, and the erratic shooting makes it difficult to backfire precisely while moving. As I attempted to regain my good standing, I discovered that deaths tend to occur in clusters. It is also a little odd that the gunplay is so firmly based in simulation one minute, and then fantasy powers like drones that inflict status effects or clouds of healing smoke are activated by operators the next. That is just a brainteaser; there is nothing fundamentally wrong with it.
The Operations mode, on the other hand, adheres to the same well-known extraction shooter structure: You and two or more buddies can form a three-person squad to infiltrate a zone, shoot AI enemies, get the treasure, and scoot back to the extraction zone without getting hit. Delta Force adheres strictly to a tried-and-true formula, but the overall excellent quality of its execution at least partially compensates for that lack of creativity.
Each of the three levels that are available at launch (an additional level will be unlocked in a few days) is an open sandbox with a wealth of objectives. Points of interest, such as bounty targets, safes to raid, and intelligence to decipher, are readily highlighted on maps. Although it may seem like a minor point to highlight, Delta Force’s decision to make crucial information available sets them apart in a category where games like Escape from Tarkov are known for being purposefully obscure. Without having to commit maps to memory or consult a guide, I like being able to just drop a waypoint and know what to expect when I arrive.
I enjoy the variety of enemies that the Operations mode presents.
You must fire your way past groups of AI soldiers and occasionally other human squads that come your way after you have chosen your destination. Because you never know who is around or in what numbers, every enemy encounter begins with a quick risk assessment: do you take the shot and risk revealing your location to everyone, or do you sneak past, leaving a potential threat on the field? This means that even though we have more information than in similar games, the suspense is still there. Making snap decisions based on scant knowledge effectively maintains the action’s strategic and captivating nature.
This is especially true if you come across other individuals, who are undoubtedly more hazardous than the bots but can be worthwhile targets for loot. The adversary variety that Delta Force presents to you is one that I enjoy. My unit had to deal with roaming bands of riflemen, duck inside buildings to avoid sniper fire, and do impromptu flanking movements to evade riot shields because I came across a lot of ordinary soldiers.
However, there are then unexpected events that cause a stir: One particularly memorable incident involved my team throwing grenades from cover while being pinned down by a huge armored bad guy brandishing a minigun at us. On another occasion, one of our three members was cracking a safe while I and the other squadmate were providing cover. A big alligator attempted to disrupt our fun by coming around the corner, and I nearly leaped out of my chair.
However, the treasure system is one location where you might be given too much information. File cabinets, coat pockets, fallen adversaries, and other containers can be found all over the place, but almost every operation begins with the entire squad sprinting straight for the safe on the map that has the best loot. The levels themselves are extremely cool when you explore them freely, so that could use some work. Offices and exposed industrial exteriors coexist in places like The Dam, and there are frequently secret entrances leading to open or secret locations where valuables can be buried.
If there were a plausible possibility that there would be something valuable on the other side, you would have even more incentive to consider the makeup of your team because some places, such as chain link fences, require specific operators to reach, such as the engineer cutting into them. If I believed that there might be priceless treasures concealed in each of these hiding places, I would be far more motivated to explore.
Verdict
Delta Force is not the greatest for large-scale PvP combat or extraction shooting. But it is unusual to be able to handle both of those modes rather well in a single free-to-play bundle. As long as you can become accustomed to the more realistic shooting techniques and how they blend with magical abilities, the enormous, vehicle-filled fights are respectable fun, particularly in Attack and Defend. Although the excellent levels are squandered on too much guidance toward the only valuable loot, and upgrading the Black Site is more of a nuisance than an ambition, The Operations is still one of the most predictable and approachable extraction shooters I have ever experienced. Nevertheless, it is a good choice for both and merits praise for performing two very different first-person shooter modes in a respectable, albeit unimpressive and unimaginative, manner.
