Recent reviews by The_Gibon

New updates make it almost impossible to enjoy... Don't believe me? Go look at the Discord. My honest review would be to long so let me summarize. DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME. Nothing but a horrible time wasting graveyard of false hope.

My Review for Gray Zone Warfare With Ideas and Areas for Improvement.

I plan to keep this updated as time goes on with the potential for positive or negative feelings. For those who are new to mil-sim games, this isn't COD so please keep that in mind when you leave a super negative review because you can slide around the map and sprint indefinitely. This game isn't that or meant to be that. Is a slow burning candle with moments of fireworks. Not a grand finale the entire time. But, I digress... Without further delay, let's get into it for GZW 0.2.x.x.

Gray Zone Warfare has great potential to be a top-tier game, but there are several key areas that need significant improvement before its full release.

One area that needs special attention, is the servers. Packet-loss, general connection issues, timeouts, low server bandwidth, tick rate, etc. These need to be addressed as they tie hand-in-hand with general gameplay experience due to the online nature of GZW.

1. First, the AI accuracy and responsiveness need major attention. Currently, the AI feels too robotic and lacks the lifelike behavior necessary for a more immersive experience.

AI is inconsistent to a large degree. One moment they are pushovers and the next, they are John Fu**ing Rambo. Talking multiple lethal hits to put down.

Devs need to consider altering their reaction times and decision-making. That would elevate the gameplay to a new level. A dynamic or procedurally generated AI spawning system would also be a welcome addition. This system could keep players on their toes by introducing unpredictable enemy placements and behavior, ensuring that each encounter feels fresh and challenging. I feel that instead of the AI respawning inside of POIs (because there's nothing more annoying than dying to someone who spawned right behind you) they should spawn outside the POI, then work their way in in a counter attack style of reoccupying an area. They can fly in, be trucked in, or be foot mobile etc. As is stands, the AI help discourage some level of PvP at certain POIs (Midnight Sapphire, Fort Narith etc) due to their inconsistency when added to the threat of other players. The risk vs reward is to high for most casual players (aka the majority of the market).

2. The food and drink mechanics, while interesting, are overly demanding and disrupt the flow of the game. Toning these down would make survival management more manageable without detracting from the core gameplay. Similarly, the wear and tear on weapons feels unrealistic. It should be balanced so that it reflects more accurate use and longevity of equipment in combat.

3. Another area that requires improvement is the body armor and hit boxes. As it stands, the hit registration isn’t consistent enough, leading to frustrating combat moments. Adjusting the armor hit boxes for a more intuitive and realistic feel, along with fixing hit registration, would make combat more satisfying. The ragdoll physics also need fine-tuning to offer a more lifelike, consistent reaction to impacts.

4. The ballistics system seems off, especially with unrealistic MOA (Minute of Angle) values for certain weapons and ranges. A revision to the ballistics system could ensure more consistent and believable weapon handling across various distances.

5. The stealth mechanics are essentially nonexistent at the moment, and this is a major issue for players who value tactical gameplay. A complete overhaul is needed to allow for true camouflage and stealth tactics that depend on the environment and lighting conditions. Players should be able to strategically hide or blend into the surroundings to create a more dynamic and immersive experience. The addition of a "silent" take-down by knife would also be welcome by most players.

6. Additionally, the game could benefit from more points of interest, loot, weapons, and outposts. These additions would help to enrich the game world and keep players engaged. Introducing a dynamic, procedurally generated task and loot system would provide much-needed variety, keeping gameplay fresh and exciting.

7 Finally, there is a noticeable lack of diverse weaponry. More weapon types, such as grenade launchers, RPGs, and light machine guns, would add variety to combat and increase tactical options for players.

In conclusion, Gray Zone Warfare is a game that shows a lot of promise, but it’s clear that there’s significant work to be done to make it truly stand out. If the developers address these issues, including the implementation of dynamic AI spawning and more varied gameplay mechanics, this game could easily become a top-tier title. I’m eager to see how it evolves in the lead-up to its full release.

I love the look and feel of this game. With time and effort I feel it can be a gem given time to cook. Of course if the chefs in the kitchen use the right ingredients.

In summery this game is meant to be the ultimate risk vs reward simulator.

GEAR FEAR IS REAL, AND IT'S ADDICTING!


ADDENDUMS:

Addendum One (1) 12/30/24 game build 0.2.1.1.
Edit of addendum on 1/22/25.

I'd like to suggest a few additions and tweaks to enhance the game's experience:

1. Binoculars or Reconnaissance Tools: Adding items like binoculars for scouting could improve strategy and immersion.


2. Dynamic Weather Cycle: Implementing a weather system with changing conditions would add depth and realism to the gameplay. This would tie into detection, camouflage, etc due to said changing weather conditions (Just like real life. People less likely to be out and about in bad weather etc). STATED IN THE ROAD-MAP FOR THE GAME, BUT NOT EXPANDED ON.


3. AI Adjustments: The AI's detection capabilities could use refinement, especially when it comes to spotting players through solid objects, dense foliage, and at night / dark areas (AI would need light or NVGs for increased detection in low light situations, e.g. ARMA series has a similar system).


4. Dynamic/Procedurally Generated Events: Introducing random, large-scale events in the game world could keep things fresh and unpredictable. E.g. would be: AI convoys, FOBs, camps, attacks on faction HQs etc. This could also lean into further world building with possible map expansion or addition in the future. That could lend a hand in storytelling and content creation for the game.

As it stands The game world doesn't feel alive because the army doesn't attack rebel groups and rebel groups don't attack army positions. If. AI versus AI warfare were to happen around PMC players The game world would feel much more alive and interactive. Would also allow for a more open storytelling, and tactical approach to situations if timed correctly.


5. Add the ability to infil / exfil via heli at any appropriate site on the map, a reasonable pilot would land at IRL. This could help alleviate most of the LZ camping in PvEvP mode do to the ability to "Pick your own LZ" so to speak. E.g. would be a similar system to other titles that involve build areas that you can place objects in except, instead of building you would be landing a helicopter for extraction.

The addition of other options for infil / exfil. Like APCs or other wheeled vehicles. I believe Escape from Tarkov has a similar system in place if I'm not mistaken.

Another suggestion would be to add the ability unlock or earn to insert via HALO / HAHO jumps with parachutes. This would also help alleviate some of the LZ camping issues in Warfare servers.


6. The addition of a trading or barter system.
Players are bound to trade and do currently so let's make it easier on us.


7. Unreal Engine optimization and stability. UE5 needs attention for stability and optimization. UE5 causing driver timeouts, engine crashes, memory leaks, and cpu / gpu frequency spikes at random causing crashes. Along with a host of other issues on reddit etc.

8. No destruction? Add a semi destructible environment. Can't even break a glass window and walk through?