A free shooter game from the past
Warface is a first-person action shooter game released in 2013. The Cry-engine powering Warface has now come to switch as one of their first main shooters. Players can engage in various PVP and PVE modes with other players online and shoot their way to victory.
Warface's core gameplay is familiar to fans of the genre, appearing as a free-to-play alternative to the better-known Call of Duty: Warzone, Rainbow Six Siege, and Team Fortress 2.
A shooter from the last generation
Warface originally released on the Xbox back in 2013. The gameplay is what you would expect from a shooter game when shooters were in their prime. A focus on squad-based action and gunplay is engaging yet satisfying. Despite seeing a resurgence through the newly released version, Warface fails to set itself apart in the current market, primarily due to its decision to be free to play.
Initially, the outdated gameplay wasn't an issue. However, now that players can jump into games like Team Fortress 2, the team-based shooter powerhouse, or the highly-rated Call of Duty Warzone, games like Warface seem stale.
The game feels unpolished due to its free-to-play nature. However, games are now becoming available to play for free with AAA standard of production, making it harder for older titles like Warface to compete.
How does Warface play?
Warface will feel familiar for anyone who has played another shooter game in the past. Players can pick through 5 different classes - rifleman, sniper, medic, engineer, and synthetically engineered double. Each class serves its role and provides another way for players to support their team.
While many maps seem uninspired, there is enough variety to hold interest for a few hours of play in one sitting. Hitboxes are accurate, and long-range landing headshots are satisfying enough. Weaponry is somewhat limited, with each class having access to one primary and one secondary weapon, with a few more becoming accessible as you level up.
Unfortunately, there are no rotating spawn points. Most shooter fans will know this to be a nightmare as it allows one team to camp a spawn point and essentially prevent the other team from playing. Aside from the limited customizability and access to variety, Warface plays like most old shooter games when you load into the map.
Pay to win model
Free-to-play games are notorious for encouraging a pay-to-win model. Pay to win means that the developers add items into the game that are hard to obtain for free but can be purchased immediately with real money. This gives those with money to spare a tangible benefit and advantage on those who cannot.
Unfortunately, this appears to be the case with Warface. Not only are skins and other deals highlighted egregiously at every turn within the user interface, but players can also purchase boosters and other items that give in-game benefits, thus creating a gap between those that can buy and those that cannot.
For die-hard fans, this is part and parcel of the free-to-play model. However, casual players may find their progress hampered by arbitrary requirements before accessing an item someone else can immediately pay for.
Is Warface cross-platform?
Cross-platform functionality has been spoken about in the Warface community since 2019, including a direct response from the developers on Facebook detailing their goal to incorporate said functionality. The release on Switch has not yet included the ability to play with others on different consoles.
Similarly, the only cross-platform functionality available is between PS4 and PS5 servers. Meaning you will have to ensure you and your friends are playing the game on the same console.
Our take?
Switch players might find Warface a refreshing addition to the store, given that options for shooters are somewhat limited on their platform. For other players, it's hard to find a reason to choose to play Warface, other than simply trying it over other games.
Should you download it?
If you're bored of your Fortnight's and Warzone's, there is no harm in trying Warface as an alternative. However, expect the pay to play model and limited variety in gameplay to stand out above the positives the game offers.
