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EMPULSE Game Cover

About EMPULSE

EMPULSE is a multiplayer shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by 1047 Games and was released on June 24, 2026. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

EMPULSE is an upcoming fast-paced 6v6 movement shooter. Outmove and outgun your opponents across the post-utopian streets of Freehold. Fight for control of mechs to turn the tide of battle for your Crew.  Movement is FreedomIn EMPULSE, movement is at the core of every fight. Wallrun forwards and backwards, swing with a grapple hook, launch off Holojumps, and alter surfaces with P.A.I.N.T. bombs t…

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Reviews

64%Audience ScoreBased on 1,385 reviews
gameplay101 positive mentions
monetization26 negative mentions

  • Fluid and fast-paced movement mechanics that are satisfying and reminiscent of Titanfall and Black Ops 3.
  • Crisp and responsive gunplay with a solid foundation for skill expression.
  • No microtransactions, fair pricing, and active developer engagement with community feedback.
  • Game was abandoned by developers shortly after early access launch, with planned development cut drastically short.
  • Mech gameplay feels underdeveloped, clunky, and out of place, lacking meaningful customization and balance.
  • Low player base, long matchmaking queue times, and issues with aim assist imbalance between controller and mouse/keyboard players.
  • gameplay

    236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    43% positive mentions, 51% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions

    The gameplay of Empulse is widely praised for its fast-paced, fluid movement mechanics reminiscent of Titanfall, offering satisfying wall-running, grappling, and shooting dynamics that create an addictive and skill-based experience. However, many reviews criticize the mech gameplay as underwhelming, unbalanced, and not well-integrated, detracting from the overall experience. While the core mechanics and pilot combat shine, the game currently lacks content variety and polish, with some concerns about skill depth and future longevity.

    • “From a gameplay perspective, the absolute seamless feel of movement and shooting deserves the highest praise.”
    • “The ability to fluidly chain wall-runs, grappling hook maneuvers, and jumps creates a fantastic gameplay flow that you get into instantly.”
    • “The game’s core mechanics are balanced nicely, so every match stays exciting without leaning too far in one direction.”
    • “The mech gameplay feels unrefined and unintegrated and, frankly, I think the game would be better without them (1047 is experimenting with mech-free modes, which I'm happy to see).”
    • “Mech gameplay is terrible, there is no variation.”
    • “Now for complaints, movement while good feels sluggish at times; if I shoot my gun and I'm not doing a wall run or a grapple or slide, my character just slows down and walks, cutting the momentum of the game completely. It throws me off completely when I'm doing all these movement mechanics and when I land on the ground to fire I'm slowed to a crawl and can't even crouch slide for a little extra momentum.”
  • graphics

    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    31% positive mentions, 58% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with many praising its clean, polished performance and smooth visuals even on mid-range PCs, while others criticize it for a bland, generic art style lacking distinctiveness or vibrancy. Although optimization is generally good, some find the aesthetic soulless and uninspired, with mechs and environments feeling last-minute or unremarkable. Overall, it delivers solid visuals and performance but falls short in originality and engaging artistic identity.

    • “I like the clean and well polished graphics, with my settings on max I can still get around 90-120fps with a GTX 1660.”
    • “On my mid-range/high-end PC I'm getting a consistent 120 fps, and the graphics and shadow work looked great from the first load-in.”
    • “Graphically it looks great, it's got a unique art style that you don't see anymore.”
    • “Graphics are terrible, the mechs feel like an addon that was last minute, there's no identity making it feel like every other game.”
    • “Also, it's genuinely impressive how this game from 2026 manages to have worse graphics than a game from a decade ago.”
    • “The artwork is awful and plain whether that's the design of the maps, characters, camos etc.”
  • monetization

    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    19% positive mentions, 39% neutral mentions, 42% negative mentions

    The game is widely praised for its absence of microtransactions and battle passes, offering a pure pay-to-play experience with fair pricing around $15-$20. While some users appreciate the lack of predatory monetization and enjoy unlocking content through gameplay, others express concern about the potential introduction of ads or additional monetization methods in the future. Overall, the current monetization model is seen as a refreshing break from modern cash grabs, though skepticism remains about its long-term sustainability.

    • “Big props to the team for not including microtransactions anywhere in-game, which gives a massive positive mark towards me recommending the game, personally.”
    • “The exclusion of microtransactions is a breath of fresh air and it makes the game feel like a genuine fun place to be.”
    • “Devs are making all the right moves by not having microtransactions and letting game improvement be led by community feedback as advertised.”
    • “What a shameless cash grab, talking about a game in early access isn't generating enough revenue.”
    • “Mega cash grab and they're not even refunding us for a game that was promising.”
    • “It is just another cash grab and I would be amazed if they fix its issues and if the game ever sees a full release.”
  • optimization

    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 32% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions

    The game's optimization receives mixed feedback, with many praising its generally strong performance, stable framerate, and suitability even on mid-to-low-end hardware. However, some users report occasional stuttering, CPU-heavy demands, and performance issues that particularly affect high-sensitivity play or require further improvements. Overall, it is better optimized than many modern titles but still has room for refinement.

    • “✅ Excellent technical optimization and stable FPS, which is crucial for such a fast-paced action game.”
    • “Some positive things I will give it though is that the movement is actually clean and not as clunky as I was expecting, and it's very well optimized unlike a handful of modern games these days.”
    • “The skill ceiling is high, the action is nonstop, and the performance is stellar.”
    • “Enjoy the next Call of Duty this year, joyless cynics; and the next unfinished, unoptimized Halo game that will probably light your PC on fire if you don't have the latest graphics card and cooling system.”
    • “Absolutely not an early access so don't expect any drastic change but for $15 it's fair enough as long as you see it as a premium aim trainer (but with only 1/3 of the framerate in an aim trainer because it's really poorly optimized CPU wise).”
    • “It's also kinda optimized poorly, very stuttery and if you play high sensitivity like me you will feel it the most.”
  • music

    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    14% positive mentions, 68% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed to mostly negative feedback, with many users finding it generic, corny, and poorly fitting the futuristic theme, often describing it as annoying or lacking energy. Some praise select tracks or sound effects, but overall, the soundtrack is criticized for diminishing the game's atmosphere and cohesion. A few players enjoy the music or find it acceptable, especially when paired with gameplay, but the consensus leans toward improvement needed for a more distinctive and fitting audio experience.

    • “I really like the lore, aesthetic, and music too.”
    • “Style is dope, graphics are good and music is banging.”
    • “Fun to play with music, can't wait to see what they do!”
    • “Graphics are terrible, the mechs feel like an addon that was last minute, there's no identity making it feel like every other game, music and sound is poor, the balance is meh, and the controller input is way over tuned making mouse and keyboard impossible to play with.”
    • “Background music wasn't as good as the game is; they are so badly produced that I sometimes wonder if it's killing the mood and good art of the game.”
    • “Even the music, it's generic annoying rock that doesn't even fit the game.”
  • story

    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    15% positive mentions, 70% neutral mentions, 15% negative mentions

    The game's story is generally viewed as minimal and largely irrelevant, with some players appreciating the initial backstory but wishing for a more developed campaign or lore to enrich engagement. While the fast-paced gameplay is praised, many feel the narrative and character development are lacking, suggesting that a more immersive story or offline PvE modes could enhance the overall experience.

    • “Even just an average campaign that you only play through once or twice with some collectibles hidden around (again, see Titanfall 2, I know it's a high bar but it would be worth it even if it wasn't 100% up to par with that campaign) especially because the first time you boot the game up you get this backstory cutscene that explains the world and it actually seems cool like I would be really interested in exploring a story about how the factions they set up would interact and try to enact their goals.”
    • “Mech play needs work, and would be nice to have some richer story / environment development, but I'm excited to see where they can take this.”
    • “While I will admit the game is a bit bare in some ways (map details, mech combat, story and characters etc.) it makes up for it quickly with those crazy moments where you zip around the map bouncing from wall to wall dropping enemies along the way.”
    • “The story and the character designs aren't particularly immersing or interesting.”
    • “When you launch the game you see a little cutscene introducing the story which doesn’t matter at all.”
    • “The aesthetic of the game is a little bland and washed out, both story-wise and color-wise.”
  • stability

    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions

    The game generally runs well with smooth movement and solid performance on various platforms, though some bugs and glitches persist, particularly with server stability, game modes, voice chat, and controller support. Despite these issues, the overall experience remains enjoyable and stable for most players.

    • “Simple and fast pace, great movement with awesome abilities, solid graphics, no glitches, great guns with good hit boxes and very addicting.”
    • “Runs great on Legion Go 2 at 1080p 60fps.”
    • “This game is super fun and runs great on Linux.”
    • “Does have its issues with server crashes, glitches, and bugs like in upload where the ball can get stuck in spots players can't reach.”
    • “Voice chat is a bit buggy; it can cut out frequently. In the demo, push-to-talk would sometimes activate unexpectedly.”
    • “Game modes are extremely buggy, which disrupts gameplay and affects player engagement.”
  • humor

    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of quirky and situational, with players finding funny moments in bugs like mech bouncing and weapon antics. While there is no intentional comedic writing or charming characters, the chaotic and over-the-top combat scenarios create an unintentionally amusing and absurd atmosphere.

    • “If you mech jump and land on another mech, you continuously bounce on their head. It's actually funny! Maybe make it a double bounce — eager to see what the future holds.”
    • “There's something hilarious and terrifying about the 'oh god, they all have shotguns and they're running straight at me' horror-mode feeling.”
    • “The hammer is funny, but please 1047 Games, I need this.”
  • grinding

    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 11% neutral mentions, 89% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and overly time-consuming, especially for unlocking attachments, perks, and playstyles, leading to frustration among players. While progression feels grindy like older Call of Duty titles, free unique weapon skin drops and varied game modes add some positive aspects. Many suggest improvements like better balancing, more rewarding camos, and less punishing grind to enhance the experience.

    • “The progression system feels a bit grindy, like old Call of Duty games, but the free drops for unique gun skins is nice.”
    • “I'm not even talking about the Chinese levels of farming you have to do for attachments or perks.”
    • “But locking down a whole playstyle or guns behind grinding, nullifying counterplay, or forcing you to get frustrated by the guy hiding on a corner with a shotgun or sniper is beyond frustrating.”
  • emotional

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game evokes strong emotional engagement through its rich ideological conflict between cybernetic enhancement and human instinct, adding depth to the atmosphere. However, the constant enemy respawns and fluid movement mechanics challenge team cohesion, affecting players' strategic connection. Despite this, the supportive and wholesome community enhances the overall emotional experience.

    • “The ideological divide between the factions—those sacrificing their organic humanity for cybernetic, AI-driven performance boosts and emotional regulation versus the unbound members completely rejecting the chip to rely on raw, human instinct—adds an awesome layer of flavor to the gritty atmosphere.”
    • “The community in this game has been nothing but wholesome and helpful and we need to keep it growing!”
  • character development

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 75% negative mentions

    The character development is widely criticized for being unengaging and uninspired, with designs perceived as generic and lacking depth, contributing to an overall flat and unimmersive experience.

    • “The story and the character designs aren't particularly immersing or interesting.”
    • “The atmosphere, character designs, mechs, sounds, menus, everything is just so... flat.”
    • “The character designs are dog water.”
  • replayability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game offers solid replayability with enjoyable matches, especially when played with friends, but it can become somewhat repetitive after multiple sessions. While overall enjoyable, its replay value may feel limited compared to other modern games.

    • “Replayability: 7/10 (just gets a little repetitive after a few matches, better with friends)”
    • “Overall amazing but replayability might be limited compared to what games bring nowadays.”
  • atmosphere

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enriched by the compelling ideological divide between factions, adding depth and flavor to its gritty setting. However, some elements like character designs, mechs, sounds, and menus feel flat, detracting from the overall immersive experience.

    • “The ideological divide between the factions—those sacrificing their organic humanity for cybernetic, AI-driven performance boosts and emotional regulation versus the unbound members completely rejecting the chip to rely on raw, human instinct—adds an awesome layer of flavor to the gritty atmosphere.”
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Play Times

11h Median play time
57h Average play time
5-133h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

EMPULSE is a shooter game with science fiction theme. Common tags for EMPULSE include first-person, fast-paced, early access, parkour, mechs and others.

EMPULSE is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 57 hours playing EMPULSE.

EMPULSE was released on June 24, 2026.

EMPULSE was developed by 1047 Games.

EMPULSE has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked EMPULSE for its gameplay but disliked it for its monetization.

EMPULSE is a multiplayer game.

Similar games include Splitgate 2, SUPERVIVE, Shatterline, Boundary, TRIBES 3: Rivals and others.