Hired Ops

About

Hired Ops is a multiplayer tactical role playing shooter game with a warfare theme. It was developed by Absolut Soft LLC and was released on April 13, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Hired Ops is a session-based online shooter dedicated to fierce conflicts between rival mercenary groups battling on a global scale from Russian developer AbsolutSoft. Using the latest weapons and special equipment, players take part in armed encounters, unite into private military companies, carry out contracts, build bases and aggressively compete with each other - all for the sake of domination…

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67%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,902 reviews

gameplay134 positive mentions

grinding46 negative mentions

Good gunplay with satisfying shooting mechanics and weapon customization.
Free-to-play game with no pay-to-win elements and solid progression system.
Reasonably optimized and runs well even on low-end PCs, with multiple game modes and maps.

Large presence of bots with aimbot and unnatural accuracy affecting gameplay experience.
Low player base causing long matchmaking times and empty or unbalanced matches.
Frequent cheaters and hackers, with ineffective anti-cheat measures resulting in frustration.

gameplay
333 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The gameplay of this FPS, blending fast-paced action reminiscent of Call of Duty with tactical elements from Escape from Tarkov, offers solid shooting mechanics, customizable weapons, and varied maps that many find enjoyable and satisfying. However, it suffers from issues like slow progression, pay-to-win and cheating concerns, match-making problems, and a lack of originality or polish, which together limit its long-term appeal despite a promising foundation. Overall, it is a decent free-to-play shooter with good mechanics for those who enjoy arcade-style gameplay mixed with tactical depth, but it requires improvements in balance, server stability, and anti-cheat measures to reach its full potential.
- “The gameplay is solid and visually stunning, the weapons are insanely fun to play with.”
- “The gameplay and visuals are good but no one is playing.”
- “The gameplay is some of the most satisfying out there for a half arcade fps.”
- “After days of gameplay I had problems with progress stuck; levels, missions, and weapon XP stopped progressing regardless of how I tried to solve it. It's sad to see such a good game with this type of bug not being resolved urgently.”
- “The progression is slow, the gameplay variety is mediocre, and the balancing is suboptimal.”
- “All in all gameplay wise, Hired Ops is fine, the main problem is that it is very generic and unoriginal and the fact that they also tried to copy Contract Wars and Escape from Tarkov, only extends that unoriginality making this game feel like Call of Duty with a Tarkov makeover and so for that I give Hired Ops a 4-5/10, I do not recommend it, you’re better spending your 30 minutes somewhere else or even playing COD or Tarkov.”
graphics
242 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
45%
7%
The game's graphics are generally praised for their detailed, immersive, and Tarkov-like aesthetic, especially impressive for a free-to-play title, with good visual fidelity, effects, and customization. However, some users note optimization issues, occasional dated textures, inconsistent performance on lower-end systems, and a lack of significant graphical advancement compared to past iterations. Overall, while not cutting-edge by AAA standards, the graphics are seen as a strong point and enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The same graphic assets are used in Hired Ops that BSG also uses in the tactical shooter Escape from Tarkov.”
- “Great gameplay and graphics, a lot of weapons, skills, and upgrades to personalize your play style, a fantastic sense of progression.”
- “The game is beautiful, probably even more so if I could crank the graphics up a bit more.”
- “The biggest problem is that the game is poorly optimized and even with my Nvidia GTX 1050 4GB (laptop) the GPU was running at 100% on lowest graphics and 1366x768 resolution, causing huge lag spikes when playing.”
- “Stay away from this game everything about it feels like a game from 10 years ago that includes the horrible graphics.”
- “First I saw it was core 2 duo a few months ago which should be playable on (my) potato laptop but now the requirements have increased so I play and it's laggy even after I down all the graphics setting to lowest but it doesn't really help because I get a mosaic view that makes it hard to identify and engage enemies.”
optimization
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
47%
22%
Optimization in the game is highly mixed, with some users praising its solid performance on low-end systems and decent gunplay smoothness, while many others report severe performance issues including crashes, stuttering, inconsistent FPS scaling, and poor GPU optimization. Despite improvements and weekly updates, the game suffers from bugs, lag, and server problems that hinder playability, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, optimization is considered below expectations but shows potential for improvement as the game is still in early access.
- “Free, simpler alternative to EFT: Arena, with solid performance and gunplay on a low-end system.”
- “It’s well optimized, compared to a lot of free-to-play shooters I've tried.”
- “The game is well optimized and runs pretty well on even a 10 year-old machine with medium settings on 30+ fps.”
- “A ton of bugs and unbelievably poor optimization; my game is bricked, can't do anything, my account is completely frozen now.”
- “I have a Ryzen 3 2200G with 8GB RAM and this game crashes my PC, takes too long to load a match, and then crashes, sound glitches or even when I can play a match it freezes all the time. I know my PC is not the best but I can play Rainbow Six Siege, but not this game. Worst optimization ever.”
- “The performance is absolutely awful; this game runs worse than GTA 4.”
grinding
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
7%
87%
Grinding in the game is a major and often divisive aspect, with many players describing it as extensive and sometimes tedious, particularly when unlocking new weapons and completing challenges. While some find the grind rewarding and engaging due to the large weapon variety and gameplay mechanics, others criticize it as overly time-consuming, exacerbated by bot-filled servers and repetitive tasks. Overall, grinding is a core feature that can feel both addictive and frustrating depending on player tolerance and expectations.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “On top of that, it's very grindy, but simply not worth the time and effort that it takes.”
- “Thing is, it's extremely grindy especially when it comes to unlocking new guns, and even though it has lots of them they all feel extremely similar and there is very minimal customization.”
- “Some weapon tasks are extremely tedious, such as backstab 15 enemies with a sniper; these tasks are needed to unlock new guns so they shouldn't be too impossible and out of the way of normal gameplay.”
monetization
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
45%
49%
Monetization in the game is generally described as non-intrusive, with many players appreciating that microtransactions are optional and mostly cosmetic or convenience-based, avoiding pay-to-win mechanics. However, some express concerns over exploitative elements like loot boxes and game balance-affecting purchases introduced later, while others highlight poor advertising and a small player base as bigger issues than monetization itself. Overall, the system is seen as more fair compared to similar free-to-play shooters, but mixed decisions on monetization and promotion have impacted the game's popularity.
- “In short 9/10, because you truly don't need to use microtransactions for anything; just by playing the game, after some time, it starts giving you premiums daily and it is free nowadays.”
- “Since it's free-to-play, expect some microtransactions and a premium status, but all, if not every, camo and equipment can be grinded for free (even the seasonal challenges are free, instead of selling you a battlepass).”
- “Has no pay-to-win; microtransactions are not pushed down your throat.”
- “Please don't get this game, it is just a cash grab from the devs.”
- “Update for 08-17-2020: they added lootboxes to the shop with gameplay affecting items, further increasing the pay-to-win aspects, despite originally promising the game would not have lootboxes or other microtransactions.”
- “- exploitative monetization (lootboxes, pay-to-win, poor matchmaking, etc.)”
story
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
74%
15%
The game lacks a traditional single-player story or campaign, focusing instead on multiplayer missions with minimal narrative depth and character development. While it loosely ties to the broader "Escape from Tarkov" universe, storytelling is mostly absent or vague, with mission clarity and progression often criticized. Overall, the story aspect is considered weak or non-existent by most players.
- “The story in vague details is as follows: a multinational organisation called Terra Group Labs is doing all kinds of illegal stuff in Russia, with the support of the government.”
- “Hired Ops (originally Contract Wars 2.0 standalone) is an online first-person shooter game based on the free-to-play game 'Contract Wars.' This is strictly a multiplayer game, meaning that there is no campaign and no bots (although there is a storyline behind the fighting). While most of the maps and weapons are just ports from the original game, Hired Ops did introduce some significant changes.”
- “Ho takes place after you have escaped from Tarkov and move onto a global mission.”
- “Hired Ops delivers solid FPS mechanics, reminiscent of Counter-Strike, yet falls short in storytelling and character development.”
- “This is a nice free game with real life-like graphics but lacks creativity in weapons and simple capabilities like slide and crouch are missing completely. There is no single player story, just the online multiplayer shooting.”
- “The missions are not clear in precisely what you must do to complete them. Sometimes you will need to experiment to find the exact right thing to do to complete a mission. Mission system is really limited.”
stability
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
The game suffers from numerous bugs, glitches, crashes, and poor optimization that affect gameplay stability, including issues with aiming, spawning, and frequent freezes. Server problems and high ping further hinder smooth experiences, though some users note recent improvements and potential for future fixes. Overall, stability remains a significant concern, especially in its early access state.
- “The game runs great.”
- “Love this game, not very buggy, way better than Tarkov Arena.”
- “The game is much more smooth now, runs great and has decent graphics.”
- “It's also a buggy piece of software: multiple times I use a medkit and it does nothing; the stim injector buyable has the same bug. I have spawned inside mountains, and when I play gun game, my guns disappear randomly.”
- “I have a Ryzen 3 2200G with 8GB RAM and this game crashes my PC, takes too long to load a match, and then crashes. There are sound glitches, and even when I can play a match it freezes all the time. Worst optimization ever.”
- “Also, it's a clunky buggy mess. You can't even jump out from windows and stairway rails in this game because of invisible walls... horrible!”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as lighthearted and entertaining, with amusing in-game moments, quirky mechanics, and playful interactions that keep players laughing. Many find the game funny both in solo and multiplayer settings, enjoying its comedic elements alongside the gameplay.
- “He is really interesting and humorous.”
- “Hilarious and ongoing entertainment for the entire room.”
- “It's a good game, better than a lot of FPS shooting games, funny with friends.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game features a gritty, industrial, and desolate atmosphere that many players find immersive and distinct, enhancing the hardcore shooter experience. While some praise its unique vibe and weapon mechanics, others feel the atmosphere contributes to a tense, sometimes off-putting player environment. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout element that may deeply appeal to fans of intense, realistic shooters.
- “Actual gunplay, gritty atmosphere – a hidden gem for hardcore shooter fans.”
- “Its actually a great game, a big upgrade from Contract Wars, great weapon models, animations and sound design, simple but effective weapon customization, fun game modes, nice maps and an industrial desolate atmosphere that just hits right and great progression; it's not pay to win as it might seem, every weapon can be deadly in the right hands.”
- “Yet, its unique atmosphere sets it apart, providing a fresh experience.”
- “- Atmosphere, I cannot play this game anymore.”
- “So chat is pretty nasty at times, the players are anti-social, lots of try-hard atmosphere, and you get the feeling that sometimes there are some players who are really too good at the game.”
- “Atmosphere, perhaps.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The music in the game is highly praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, with many players enjoying listening to the soundtracks while playing. The soundtracks are considered well-crafted and enhance the overall gaming experience. However, some players choose to turn off the music, indicating it is optional but well-appreciated by most.
- “Great mechanics, great graphics (well optimized), great soundtracks (oh hell if they are good), a lot of highly detailed weapons fully customizable, funny game modes and immersive maps.”
- “Good relaxing PvP when you want to just listen to music and vibe.”
- “I recommend playing while listening to music.”
- “❌ Music is not needed and is best turned off.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express disappointment and emotional frustration with the game, describing it as a less impactful, simplified version of Escape from Tarkov combined with Call of Duty. Many regret playing it, feeling it lacks the emotional depth and challenge they expected, compounded by technical compromises like lowering graphics just to make it playable.
- “It's like Escape from Tarkov but it's Call of Duty and I don't experience emotional and mental trauma every time I play.”
- “If EFT had a baby with CoD and that child was mentally and emotionally challenged.”
- “There are no words that can describe my disappointment and regret of ever touching it.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Users unanimously praise the game's replayability, highlighting that it offers virtually infinite replay value.
- “Infinitely replayable”
- “Infinitely replayable”
- “Replayability”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in Hired Ops is lacking, with minimal storytelling that fails to enhance the overall experience despite solid FPS mechanics.
- “Hired Ops delivers solid FPS mechanics, reminiscent of Counter-Strike, yet falls short in storytelling and character development.”