Squad
- October 17, 2018
- Offworld
- 57h median play time
A hardcore team game that's fun when you work together, despite some unfriendly systems.
Squad is a large scale combined arms multiplayer first-person shooter emphasizing combat realism through communication, team play, emphasizing strong squad cohesion mechanics as well as larger-scale coordination, tactics, and planning. It features 20 large open maps, vehicle-based combined arms gameplay, and player-constructed bases to create a heart-thumping, visceral gaming experience with split…
Reviews
- gameplay5,898 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Squad is characterized by its emphasis on teamwork, strategy, and communication, making it a unique blend of tactical military simulation and first-person shooter mechanics. While many players appreciate the immersive experience and realistic mechanics, recent updates, particularly the infantry combat overhaul, have polarized the community, with some feeling that the changes have negatively impacted the fluidity and enjoyment of gunplay. Overall, the game offers a steep learning curve but rewards players who invest time in mastering its mechanics and working collaboratively with their squad.
“The commitment to creating immersive environments and strategic gameplay is impressive, making it one of the most engaging tactical shooters out there.”
“The gameplay is amazing, the radio system is working great and you have a bonus point for making the Canadian Armed Forces available.”
“The gameplay is fun and very strategical.”
“The gameplay is wonky and unintuitive, and a lot of things are incredibly unpolished (lack of respawn option, chat, spawn menu).”
“I tried it, the gameplay just sucks… no need for constructive feedback.”
“The shooting mechanics are abysmal.”
- graphics2,674 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and immersive environments, while others criticize performance issues and optimization challenges. Some users note that the graphics are reminiscent of older titles, leading to disappointment, especially when compared to modern AAA games. Overall, while the graphics can be impressive, particularly in terms of effects and detail, they often require high-end hardware to run smoothly, and many players express a desire for further improvements and optimizations.
“The graphics are stunning, with detailed environments ranging from dense forests to sprawling urban landscapes.”
“The graphics, sound design, animations, and map design are all stellar.”
“The graphics are beautiful, the audio work for all assets and sounds gorgeous, and the absolute necessity of communication to win is a tasty combo.”
“It has no right to run this poorly with the visuals and effects the game offers.”
“The graphics are not that impressive either.”
“The graphics look like a mix between triple a and ps1 graphics as 20 feet in front of you will either turn to complete pixels or a blurry hallucination.”
- optimization2,238 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 26 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been a significant point of contention among players, with many expressing frustration over its poor performance, particularly on AMD hardware. Despite some improvements in recent updates, players report frequent frame drops, stuttering, and overall instability, making the game unplayable for some, even on high-end systems. Many reviewers urge the developers to prioritize optimization over new content to enhance the gaming experience.
“This game is amazing in its gameplay and design, but it is also one of the least optimized games I own.”
“The optimization issues: despite its potential, the game's poor optimization leads to frequent frame drops and lag, making it difficult to enjoy, especially during intense firefights.”
“The game does have its downsides but nothing significant that will hinder your experience or your enjoyment playing Squad; it has some bugs and some optimization issues, but that's about all I can think of at the moment.”
“This game is poorly optimized and runs like dog poop.”
“The optimization in this game is awful.”
“The game is so poorly optimized that it's become a meme in the community.”
- stability660 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the occasional humorous glitches endearing, others express frustration over game-breaking bugs, crashes, and poor optimization, particularly during intense gameplay moments. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "unpolished," with many recommending potential players to wait for further updates and fixes before diving in.
“It plays amazingly, it's beautiful, runs great, fantastic dev support, community is great and growing.”
“The game is generally bug free for me.. it runs and looks great!”
“Oh....and it runs great.”
“This game has been out too long to have this many glitches and bugs.”
“The game is buggy, the server browser doesn't work 70% of the time, some maps are really badly optimized but I can overlook all of these.”
“The game is buggy, but that doesn't take too much away from it as it is still my favorite game to play, realism is great as I said and same with teamwork.”
- humor660 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the hilarious interactions and banter that occur during gameplay. The community is described as friendly and often funny, creating memorable moments through voice chat and unexpected in-game events, such as amusing glitches and chaotic firefights. Overall, the combination of comedic elements and camaraderie among players contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere, making the game enjoyable even amidst its serious military simulation aspects.
“Combine that with a game that's just slightly buggy enough for funny stuff to happen without compromising gameplay, and you have hilarious memories to look back on.”
“The community is awesome and hilarious! You'll find interesting and funny people, tactical trolling, and many other things.”
“The proximity/local chat can be hilarious and bring hours of fun in itself.”
“Game became slow, unfunny and frustrating.”
“Best to play with friends, otherwise it's not funny or worth buying.”
“Not funny, did not laugh.”
- monetization634 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 51 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism from players, particularly due to the introduction of microtransactions for cosmetic items like emotes, which contradicts earlier promises from developers to avoid such practices. Many players feel that these changes, alongside performance issues and gameplay alterations, have transformed the game into a cash grab, undermining its original vision and community trust. While some acknowledge that the microtransactions are not pay-to-win, the overall sentiment is that they detract from the immersive experience and could lead to more aggressive monetization strategies in the future.
“There are cosmetic in-game purchases but no pay-to-win or segmenting of the player base.”
“To the developers' credit, they add new factions and maps for free to keep the player base from getting split from DLCs, and the microtransactions are not needed to play and enjoy the game.”
“The game's current monetization model is fair and doesn't feel predatory; Fortnite dances are cool.”
“Developers keep the game in a stranglehold, introduce bad changes, absurd paid cosmetics, and now remove a mod that was becoming more popular than vanilla due to some advertising technicality.”
“The game's descent began with the ominous shift in its development studio from American to Chinese hands, marking the beginning of its tragic transformation into a soulless cash grab.”
“It's frustrating that the developers have prioritized greed (microtransactions and emotes) over player experience (bug fixes and optimization).”
- story579 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized, with many users stating that it lacks a traditional narrative or structured campaign. Most reviews emphasize that the gameplay focuses on teamwork and mission objectives rather than a cohesive storyline, leading to a perception of the game as a series of disconnected multiplayer experiences. While some players find enjoyment in the emergent stories created through gameplay interactions, the consensus is that the game does not offer a meaningful or engaging story.
“Every game feels like a movie / AAA campaign mission that is really immersive.”
“This game is a perfect way to enjoy a realistic milsim style shooter without having to go through the hassle that is Arma 3 clans, mods, and Zeus missions.”
“Squad gives you the opportunity to carve out your own story throughout the gameplay itself, due to the fact that you may not know how many enemies are ahead of you, and you're relying solely on your squadmates to help you through the battle.”
“This game lacks culture, story, grit, and depth.”
“If you are looking for a game that focuses on the power of teamwork, socializing with new friends in the crucible of the battlefield, and 'war story' moments aplenty, there simply isn't a worthy alternative.”
“The story is as follows: me and a bunch of other people on my team were fighting to take back a fob for a really long time (like probably 3/4 of the game) and we took it back.”
- music270 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is a mixed bag, with players enjoying both the original soundtrack and the spontaneous music shared through voice chat. While the official soundtrack is praised for its emotional depth and quality, the chaotic nature of player-generated music—ranging from humorous to annoying—adds a unique, albeit sometimes frustrating, layer to the gameplay experience. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and memorable moments among players.
“The game's soundtrack also deserves a special mention - from weapon sounds to team communications, everything is carefully crafted to create an atmospheric experience.”
“The soundtrack is incredible.”
“The music is catchy and memorable (I'll often find myself humming certain tunes from it), the world feels lived-in and natural, and the gameplay is incredibly laid back and enjoyable.”
“You'll spend more time dealing with mic spam involving loud music and racial slurs.”
“The main menu music volume can't be adjusted and is awful on the ears.”
“If someone is spamming the mic with music and clouding up the comms, we have no real way to deal with that.”
- grinding216 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 47 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a significant divide in player experiences regarding grinding in the game. While some appreciate the absence of traditional grinding mechanics like leveling up or unlocking items, many find the gameplay tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive commitment to stay competitive. Overall, the game is seen as a mix of enjoyable moments and frustratingly slow or repetitive tasks, with a consensus that it demands a considerable time investment to fully engage.
“You aren't grinding a battle pass, unlocking characters, skis, weapons, maps, grinding levels for god knows what reason, getting gear, or doing dailies.”
“Good set of classes/roles to choose from and the game has no grinding system, which in my opinion is a pro in my book.”
“Lots of teamwork and communication, and no grinding to unlock weapons and similar items.”
“The game might have been good, but at its current state I say avoid it like the plague. The graphics are great, but the vehicle controls and animations are slow and tedious. To get out of a vehicle, you need to spend valuable seconds holding a key down. Really, what era were the game's devs born in? 1980? Holding keys down all day makes the gameplay feel tortoise slow.”
“It's some of the most boring and tedious activity currently available in a game about combined arms warfare.”
“The gameplay can be tedious with brief or prolonged moments of action between the long stretches of waiting or moving from one location to another.”
- atmosphere194 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and realistic portrayal of warfare, enhanced by exceptional sound design and a strong emphasis on teamwork and communication. Players report feeling deeply engaged in the chaotic battlefield environment, with many noting that the game's community contributes positively to the overall experience. However, some users mention that the game's content may feel limited over time, and those not fond of modern military settings might find it less appealing.
“The atmosphere of this game can't be achieved with a brainrot Battlefield 2042 or a Call of Duty.”
“The meticulously designed maps, realistic weapon mechanics, and lifelike visuals create an atmosphere that completely engulfs you.”
“The sound design, overall atmosphere, and player interactions are amazing.”
“Additionally, if you do not enjoy the modern warfare atmosphere, you may quickly become bored with this game.”
“The atmosphere of this game is very well done.”
“The only way to describe the atmosphere in this game is basically a PTSD ultra Vietnam flashback times 100 and then some.”
- replayability147 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with many users highlighting its near-infinite replay value due to diverse maps, varying game modes, and the dynamic nature of each match. The emphasis on teamwork and different player roles further enhances the experience, ensuring that no two games are alike. Overall, players feel that the game's depth and community support contribute significantly to its longevity and enjoyment.
“A lot of depth, near infinite replayability, and no bullshit.”
“The game offers intense firefight scenarios, an open-world approach to objectives, and great replayability.”
“The modding community has also flourished, creating a variety of custom content that enhances the game's replayability.”
“But when the metaphorical dust settles and you're left with the core gameplay loop, I really think these changes do nothing but damage the replayability of the game.”
“The replayability of the previous version is gone.”
“The ico has removed the top 5/6ths of the skill spectrum in favor of mind-numbing, two-dimensional, shot-at-shoot-back gameplay that fails to offer replayability.”
- emotional102 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- -2 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' deep investment in the combat experience, often feeling a strong sense of camaraderie and purpose while engaging with others. Many reviews express feelings of nostalgia, heartwarming moments, and even tears, reflecting the game's ability to evoke genuine emotional responses through its immersive gameplay and supportive community. However, some players also mention feelings of disappointment and betrayal due to recent updates, which have affected their emotional connection to the game.
“The community's reaction is rooted in a sense of betrayal; they had invested in 'squad' not just financially but also emotionally, believing in the developers' commitment to a different kind of gaming experience.”
“Each member plays a vital role, and the sense of camaraderie that develops as you work together to achieve objectives is genuinely heartwarming.”
“This game is awesome but the leaning is so exaggerated you're literally shooting at dudes with their heads touching the ground.”
“You'll be emotionally invested.”
“The game tries to evoke emotions but falls flat.”
“I felt disconnected from the characters and their struggles.”
- character development5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is described as mediocre, with a standard narrative arc that begins with camaraderie among characters before heading into conflict. While some players appreciate the integration of squad dynamics and communication, others criticize the overall character design and technical issues that detract from the experience.
“Every game is a full story arc and every game begins with character development - optimistically riding out to war with your temporary best friends while someone on your truck is blasting classic rock through their mic and you're all trying to pretend that your idiot squad lead isn't about to get you slaughtered.”
“Character development is mid.”
“So yeah, pay an overpriced amount to play a game with unacceptable lighting/graphics and character design that has a very high chance of not being playable due to it freezing on the loading screen every damn time.”
“For the five minutes I was able to get it to work, I can say the lighting and character design is awful; it looks like they stole those trees from Farming Simulator 19.”