After various testing phases, XDefiant has been released and the free-to-play shooter looks to become a major player in the online gaming community. Players can select from characters from various Ubisoft franchises such as The Division, Watch Dogs, Splinter Cell, and more.
Players will select their weapons load-outs and can upgrade them over time as they level up.
Players will also be able to go through a shooting tutorial so they can find a configuration that works best for them.
Once in the game players will battle through various maps reminiscent of Ubisoft games to defend areas, escort, and eliminate enemy players along the way.
This is not as easy as it seems as weapons balance can be an adjustment early in the game. Getting the drop on an enemy and unloading a full clip into them doesn’t always result in success as more often than not; players will absorb this and quickly dispatch you with a couple of shots. I had to take an M60 variant early on in order to have the success I had become accustomed to with an FPS game as usually 3 to 4 bursts or a sustained barrage accomplish the task.
As your player goes up in skill, better gear and abilities become available which allows you to have a better chance of success. The big trick is during the frequent beatdowns and frustrations where it seems that enemy players are bullet sponges until you reach a level that allows you to have a more balanced loadout.
My biggest frustration with the game was that I would frequently join the lobby, load out my character, and wait for the countdown to start the match only to be told that the match was Artie in progress. I did not encounter this much during the early test phases for the game but this was a frequent occurrence for me at launch even after competing in a match and waiting for my team to go on to the next map.
The variety of maps is good and the weapon loadouts are certainly adequate for the task at hand. One of the big questions about the game is that in being free to play; monetization is obviously a key part of the plan going forward and while there are Battle Pass options available for cosmetics and various enticements; the question will remain for now if a pay to win or significant paid advantage is going to be available on an ongoing basis.
While the game provides an interesting enough draw; I did find myself returning to other FPS games after my play session as while XDefiant has the look and action of a AAA FPS; at this stage of the game, I found it to be behind games such as Call of Duty for giving me the action and gameplay experience that I’ve come to expect.
That being said; one can certainly not argue with the price and with community feedback being implemented into future updates; XDefiant can become a signature FPS for Ubisoft and is an engaging game for those willing to invest their time.
4 stars out of 5
