We all know that the FPS market is flooded with shooters like Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo and Counter Strike. Don’t get me wrong, but these games have become too repetitive. Amid all these huge franchises, we have Insurgency, a Source mod. It is one of those few games, that is simple yet addictive. Gamers who love COD and hate on CS would love this game. Gamers who hate COD and love CS would love this game too. Gamers who love both COD and CS would love this game even more. In short, if you are into any kind of shooters, this is a perfect game for you. It is the perfect amalgam of COD, Battlefield and CS.
Once you have played Insurgency; many of you will agree to disagree to agree that the game is conventional. If anything, the game does many things better than other conventional shooters, though it lacks in some aspects as well.
Insurgency is probably the most realistic and fun multiplayer FPS out there, in the sense that it balances out both of those aspects of the game to an extent very few games are able to. It is basically all you would want from a decent multiplayer FPS game. The game is easy to learn and has the same mechanics as most modern shooters. The main difference though comes in the gameplay aspect.
As you enter any one of the game modes in Insurgency, you will immediately feel a sense of insecurity, the reason being the map size. Almost all of the maps have depth, which may bewilder newcomers and veterans of the FPS genre alike. Those who are accustomed to the run-n-gun policy of COD will find themselves at a disadvantage here. Some of the maps are very open which make players who like to rush, an easy target for snipers. But do not be mistaken, even snipers are in constant fear of their fate. Every map has nooks and corners, and a lot of foliage or other structures which can provide a poaching position for those looking in the right place. Being a tactical shooter, you’d expect the player to have a little bit of patience. But for Insurgency, you’ll be requiring a lot of it. The game is extremely slow on it’s buildup and rewards you for being tactical. There are no weapon unlocks and you get all you want from the start. The weapon customizations are detailed to a very high degree and also having in-game uses.
Others may point out that the maps have a slight resemblance to the Battlefield maps and it’s true to certain extent. A maximum allowance of 32 players (16 v 16) on a single server, may be one of the many reasons of why the developers of the game wanted to go big, though there are no playable vehicles in the game. Some maps are majorly comprised of tight corners and in contrast other maps are wide open to allow for a bit more fast paced sooting.
The gameplay here is not unique but adds enough twists that can hook you up, when compared to other shooters. As mentioned previously, the maps are big and there are no playable vehicles, which adds focus to infantry warfare, and that makes is actually good and focused. The guns are highly customizable with scopes, stands, holders etc, which have actual use unlike many other games. Some of the best features of the game lie in the fact that- there are no crosshairs, so if you are trying to shoot someone far away without aiming down the sight, you might as well try to sit on a needle and that the bullets do actual damage and the game does not make you a bullet sponge. You can literally die in around 2-3 hits.
There are no unnecessary perks like Juggernaut or Extreme Conditioning, meaning everything is fair and square; you don’t know the direction from which you’re getting fired at; there’s no GPS and last but not the least there are no kill cams. This may feel frustrating, but never will you think that it was luck, you’ll always know that it was your mistake all along. All these key features may scare you when you initially jump into the game, but give it some time and once you are familiar with the maps, it will make for an intensive tactical shooter, not only online, but also for offline LAN Parties. Also, minimal HUD makes for an immersive experience and also reduces the chance of any kind of obstruction.
There are various game modes available; co-op being one of them; which will make sure that you’re not playing the same thing over and over again. I personally would also like to see this game in the E-Sports community because it has the same fairness as CS and also accommodates more number of players, resulting in a better and larger scale gameplay, teamwork & excitement. Also since it’s a source mod, it can practically run on any modern system, which allows for a wider reach and better reception from the crowd.
Graphics wise, I was very surprised with the visual fidelity that the game has to offer. The various settings present in the game menu and the amount of in-game detail make this game one, which has an all round appeal. Considering that the game is already 2 years old, it still looks good and if you are into hardcore tactical shooting, you should pick it up from Steam. Overall even though there is no single player, this is one game that you can pour hours upon hours into and can also play it with friends.
In conclusion I would say that this is a far more better shooter than COD, BF and CS, and it’s sole problem is that no one knows about it, hence having a low player base. This is the only reason I’m not able to get into, otherwise this is one of those nigh perfect shooters that you get in over a decade.