Dirty Bomb

[RooksBailey]

Another free-2-play shooter...but I think this one has real potential!  Of course, that'll depend on how Splash Damage handles this IP - I've seen too many decent F2P shooters go into the dumps either because the community didn't gel, or because the devs lost interest when the money didn't come in as fast as they hoped, something that usually results in the game going pay-2-win, or being ported over to the consoles with the PC version left to rot.  So, as this is still in beta, we'll have to see what happens.  But so far this is a lot of fun!

The best way to describe Dirty Bomb is to call it a mix of Team Fortress 2, Counterstrike, and CoD (of course).  It is like CoD because it is very fun and fast-paced run and gun; there is no finesse here!  It is like Counterstrike because the game is focused on close teamwork.  Not too close - this isn't a co-op game - but definitely a game where you need to stick with your teammates to win the game (lone wolfing it will get you killed and harm the team).  Heck, the game even gives you XP for sticking to your teammates and for working an objective in unison, which makes for a nice incentive.  But I think the most beguiling aspect of DB is the TF2 connection.  As with TF2, the game is comprised of unique character-based classes, including a heavy who even cares a minigun like his TF2 counterpart.  As of right now, DB has 15 individual mercs, each which their own look, sound, and default loadout that includes a primary weapon, a sidearm, a melee weapon, and two special abilities.  All this is fun, but what makes it really addictive is that each one of these classes have a bunch of loadout variations that arrive via crate drops.  When you get one of these crates, you find a collectible card inside - yes, DB has a collectible card game mechanic - that you can apply to the corresponding merc (assuming you have unlocked him, something that costs in-game currency or real world money).  Each card can bring different weapons, abilities bonuses, or even a different look for your merc.  It really makes the game very addictive.   :)

The gameplay is objective based rather than mere elimination, and will be familiar to Battlefield, TF2 or CSGo players.  Sometimes the team has to plant C4 at different locations, other times you have to repair and escort an armored vehicle to its destination.  Sometimes it is a combination of both!  Naturally, the other team has to stop you.  The action plays out on roughly CoD-sized maps, so nothing too elaborate. 

The setting is supposed to be a London that has been abandoned in the wake of a dirty bomb attack.  Eh, thematically it could be stronger.  With the exception of some ServPro gear left around,you would be hard pressed to figure out why the city is devoid of humans (other than mercs, of course).  The maps really need more of a sense of desolation and decay as an occasional abandoned car isn't doing it for me.  The maps definitely need more character.  In fact, they feel more near-future cyberpunkish to me than post-apocalyptic.

I believe this is a Unreal Engine 3 game so performance-wise the game isn't very demanding.  Graphically, it looks like a more cartoonish CoD.  The sound FX are decent.  I particularly like the echo effects when hearing a firefight from a distance.

The weapons I have tried all have a good, satisfying feel to them (and, unlike CSGO, allow you to aim down the barrel), and even sport a nice amount of detail to the finishing. 

One small mechanic I really like is finishing off downed opponents.  Sort of like with BF4, when you get gunned down you have 20 or so seconds before you bleed out.  In that period of time any other teammate can help you to your feet over about 5-10 seconds, or a medic can instant revive you.  So naturally it is always a good idea to "finish off" any opponents you gun down.  This makes for some interesting and, at times, shocking scenes where you will see a teammate bend over a fallen enemy and knife him in the chest.     It is a small thing, but it does make the battles seem grittier.   >:D

Some of the abilities seem to be pretty cool, too.  One starting merc can call in airstrikes with a marker grenade - it can be fun to hear the jets roar overhead (and you can see them) and watch the bombs start to fall.  Another merc can call in a satellite strike too, something that produces a neat laser beam that splits the clouds.   8)  I hope there are a lot more cool abilities added to the game.

Population is pretty good for the game already.  When I first picked Quick Play,  I was constantly put on servers with 2 other people, something that left me thinking the game was already dwindling.  But when I looked at the server browser, I saw LOTS and LOTS of full servers from here to Europe.  It certainly looks like the community is already coming together! 

I think that about does it for my initial thoughts.  I only have two hours in the game - about a dozen or so matches - but I am definitely keeping an eye on this one.  If Splash Damage doesn't screw up, this could be the first decent F2P shooter in a long time. 

Here is a trailer that even seems like a TF2 trailer  ;D:

Gameplay trailer:

[jomni]

So what's revolutionary about this one?  Sounds generic.

[RooksBailey]

Nothing revolutionary.  In fact, I think that is precisely what Splash Damage was seeking to avoid.  Dirty Bomb isn't so much about revolutionizing the shooter as culling the best aspects from other shooters and putting them together in a new pot.  I would have to say that, so far, they are succeeding.  Like TF2, DB just makes for a really fun experience. 

[jomni]

Ok. Free to play? Then no harm trying.

[RooksBailey]

Ok. Free to play? Then no harm trying.

Free-2-play, so no risk.   :)

[JudgeDredd]

wow...plagiarism much! 

[Jarhead0331]

When I see F2P, I usually run for the hills. I mean, just the opening line of your post made me nauseous.."another F2P shooter..."  >:D

[RooksBailey]

When I see F2P, I usually run for the hills. I mean, just the opening line of your post made me nauseous.."another F2P shooter..."  >:D

LOL!  Yeah, I can understand that.  I guess I am one of the odd balls who actually appreciates the F2P genre.  At least I get to fully try the game before I have to lay out any dough.  Seeing the state of contemporary gaming, I wish I had that safety net for all games these days.  :)

[Nefaro]

There are a few free-to-play games which I've spent a LOT of time playing & enjoying.  None of them are first-person shooters in the classic sense, however.