Fast-paced multiplayer FPS with tactical gameplay, reminiscent of Counter Strike and Call of Duty
Fast-paced multiplayer FPS with tactical gameplay, reminiscent of Counter Strike and Call of Duty
Vote (97 votes)
Program license Free
Developer United States Army
Version 4.0
Works under Windows
Vote
(97 votes)
Developer
United States Army
Works under
Windows
Program license
Free
Version
4.0
Pros
- Realistic tactics and graphics
- Free to play
- Focus on teamwork and tactics
Cons
- No lean command
- Revival system means long matches
America's Army: Proving Grounds is a modern first-person shooter. In fact, it's not just a game but an educational (or, depending on your perspective, propaganda) product put out by the United States military. Noting the popularity of military-themed games, a group of Army officers proposed a first-person shooter that would help to familiarise the public with some of the realities of modern combat. Several games into the series, the America's Army games have developed a strong fanbase. Proving Grounds is the latest game in the series and focuses primarily on multiplayer competition.
This team-based multiplayer game simulates a squad of infantry preparing for urban combat against a team of fellow trainees. Because this is intended to be a training exercise, characters who are shot aren't really dead -- instead, they're knocked down and can be revived unless an opposing player secures them with a pair of flexible plastic cuffs. The result is a game that's realistic enough to be authentic without being too gory to dissuade young people from serving in the military. The environments are detailed, representing the abandoned cities of a fictional Eastern European republic -- or at least a simulated version of one. Maps lend themselves to close-quarters combat rather than the long-range marksmanship found in some previous America's Army games.
Based on the Unreal Engine, America's Army looks good for a free-to-play game. The graphics aren't absolutely top-of-the-line, but the detail of weapons and uniforms as highly realistic, as would be expected from a game produced by the military. In terms of gameplay, Proving Grounds focuses on realism and teamwork rather than aggressive run-and-gun tactics. Players need to work together, laying down covering fire to protect their comrades and using tools such as flash-bang grenades to suppress the enemy. Characters aren't very survivable; a hit or two will knock a character down, and a well-aimed burst will take a character from fine to out in a split second.
Just like in real warfare, friendly fire is a real hazard. Your teammates can injure you with stray bullets or grenades, so watch you lines of fire. In general, reckless play in America's Army is a good way to get killed.
Pros
- Realistic tactics and graphics
- Free to play
- Focus on teamwork and tactics
Cons
- No lean command
- Revival system means long matches
