My First 4 Hours in Hell Let Loose

I’ve always enjoyed first person shooters. Am I good at them? Uh, depends on the day. I’m a Battlefield fan, or was, I guess. I haven’t touched 2042, and don’t plan to. My first Battlefield was Bad Company 2, and I played every release since then. I loved it, but 2042 just didn’t appeal to me. I briefly attempted to go back to Call of Duty, which I hadn’t played since Black Ops, and found I did not enjoy that either. So… what else?

My wife, her sister, and friends play Valorant a lot. I’d never played CSGO, so the style was new to me. I played with them for quite some time, but found I lost interest in that as well. Every game was 50/50 chance whether it was like-skilled people, or those that were warming up for ranked and absolutely obliterated you. After a time, I just didn’t find it enjoyable.

So where am I to turn? Well, I played Battlefield V a little, and that was fun, but then I saw Hell Let Loose was on Humble Bundle. I decided, fuck it, I’ll give it a go. I had tested other “hardcore” games like it in the past, such as Squad, and didn’t really get into it. I put about 4 hours into Hell Let Loose with a friend of mine. So how’d it go?

Like I said, I have 4 hours into the game. That is no where near enough to understand everything that goes on. These are simply my first impressions.

The Immersion

I have an ultra-wide monitor, so that took some adjusting to get the resolution proper. However, once in the game, headphones on, the immersion is crazy. The graphics for the game are okay, I wouldn’t say mind-blowing, but when paired with the atmosphere of the game, it’s incredible. The sound of battles going on all around you gets your blood pumping. I can say, with honesty, it is terrifying as an infantry to hear a tank rolling down the street.

I had to remind myself to blink more than a few times as I stared down my iron sights at what may or may not be a person, or maybe was a person, and I was waiting for them to peak again. It also made me jump when I would turn a corner and, bam, there’s an enemy.

If you don’t know, in the game, you can only speak with your squad. The squad leader, among other abilities they get that I’ve yet to discover, is the only one that can talk to the commander. Aside from proximity chat, you are on your own as a squad. If you don’t have a leader actively talking with the commander, you can get lost pretty quickly. I was lost the majority of the time, but it was still a blast.

Movement, Fighting

The movement feels so slow compared to other games. Though, it does make sense for realism. I found myself, more than a few times, wanting to kick my dude in the ass and tell him to get moving. Crouching, going prone, and peaking corners are a must in this game. If you run out in the open, you will most definitely get picked off immediately.

The action comes here and there, so a lot of the time you are positioning. It can get frustrating when you spend 20 minutes on a flank only to be the first one to get popped. However, there can be some intense fighting that breaks out. If it’s a battle, and you got a good position, boy can you rake in some kills. I’m an adequate shot, at best, but managed to unlock the “Can’t Touch This” and “Filthy Camper” achievements in my first 4 hours, those representing 5 and 10 kills without dying. Positioning is everything.

I haven’t really figured out explosives. I have no idea if I’ve actually killed someone with a grenade, but I can say I’ve killed myself (and there’s an achievement for it!). Just like in reality, if you pull the pin on a grenade, but get gunned down, that thing is live. So, be careful out there, gents.

I’ve yet to touch operating a tank. Honestly, I’m terrified to try. Maybe I will when I get a better understanding of what’s going on.

Pain Points

The learning curve is sharp, there’s no way around it. I had no idea what was going on, and was learning little bits as I went. I’m definitely going to have to watch some “getting started” videos to figure everything out. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I found my directions were just all out of whack. I had to constantly check the map and then the compass to get my bearings. I’m going to chalk that up to being brand new to the game, and the maps, though.

Communication means a lot in this game, and I definitely felt pressured to talk to my squad. This is a good thing, but I also had no idea what to say. Luckily, there are some really nice people in game. One guy gave me a callout there were two peeps prone in the road, and I got two easy kills thanks to that. I was a rifleman, and they happened to be out of his distance. Little things like that make you feel better when you have no idea what’s going on or how to help your team.

Too soon to tell, right?

I had fun, that’s what matters, right? Do I like the game? I think I do. Time will tell. I need to spend some more time with it and actually learn what’s going on and how to best help my team. I know the basic of control these points, but the logistics of supplies and spawn points still confuses me.

I’d recommend anyone check it out if you are looking for a game where it’s realistic bullet damage. Oh. Getting a headshot in this game is probably one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done in any shooter.

Thanks for listening to my ramble.