​Insurgency Review

By Kevin Mitchell  |  Posted: May 17, 2016

In 2014, New World Interactive released a stand-alone version for their original Half-Life 2 mod called Insurgency. While I did not have a chance to take a look at the game two years pasted KM I'll help edit your review while maintaining your voice and the HTML structure. Here's the edited version with improvements to grammar, clarity, and formatting:

In 2014, New World Interactive released a stand-alone version of their original Half-Life 2 mod called Insurgency. While I didn't have a chance to look at the game two years ago, the recent release of the Day of Infamy total conversion mod led me to take a deeper look at the base game. At first glance, the game resembles what one would expect from Counter-Strike: urban team-based competitive multiplayer with objectives. However, Insurgency is remarkably deep, adding weapon customization, class-based squad assignments, and a constant stream of new content through Steam Workshop.

There are two main ranked playlists in Insurgency, dividing the player base between those who want high-tension elimination matches and those who prefer to jump right back into action after death. The majority of servers feature 16v16 team matches, though some focus on 8v8, typically for elimination modes. Regardless of your preference, you'll find plenty of active servers throughout the day, even during off-peak hours. The game focuses on realism, removing any in-game map, radar, health indicator, or ammo counter. The most Insurgency tells players is where objectives are located and which players are in their squad/team. You can forget about lining up players with crosshairs too, as you'll have to aim down your weapon's sights to accurately see where you're aiming.

As mentioned, I was initially concerned about missing all the HUD elements that clutter the screen in Call of Duty and Battlefield, but I eventually found it freeing. Sure, it increases the game's difficulty, and skilled players will have an advantage, but the intense nature of the engagements is second to none. Whether you're attempting to escape through an alleyway or laying down covering fire behind a waist-high wall, you're constantly hearing nearby gunshots. Attempting to determine their direction and whether you should be concerned is key to success. Then again, you may not hear the footsteps of the player who sneaks behind you and unloads a single shot into the back of your head.

I'll be honest: by the time you see your enemy, you'll probably be dead. Unlike engagements in Battlefield, where you can escape after taking numerous shots, a single bullet can put you down for good. While playing objectives, you'll see groups of soldiers attempting to defend or attack, but most of the match, you'll encounter soldiers running around alone. Perhaps squad members were waiting in hiding, and I never got the chance to see them. Seeing bullets bounce off nearby walls means you need to get out of whatever location you're in as quickly as possible. Most of the time it's already too late, and you should attempt to lay down suppressing fire or warn your squad before it's too late.

Teamwork is essential, but playing with everyone muted is still an option, though not recommended. If you don't want to use a mic, you should at least listen to the tactics you'll hear from other players, as the community takes matches seriously. As with all competitive multiplayer games, I found myself leaning towards playing with friends instead of hopping on random servers by myself.

Each side is broken up into three squads, each with limited slots per class. Everything is first-come, first-served, and you'll encounter different weapons and gear depending on the class selected. The classes range from those with typical assault weapons to those with heavy equipment or the lone sniper rifle in the squad. The roles are defined, and when all squad members play their roles for the good of the squad instead of lone-wolfing it, a win is satisfying and exhilarating. Weapons can be customized using a limited amount of supply points, such as increasing the magazine size, replacing a foregrip with a grenade launcher, and choosing from a handful of scopes and sights.

Similar to my experience with the Day of Infamy mod, there are multiple game modes, but I found myself focusing on only two: Firefight and Push. Firefight uses the game's permadeath mechanic, forcing players to use tactics to stay alive or risk losing the round. Push is similar to the Rush objective mode from Battlefield, featuring waves of reinforcements for both attackers and defenders. Attackers start with very few waves, and securing an objective adds both additional waves and more time to complete their mission. There are over a dozen maps set in various Middle Eastern-style towns, cities, and countrysides. The majority have both day and night versions that can be added to the map cycle. The maps are varied enough, ranging from tight-knit urban environments to snowy mountaintops with limited buildings for cover.

Simply Put

Insurgency, like Day of Infamy, is visually dated, but the intense nature of the team-focused gameplay shines through. The realistic gameplay is why I spent hours playing the game, far more than I ever spent playing Counter-Strike or competitive Call of Duty multiplayer. There are plenty of active servers, and you won't have any problem finding one to join, regardless of your game mode preference.