Rogue Company is an upcoming free-to-play third person tactical shooter online game, currently in beta. The publisher is Hi-Rez Studios, makers of titles like Smite, Paladins and Realm Royale. Currently, you can get the game for free only by watching Twitch Drop-enabled streams, or by purchasing Beta access, which goes from $14.99 for the standard pack and upwards.
It’s already available on PC (Epic Games Store), Playstation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, including full support for cross-play and cross-progression.
There are some conflicting opinions about the game, as it’s release hits right after VALORANT, one of the games it’s compared to the most. It’s also very similar to Division 2, but with no singleplayer aspect. Visually, you can get the feel of Overwatch, Fortnite, Apex Legends and even GunZ, while gameplay is closest to Division 2, Rainbow 6 and VALORANT.
Gameplay
The game features 4 man teams, with two main game modes. One is the classic “Search & Destroy” type with round without respawns, while the other is your “Demolition” or “King of the Hill” game mode with limited respawns per team. S&D is going to be the more competitive mode out of the two, and will most likely be the one played in the upcoming Ranked mode.
At the start of each game, you choose your “rogue” to play with. Every hero has its own set of perks and abilities, as well as two weapons it can use. The abilities themselves are not the main difference maker, but the weapons. Some rogues only have Shotguns and SMGs available, while e.g. Phantom has a bolt-action Sniper rifle, and a scoped AUG.
Casual gameplay is the first thing that comes to mind while playing this game. The low skill floor is definitely appealing to most players, especially on consoles. Kills feel rewarding, and the gameplay is very smooth. Fights don’t end instantly, as you heal fully after not taking damage for a few seconds. Even though the game is in Beta, it’s fairly well optimized. Playing on i7-8700k & GTX 1080ti (full PC specs), and ingame settings on Medium, the FPS did not drop below 100 at any point.
The Problems
The thing that worries the most is the low skill ceiling. There aren’t that many ways to stand out in this game. Shooting is trivialized, as there are only a handful of weapons that have ADS (aim down the sight). Aiming is relatively easy, and the bullet spread is partially random. The longevity of the game, at least from a competitive standpoint, is something to worry about.
One cannot forget to mention the most annoying “feature” of this game, and that is – jumping out of the plane at the start every single round. It’s unclear whether this is some kind of leftover from the earlier phases of the game, or a completely intended feature. It adds no value to the game, just makes it very tedious. There’s a possibility they intended Rogue Company to be some sort of Battle Royale game, and this is just one of the features leftover from that version of the game. Hopefully we’ll see this nonsense removed soon, and get proper spawns on the maps.
Upcoming Content Phases
Phase 1
- Player Identity
- Surrender / Deserter Penalty
- New Map: Vice
Phase 2
- New Playable Rogue
- Custom Matches
- Ranked
- Rogue Mastery
Phase 3
- Equipment Mastery
- Battle Pass
- Gameplay Improvements
The most critical one is the Ranked mode. If executed properly, it might capture a portion of the competitive player base from games like VALORANT, CS:GO, Fortnite, and others. Custom matches are crucial for development of third party tournaments. If everything is done correctly, it could create a solid competitive scene for years to come.
Other improvements are mostly aimed at casual players and maintaining their interest in the game. As all other games in the genre, Rogue Company will also feature a paid Battle Pass (full info is yet to be revealed).
The Verdict
The game is a blend of everything that’s popular right now. Gameplay is solid, runs well, mostly aimed at casual players. Competitive-minded players might feel limited by the game mechanics, as it’s hard to “solo carry” and stand out. A game to keep an eye on after release. Rating: 3.7/5
If you’d like to support me while making the purchase, feel free to use the Creator Code: “SPREEEZY” in the Epic Games Store.
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