Gray Zone Warfare, An EFT Alternative
Ever since the disaster that was EFT’s the Unheard edition, it seems a lot more competition has started to enter the hardcore miltary extraction shooter space. While these games were likely already in development, the turmoil surrounding their biggest competitor has emboldened many studios to step into the spotlight. Two prime examples of this trend are: Gray Zone Warfare and Arena Breakout Infinite. Today we will be looking at Gray Zone Warfare which I will refer to as GZW to save a lot of time.
What Is GZW?
GZW is an open-world hardcore military simulator and extraction shooter. The emphasis on "open world" is significant, as players have a vast playground to explore and numerous tasks to undertake—specifically, 150 tasks that provide ample content. I must say, the sheer number of tasks available, especially for a game in its early development stage, is impressive.
The game features a wide-open map with three different factions, each with 15 players active at a time, totaling 45 PMCs in the world simultaneously. Unlike Escape From Tarkov, where player encounters and PvP are guaranteed, GZW introduces an element of unpredictability in player interactions. This adds a layer of tension that EFT can't replicate.
Madfinger Games, the developers, classify GZW as an MMO-like game. While I find this classification debatable, it's clear that the game draws significant influence from the MMO genre, particularly in terms of progression and gameplay style.
There is a lot of good, bad, and ugly currently plaquing GZW which is to be expected, but the reception has been largely mixed and hopeful. To get a good picture, lets start with the good.
The Good
There are a lot of good things that GZW offers already in its state.
Open World/Exploration: The map in GZW is impressively large, offering a significant advantage in terms of mobility. This expansive environment allows players to use the terrain strategically in combat situations, enabling repositioning and reengagement tactics. Unlike Tarkov, where players are often bottlenecked into direct confrontations, GZW promotes more tactical engagements, reducing the reliance on brute force and heavy armor. There are also landmarks dotting the map as well as many unmarked locations rewarding exploration. Sadly there is not much in the name of loot yet outside of guns, gear, healing items, and food, but with time the looting experience may become more rewarding.
Task Progression: The task progression in GZW is notably more satisfying than in EFT. When starting operations on Lamang Island, vendors provide PMCs with tasks located in or around the outskirts of their faction’s starting town. These starting towns are identical for all three factions, making it easy to learn their layouts. The initial tasks and towns serve as a tutorial, helping players adjust to the harsh environment and aimbot AI of GZW.
As tasks become progressively harder, they push players further inland toward other landmarks, increasing the chances of PvP engagements. This progression adds an exciting layer to each new task, requiring players to strategize about the best approach. Additionally, task descriptions are detailed and helpful, often including hints and images of mission objectives or locations, which enhances the overall experience.
Health and Ballistic Systems: The guns and bullets they fire really hurt. And the devs have a really in-depth and to be honest, complex system for weapon ballistics and armor that goes way over my head. I recommend checking out their YouTube to get a better idea on how this works. However, the key takeaway is that armor truly feels protective, and you can immediately feel the impact when you get hit.
The health and healing mechanics are as intricate as those in Tarkov, utilizing an organ system. Center mass shots are as lethal as headshots. Instead of just having limbs and a base HP bar, players can suffer critical internal organ damage, resulting in various debuffs. This adds a realistic and challenging layer to the gameplay.
Factions: The faction system in GZW adds an intriguing feel to the game, though it primarily serves as a role-playing element rather than significantly impacting gameplay. While choosing a faction can result in shorter helicopter rides to a few landmarks, the choice is mostly about personal preference and immersion, contributing to the game's 'MMO' classification.
There are three factions to choose from: Mithras, Lamang Recovery Initiative, and Crimson Shield. Each faction has its own motives for being on the island. Personally, I chose the Lamang Recovery Initiative, the faction dedicated to helping the island's inhabitants. The other factions are less altruistic, focusing on conquest or self-interest.
It would be exciting to see faction-specific quests in future updates, encouraging players to explore different factions with each wipe. For now, the factions primarily serve as a way to define your PMC's identity and role in the game.
Motivated And Promising Developers: While it's hard to predict the future in game development, the signs from GZW's studio are encouraging. The developers are highly engaged with the community and show a genuine passion for creating this game. They have also promised a robust roadmap for future updates, suggesting a bright and exciting life cycle for GZW. Although this is speculative, the early indicators point to the game receiving the ongoing support it needs to thrive.
The Bad
For all the good there is just as much bad. Some of it more important than others. Note that the game is only 20% finished.
Server Instability: At launch, the servers were overwhelmed by the influx of players, which was anticipated. While the situation has improved since then, there are still frequent instances of rubber banding and other desync issues. Expect some rubber banding; it’s just going to be a thing that happens. Make sure you’re playing on the correct server for your region, as my default server was as for some ungodly reason set to Asia until I swapped it. Than the rubber banding was a lot better.
Optimization: This is the biggest issue the game has currently and there are a lot of people, and children, screaming about it. GZW runs on unreal engine 5 which is a beast of a new software that is still getting its footing. Running games on this engine can be challenging if your PC is outdated. Combined with GZW’s subpar optimization, the game currently performs well only on high-end machines. Many players are upset that the game won’t run to their standards on their machines. My own PC isn't top-tier, but I can run the game on high settings at a solid 70 FPS with minimal lag.
Remember, there's more to a game than just graphics. If you're experiencing performance issues, try turning down the settings and checking out some optimization guides. Playing the game, even on lower settings, is better than not playing it and complaining on forums. Let's stay constructive. Hopefully, the optimization will improve, and in the meantime, the community can focus on providing valuable feedback instead of venting frustrations.
Keys and Kill Quests: Initially, I was going to focus on quests requiring keys dropped by AI in specific areas, but kill requirement quests are equally frustrating. Spending more than two or three days killing AI in hopes of a key drop feels like flawed design. Coming from Destiny 2, a notoriously grindy game, I found the key drop rates in GZW maddening.
Adding to the frustration is the likelihood that other factions will have already killed the necessary AI, turning these quests into fun killers. I’ve experienced amazing streaks of progression, exploring new areas, finding intel, and scouting, only to be halted by quests like "The Negotiator" (which I'm still trying to complete). This kind of quest makes me reluctant to log on.
Kill quests have a similar effect. While killing 20 enemies may not sound too bad, it often depends on luck—whether the enemies are still present and if you can compete with your faction and others. These quests can stall progression and are a huge relief to complete.
I hope this aspect improves as the game develops, with more loot and additional key spawn locations. For now, these two quest types can be major buzzkills.
After 40 or so hours I found the quest structure to be like this: Go to a new area —> do some exploration and gathering quests —> kill 20 enemies in that location —> kill a named boss/gang leader.
It can feel predictable at times.
AI Strength: I won't die on this hill since it's a heavily debated topic. Wannabe Navy SEALs and hardcore gamers often dismiss complaints as "skill issues" when trolling on forums, but the AI in GZW is undeniably strong. A long-ranged weapon with a silencer is essential for entering most towns unless you want every enemy in the area to swarm your exact location. The AI also makes no sound and can hit you through most surfaces. Does this get better with time? Yes. I was constantly getting wrecked until I learned their patterns and acquired better equipment. You always have to keep moving, and maintaining distance is paramount.
LZ Camping: A byproduct of human nature. This is the type of game that will attract people who’s entire goal is to make everyone’s day horrible. While a fix is in the works, it's worth knowing about if you're considering getting the game. The map has numerous LZs to choose from, but since they don't move, everyone knows their locations. The Littlebirds are very loud, and it's nearly impossible to spot someone hidden in a bush. Consequently, PMCs often wait for players to disembark from the helicopter and snipe them before they can react.
For me, the scariest part of every run is landing. Once I reach the treeline, I feel much safer. Several suggestions have been made to address this issue, including:
Upgrading the helicopter to a larger one with side gunners that auto-target campers.
Automatically deploying smoke upon landing.
Implementing a brief period of invincibility for players to reach cover, similar to the no-kill zones in faction bases.
The gunners idea won't work, as some players aren't exit camping but are simply passing by or leaving. This happened to me a few times when players landed near me as I was sneaking by. Smoke would likely provide minimal help. The best solution, in my opinion, would be a brief invincibility timer, allowing players to get to cover safely.
Helicopter Limit: The helicopters, the main means of transport in GZW until cars are introduced, present a significant limitation. Each faction can only have four helicopters in flight at any time. Sometimes, flights to distant points of interest (POIs) can take five minutes or more. After a grueling run, when you're low on ammo, injured, and being hunted, trying to call for evacuation only to be met with the famous:
“Negative. All helicopters are in flight,” can be incredibly frustrating.
The wait can be 15 minutes or more until you can call for extraction. A simple flight path indicator for everyone in a faction could mitigate this issue, allowing players to hitch rides if they're headed to the same location. Alternatively, increasing the number of available helicopters could help. While this isn't the biggest problem, waiting around for a new ride can be a frustrating experience.
Loot: There really isn’t any of it. It’s not really a beneficial idea to go out and just loot, its better to go out and try to do a task. The only loot is on AI and you do not gain much for selling it. There are also no other valuable items to find and sell like in EFT. Though the devs have come out to say they do not want players to go out and grind to get money, they want tasks to be the main drive for earning income. So only time will tell how this will improve.
Conclusion
Gray Zone Warfare is not yet the Tarkov killer that everyone hopes for, but it has fantastic potential. What we have access to now is already a solid treat. With more than half of the game still in development, I'm very excited to see what Madfinger Games will bring to the table next. With day and night cycles on the horizon, it seems like the future of GZW will be nothing short of amazing.
Now we wait and see how Arena Breakout Infinite will perform in this increasingly heated crucible.
