Ghost Recon Breakpoint Offers Strategic, Clunky PvP Gameplay Demo

Ubisoft opened the doors to Ghost Recon Breakpoint's multiplayer mode to ComicBook.com and select media outlets ahead of thee game's early October release. The game offered up about six hours of hands on experience, showcasing its campaign mode and two of the player vs. player modes. In this article (and in the video above), we will take a look at the PvP modes, which included Elimination and Sabotoge.

First things first, one complaint about the PvP modes which has to preface the entire experience. The animations, be it an animation for healing or moving from a prone position to a crouch position or climbing over a railing were taking too long. The game had its share of pre-release glitches (which will probably call for a considerable day one update) but the animations themselves were not glitches. They were long, drawn out movements which leave players vulnerable and defenseless for far too long. It was a frustrating experience, trying to avoid shots from another player, only to hop over a railing and be left on the other side of it, as if the character is gathering themselves for another second.

Pair this with the heavy momentum characters carry and movements are difficult. Creeping around a corner is made more difficult when sticking to walls or trying to stop on a dime is hard to control.

That said, there were quite a few highlights to the experience, as well. The maps lend themselves to all sorts of gameplay, with some thriving more than others on different locations. For example, one setting was a long and narrow map with one of the long sides offering a taller vantage point than another. The map was great for snipers and plays who want to take overwatch positions. Then, another map called for closer combat in a two-story building, offering sneaky attack paths but also allowing the campers a chance to watch from afar.

The targeting system lends itself to strategic teamwork, as well. This especially helps in the Sabotoge mode (which was a bit more fun of an experience than Elimination, given the team working together on a joint objective). As certain locations on the map are marked to be destroyed or defended, the teams are forced to coordinate plans of attack or defense. Depending on the map and individual skill sets, the experience changes drastically with each new game too keep things fresh.

Visually, the multiplayer mode was quite impressive as well. Players will pick up snow on their customizable uniforms if they find themselves rolling in it, their weapons and skins feature tremendous detail, and the fully realized world around them matches.

Some of the gunplay can be frustrating at first but a unified progression system through the multiplayer mode will make the dull sniper hit points get stronger and full of more damage as more weapons, perks, and skills are unlocked in both PvP and campaign modes.

Fan of the strategic shooter games will likely get a kick out of Ghost Recon Breakpoint. If not for the clunky movements and drawn out animations, the game would have been nothing but impressive. However, those are enough to leave a player extremely frustrated and disappointed as soon as their health bar hits zero because of them.

Ghost Recon: Breakpoint comes out on October 4.