I like to believe I’m well-versed in the tactical shooter genre. I’ve been playing these types of games, from old-school Ghost Recon and Operation Flashpoint to modern ventures, like ArmA 3 and Squad, for longer than some within the community have been alive. And yet nothing quite prepared me for the level of realism or the truly hardcore gameplay of Six Days in Fallujah.
After carefully watching the game from its initial announcement all those years back to now Early Access release, I’m excited to dive in and check out what may arguably be one of the most realistic first-person shooters on the market today. Does it hold up after all this time? Is Six Days in Fallujah worth the price of entry?
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How is the Gameplay in Six Days in Fallujah?
First and foremost, those unfamiliar with the tactical shooter genre must understand that this is not Call of Duty or even Insurgency: Sandstorm. Sure, you may perish to a single bullet in the latter, but it’s nowhere near this level of detail or realism.
Six Days in Fallujah drops players into a four-man squad in four procedurally generated environments within the city of Fallujah. Here, we’re tasked with tackling different objectives, like stopping VIEDS or clearing a compound known to harbor insurgent forces.
As part of the squad, players take on a role. That role may involve issuing commands, laying down cover fire, or being the first through an entryway. Everyone plays their part, and communications keep the gameplay moving smoothly.
Without communications, Six Days in Fallujah is, dare I say, impossible. As is the game in solo play. I started out playing completely alone, as none of my friends bought the game. That’s fine, I thought. I’m accustomed to the occasional solo mission in Ground Branch or Ready or Not. But this was a different ballgame altogether.
I died. A lot. I kept dying, and then I rage-quit for the night. Ultimately, I did what anyone should and I hopped into a public lobby. Surprisingly, no one boned my mother. We all worked together as a single entity, clearing room after room, building after building. It was beyond satisfying when the entire mission came together.
How Does Six Days in Fallujah Look?
Graphically speaking, Six Days in Fallujah looks as it should for a game in development over the past decade. It’s quite gorgeous, with a lot of detail going into the environment above all else. Occasionally, insurgents appear muddy, but everything is moving too quickly to really take notice.
But one aspect of the game genuinely shines through. The darkness. The city is quite bright, being in a desert environment, and the sunshine is a stark contrast to the dark and dank interiors of unlit homes and shops. A flashlight will help illuminate the shadows, but the outside light peaking through an open world or shrapnel hole can make target acquisition difficult indoors.
Is It Replayable?
The replayability of Six Days in Fallujah comes from its community more so than anything else. As I previously mentioned, there are only four missions currently. While the environments are procedurally generated, they mostly look the same with minor differences between games.
But when you connect with a fantastic team that understands the task at hand, everything clicks. It becomes almost addicting to run missions with a stable and fluent crew.
I wanted to keep playing to interact with other like-minded individuals, not so much to see the next level.
With more content, Six Days in Fallujah (Steam) will certainly become a staple for many tactical shooter fans!
Remember: This is just our Six Days in Fallujah Review in Early Access; there’s more to come as the game progresses!