Read on for our full review. Zero Caliber 2, a narrative-driven, linear action game which follows the events from the original game. It is an action-packed military shooter that can be played in single-player, co-op or PvP.
An action-packed military shooter that’s playable in single-player, co-op, or PvP.
Platforms:
Release Date: August 1, 2024
Developer: Meta QuestXREAL Games
Price: $29.99
Once More Into the BreachThe story in Zero Caliber 2 is somewhat perfunctory, so don’t worry if you’ve never played the original game; you will catch up quickly. Drinkable water is the most valuable commodity in the near future. The society has almost crumbled under the weight of people’s struggle to survive. This essentially translates to some heavily accented bad guys attacking some American-accented good guys while trying to seize precious water supplies.
Thankfully, you and your buddies are the paragons of military might, and it’s up to you to save the day. There are some twists along the way but the main focus of the game is the cinematic action scenes. Zero Caliber 2 does not disappoint. The campaign is divided into 12 missions that last between 20-30 minutes depending on the difficulty and skill level. It delivers around 6 hours of high-quality adrenaline-fuelled escapism.Call of Shooty
Zero Caliber 2 is a pure action shooter at its core, and the beating heart of this is the extremely well-delivered gunplay. You’ll find all the weapons that you expect, including handguns and rocket launchers. Weapon caches and enemy weapons are everywhere. After collecting them, you can use or strip the parts. The players can switch between playstyles multiple times in a mission. This keeps the combat feeling fresh. Guns are well-handled and have unique characteristics. The aim and recoil are balanced, the hitboxes fair and you can feel it as you move through hostile environments. The AI of the enemies is not brilliant, but enough to keep you on your toes in battle. The enemy will try to flank, advance, and even conceal themselves in order to fire at you from behind. You can customize your gameplay experience depending on which difficulty setting you select. Normal difficulty gives you a lot of ammo, powerful weapons, and an abundant health bar. The game is more accessible and arcade-like with an emphasis on fun. Enemies can take you down quickly with a few well-placed shots, and suddenly, the action gets far more tactical and relies more on skillful headshots.
Get To The Chopper!
Zero Caliber 2’s level design is broadly linear. There is little exploration in this game, despite its appearance. There is little variation to keep the game fresh. The only exception is a mission that introduces a bit of stealth. The game can become repetitive if you play for long periods of time. I encountered disappearing/reappearing enemies, occasional dips in the framerates, and a glitch that required me to restart a level, but nothing that took me out of the game to any real degree. I appreciate that guns cannot clip through walls, but it feels a little off. The hitboxes on the wall are a bit too big. It’s not ideal to do my “swing the corner to blast the enemy” action, and then find the barrel of the gun catching on the wall while I was eating bullets. Playing with your friends is a great way to increase the replay value of many games. It’s fun to complete the campaign on your own, but playing it again with friends adds an entirely new level of enjoyment. The PvP option is available, but we’ve not spent enough time with it to make any comments. This review will be updated soon to include our thoughts on how Zero Caliber 2 stacks up against the pantheon of online multiplayer shooters, though we’re confident in scoring the game now.
Additionally, Zero Caliber 2’s campaign and PvP modes also include native mod support. That allows for a pleasing level of customization that will continue to give players options for community-made content, which should provide even more reasons to keep returning.
Pretty Pretty Bang Bang
Graphically, Zero Caliber hits a pretty high standard.
The world feels extensive and detailed, and you really feel immersed. The cinematic scenes are filled with great fire and explosions that make you feel like you’re in a classic film. Draw distance is also pretty impressive; picking out (and hitting) enemies from improbable distances is surprisingly easy and entirely satisfying.
Character models and animation are also good. Watching enemies fall convincingly to the ground after a headshot goes a long way toward immersing the player in the combat.
Things That Make You Go Boom
Zero Caliber 2 also hits a high bar with its audio design. The gunshots in Zero Caliber 2 are crisp and clear. They’re essential to the game. XREAL Games created a soundscape which evokes the chaotic nature of a war zone. In larger battles, the ambient audio can be a bit tumultuous. However, spatial audio remains a constant. It is easy to identify gunshots, character voices and other audio cues within battles. Following these audio clues helps you navigate the game. The comfort settings in Zero Caliber 2 are a bit limited. The only comfort options are the snapping and smoothing of turning. Teleport locomotion is not supported, nor are there vignette options, so be aware that some resistance to smooth locomotion is required.
Zero Caliber 2 Review – Final Verdict
Zero Caliber 2 is an excellent follow-up to an already decent game. XREAL Games’ six-hour-long campaign, complete with PvP and mod support for native games, will thrill genre fans and make them want to play more. If you enjoy linear campaign shooters, this is an easy recommendation.
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