The new era of Delta Force is getting closer to our homes. Team Jade renews the legendary license with a spectacular shooter that points to several aspects. We know that the campaign will revolve around several of the locations from ‘Black Hawk Down’, Ridley Scott’s masterpiece. But in the demo we participated in as part of the Summer Game Fest there was no room to test it. Those responsible put us at the keyboard and mouse of the two main aspects of the multiplayer mode, including an Extraction mode that we really liked.
Delta Force in competitive: a new battlefield
The first part of the demo was focused on the competitive experience. We are introduced to a multiplayer mode similar to the assault aspect of the Battlefield franchise. The attacking team has to capture two sectors of the map in order to jump to the next section, while the defending team can recover the flags while trying to kill as many enemies as possible, reducing their respawn tickets.
It must be said that when playing against bots it did not demonstrate its full potential. Too static. We saw that we could use armored vehicles to complement the infantry force. We can’t say much more about it, except that this phase helped us experiment with gunplay and its possibilities.
The feeling of the weapons when shooting feels really good. It surprised us, even. Delta Force Hawk Ops has a complex customization system that not only allows you to transform weapons using accessories, but also adjust in each of them which advantage you want to prioritize.. It is a system that is reminiscent of the extinct setting that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) released, although it must be said that in this case it does seem to intervene in a better way than in the Treyarch title.
The operator system does not follow the patterns of traditional classes, but is halfway to a somewhat more restrained hero shooter. cEach type of character has a specific tool to use and different advantages that take advantage of it.. We played with a soldier who had an exoskeleton that enhanced his speed for a short period of time. It remains to be seen how it works in a well-formed platoon, but for the moment we are left with the sensations when pulling the trigger.
Mira extraction from you to you to Escape from Tarkov
But what surprised us most about the demo was the foray into its Extraction mode. We start at a meeting point where we can meet other players while we prepare our inventory. Everything you earn between games is deposited in a warehouse that serves as the starting point of your experience here. We were not able to interact with the different merchants, but they promise us that there is more crumb in this section than we can see.
Once we get to the map we see the experience in full. It is a medium-sized playable environment that takes advantage of the stage looking towards verticality. It is full of grade changes and unevenness to cover with some of the tools that are distributed within your reach. For example, we see that many zip lines are used to cover long distances. There is a lot of work to speed up the game, not everything is based on running and running.
The chain of tasks is very clear. You open the map and see points where you can start missions. The couple we did followed the same pattern: a succession of small tasks that ended with a large perimeter defense. The forces controlled by artificial intelligence hit hard. Here you have to heal yourself with the first aid kits that you brought to the raid or found around the stage. Preparation is everything. Completing missions offers us succulent loot items that, when extracted, impact our final score, which translates into money and rewards to receive at the meeting point.
At one point my partner and I decided to travel to an area where one of the bosses on the map was located. All squads can go there, but the target may not be present. It depends on the game. In our case we couldn’t see him. What we found was strong resistance around a palace. There was a kind of special heavily armored enemy who, after defeating him, rewarded us with extremely high-value items.
Exploring the palace was key to finding the best loot. There are elements of the scenario that require completing a minigame to be opened. They tend to be simple combinations of numbers, but if there’s one thing we like, it’s that they don’t always tell you what’s there. You are not a loot vacuum cleaner. When you open a drawer for the first time, it takes you a few seconds to rummage things around and see its contents. If you are under pressure you are likely to miss, or an enemy will approach and deal you a lethal blow. You feel the pressure on your shoulders at all times.
And the moment of extraction arrives. The points where you can request your helicopter change randomly between games. They don’t indicate it on the map either. You can approach an area and see that it is not available, which changes your plans instantly. In that strip of late game PVE forces become more hostile. In fact, we had to revive our colleague by taking cover behind stones placed organically around the stage. It was a great feeling to see that we were able to help him by using our skill and taking advantage of the resources that our surroundings offer us.
Delta Force Hawk Ops is coming strong
We are very satisfied with the Extraction aspect of Delta Force Hawk Ops. If it already has a really worthy playable base, the playable loop it introduces you to is interesting. We can’t wait to be able to play it with other squads of players in the same game.
The final goal of the game is to reach PC, consoles (unannounced) and mobile devices in free to play format. It will have cross-play so that no one is left behind wherever they play. For now, their next step on their path will be to publish an Alpha test on PC exclusively on Steam. To qualify for an invitation you must add the game to your wish list.
