PUBG Review: A Battle-Royale Bonanza

PUBG, often known as Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, is one of the originators of the now omnipresent battle-royal genre. Although the formula is familiar, the focus on semi-realistic firefights and improvements to performance ensures the longevity of one of battle-royales, long-standing franchises. At the same time, it’s not the best in its respective field, but PUBG remains hot on the heels of fellow peer Fortnite.

 

We all know the score by now. Players plummet from a plane and drop down on an uninhabited island. Once on land, a foot race ensues to scavenge the best loot. Then, acquiring items and holding out in areas of strategic relevance become the core objective. At least until the panic settles, and the initial frenzy subsides. Albeit fun, the format is nothing new and does little to break away from what one might expect of the genre.

While Fortnite relies on its innovative on-the-move building mechanic to inspire creative scenarios, PUBG adheres to more gritty traditional styles of confrontation, to instill reward. As a result, hardcore survival elements become more and more crucial. Especially as player numbers drop, and the battlegrounds narrow down in an ever-closing grid.

 

What follows is a high-stakes war of attrition, that demands both evasive and attacking qualities. One by one, players are eliminated from the field. Thus, adding value to provisions as the tension intensifies. This frantic fight for survival generates non-stop exhilaration while imbedding moments of uncertainty. In short, every contest feels like new territory. And this intrinsic replay value always keeps you plugged into the action from the start.

 

There’s no let up with PUBG, with players thrust into the warzone, right from the off. The immediacy of war places greater enthesis on the landing. After all, there are 99 other players all with varying instincts to trust and homegrown tactics to deploy.

 

Once you have chosen a suitable place to touch down, the crazed hunt for loot begins. Items vary from medical aids to protective gear and firearms. All of which lay scattered around the map in random locations. Though plentiful, the decision to remove yourself from cover comes with its own set of caveats and consequences. True enough, the gamble could well extend your time in this virtual yet visceral version of the Hunger Games. Or, it could just as likely lead to your downfall.

 

That said, the acquisition of loot is the last of your worries. As players flank and home in on each other to gain the upper hand, the ability to mobilize and devise tactics on the fly changes the dynamic of play. As a result, the dimensions of the map play a considerable role in the outcome of events. Hence, width can work to your advantage. Or limit your movements depending on the terrain.

 

Before the circle of death begins to home in on the action, players have more width at their disposal. In turn, this extends the battle duration and prevents those trigger-happy types with a run-and-gun mentality from getting their kicks. Should you die in the field, it’s easy to find another match. As soon as the action is over, you can hop into another game. No need to wait for the winner, or to see who comes out on top. Although, that can be fun. Even more so, if you have invested in a match, or fell within a hair’s breadth of the W.

 

The map design is excellent, acting as one of the stand-out features of PUBG. Not only that, but each map shares a varied degree of natural biomes. All of which display vastly altering terrains and shifting landscapes. These vary, from the scorched desert plains, exposed with little in the way of safety, to the densely packed woodlands offering temporary sanctuary. But mostly, they issue shelter from the harsh and often grim realities of the battlefield.

 

Moreover, the city hubs and concrete ruins cultivate just as much chaos and carnage. Better still, these areas cook up intense, close-quarters action with plenty of winner-takes-all stakeouts. Wherever you decide to open fire, the creative layouts of critical locations give you a margin for error. All the while, they offer tangible solutions from elevated strongpoints to scattered debris and natural obstacles at ground level. Every area caters for both a defensive and an offensive playstyle.

 

Despite original and well-devised map designs, the size and scale can ruin the immersion. Besides, you’ll be traversing large swathes of land, without meeting another soul. On occasion, I felt detached from the experience. Then again, this isolation does make deadly interaction even more compelling when encountering a frenemy in the field.

 

However, PUBG does somewhat counteract this sense of solitude. Mainly, by randomly dropping supply creates. What’s more, this chance event entices players to come out of hiding. Hence, deciding upon the opportune moment to snatch and run is vital. Often, this exposes the player and leads to exciting stand-offs. Which, more often than not, tend to evolve into a risk and reward rush for loot.

 

All in all, PUBG does little to break away from convention. Instead, it relies solely on the core fundamentals that drive the battle royale experience. For the most part, it succeeds in delivering genre expectations. Mainly, thanks to its tight gunplay and varied map design. Elsewhere, Fortnite boasts of color and inspires creativity.

 

In contrast, PUBG’s gritty depiction of all-out war makes for an exhilarating battleground, unforgiving in its approach. Sure, it’s not the best in the business, but it finishes a close second. That is if Apex Legends doesn’t steal the show.

 

That concludes our review of PUBG. Which game claims the spoils of victory, PUBG or Fortnite? Also, what do you think of the genre as a whole? Is the market overcrowded or can we expect more and more games of this type in the future? Please write in with your views. As always, we love to hear your take on the matter. Your opinions count.