WARDOGS Review: Is It Worth Buying in Early Access?

WARDOGS Early Access has only just begun, but I’ve already spent quite a bit of time playing it, and overall, it’s been a very positive experience. The combination of large-scale battles, tactical gunplay, and persistent progression works really well, and there’s already enough content to keep you playing for quite some time.

My main issue with the game is balancing. It’s something that becomes increasingly noticeable as players unlock better equipment, and while some of the current problems can certainly be addressed through updates, I think there’s also a bigger question about how the game will keep its later parts of the season as enjoyable as the first few weeks.

That being said, I do think WARDOGS is worth buying. I just wouldn’t necessarily recommend jumping in right now. And let me tell you exactly why.

What makes WARDOGS different?

WARDOGS feels like a combination of Battlefield and, to a lesser extent, Escape from Tarkov, although its biggest inspiration is Arma 3’s King of the Hill mod, whose original creators have also been involved in the project.

The basic premise is that three teams, green, red, and blue, fight for control of a large circular area. Players inside the circle contribute to their team’s score, while a smaller hot zone counts each player inside it twice, giving teams an additional reason to push toward a particular part of the map.

WARDOGS supports up to 100 players in a match and combines infantry combat with vehicles, logistics, construction, and destructible environments. Unlike a traditional two-team Battlefield-style match, its three-faction structure means control of the battlefield can shift quickly when a third team enters an ongoing fight.

WARDOGS is very clearly a AA game, but it still competes with AAA Battlefield and, sometimes, wins

It’s a fairly simple concept, but honestly, it works very well. You can spend an entire match fighting over the hot zone, try to control the surrounding area, or take a completely different approach depending on your preferred class and equipment. Vehicles also play an important role, particularly when you need to move between objectives or support an infantry push.

Also, because there are three teams rather than two, you can sometimes find yourself fighting one team only to have the third arrive and ruin your plans (the game is still good, I promise).

How does WARDOGS actually play?

The gunplay is satisfying, vehicles are fun to use, and there’s a good amount of variety in how you can approach each match. Teamwork is also quite important, especially when you’re trying to take control of the hot zone rather than simply picking off enemies from a distance.

One issue I’ve noticed, though, is the way team selection has developed. Green has gained a reputation for being the team you join if you want to win, while blue is generally considered the weakest and red sits somewhere in the middle. Naturally, this means more people try to join green, which only makes the problem worse.

Some maps, such as Ozeti, may also favor certain teams because of their layouts, although it’s difficult to say how much of the difference comes down to map design and how much is simply the result of players deliberately choosing the team they expect to win.

There are also maps that feel a little too open, particularly for infantry. This wasn’t as noticeable during the first few weeks, but now that more players have access to powerful sniper rifles and thermal equipment, pushing across exposed areas can be considerably more frustrating than it used to be.

Progression is rewarding, but balancing needs work

The current state of progression is certainly rewarding. Most late-game unlocks feel considerably more powerful than what you have at the start, and even level 3 armor can seriously change the outcome of a firefight if the opposing player isn’t using AP ammunition or one of the late-game weapons, such as the BMR-308, FAL, or Vector (in-game called SUPER 45).

The issue is that these unlocks are currently so much better than most of the equipment below them that, as more players reach the later stages of progression, those who haven’t unlocked the same gear become seriously disadvantaged.

There are moments when it feels like you can do everything right, land all your shots, and still lose a firefight simply because the other player has better equipment. Basically, getting gear diffed. And it’s not just the outcome of individual fights that changes. More people start staying around the outskirts of the circle with sniper rifles, ghillie suits, and thermal binoculars, while firefights that previously lasted a reasonable amount of time can now be over almost immediately.

Some of this is obviously down to balancing, and considering how early WARDOGS is in its development, I think it’s reasonable to give the developers some time to improve it.

What concerns me more is how they’ll keep the later stages of a season as enjoyable as the beginning. Escape from Tarkov, for example, has been dealing with a similar issue for years, with many players considering the first few weeks after a wipe to be the most enjoyable.

WARDOGS seems to be heading in a similar direction, and I’m not entirely sure what the solution is. You obviously want late-game equipment to feel rewarding, but at the same time, you don’t want it to make the game significantly less enjoyable for everyone who hasn’t unlocked it.

How good is the Early Access experience?

Considering how recently WARDOGS was released, I think the Early Access experience is already quite good. Performance is generally solid, and while there are occasional bugs and server issues, I haven’t encountered anything that would make me advise against buying the game.

There’s also enough variety in the current weapons, equipment, and vehicles to keep things interesting, although there’s obviously plenty of room for more content. Additional weapons, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, helicopters, and more vehicle variety in general would all be welcome.

For such large maps, vehicles are essential

For now, though, I think the existing content is more than enough to get a good amount of enjoyment out of the game. The balancing issues are a much bigger concern than the amount of content that’s currently available.

Is WARDOGS worth it in Early Access?

Overall, yes. I’ve had a lot of fun with WARDOGS, and despite the issues I’ve mentioned, I think it’s already worth buying in Early Access for $39.99.

There is one thing I’d recommend keeping in mind, though. At the time of writing, we’re approaching the end of the first season, with the next wipe scheduled for October 15. A lot of players have already unlocked the best equipment, which means that anyone starting from scratch right now is going to be at a considerable disadvantage.

I’d personally wait until the new season begins and everyone’s progression gets reset. You’ll have a much better opportunity to experience the game when most players are using relatively basic equipment, and you won’t be jumping straight into the part of the season where the current balancing problems are most noticeable.

In short, WARDOGS is definitely worth playing. I just think you’ll have a better first experience if you give it another couple of weeks.

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