Battlefield 1 remains one of the best entries in the series, and the likes of Isonzo have since come along to reignite that World War 1 experience. Well, here’s another historic military shooter that’s worth checking out: Over the Top WW1. And when I say ‘check out,’ I mean give it a go right now, because there’s a free Steam play test going on this weekend.
While I’ve definitely seen more visually-impressive World War 1 and 2 shooters in my time, Over the Top WW1 does still have a lot going for it. Not only is the multiplayer game being developed by Flying Squirrel Entertainment – a group of four devs that have plenty of experience in both modding and historical reenactment – but it offers up huge, evolving battles.
The max player count of Over the Top’s multiplayer matches is 200, whether that be filled with real people or bots. There’s a vast arsenal of 50 authentic weapons to choose from, mounted machine guns and artillery, close-quarters melee combat for intense trench warfare, and vehicles (yes, you can get in a tank). You can also switch between first and third-person perspectives.
On top of that, matches can really evolve over time. The environment is mostly destructible, and the ground beneath your feet can also change as engineers dig trenches and artillery fire leaves massive craters for you to take cover in. There’s also dynamic weather and time of day, and this can also be affected by the season as well. Flying Squirrel says there will be 12 maps in total, all inspired by historical locations from WW1.
The developer also wants to put the power in your hands too. There’s a map editor so that you can create your own battlefields, and there’s a single-player mode called Build a Battle that lets you place infantry, artillery, vehicles, and more on each side of the conflict – hit play, and watch the battle unfold before your very eyes.
This game really is promising to deliver a lot, and with the developer’s background in reenactment, you know that the levels of historical accuracy here are going to be through the roof. You can also get an initial taste of the game this weekend, if it sounds up your street.
The new public playtest for Over the Top WW1 is live right now and it runs up until Monday September 9, at 6am PT/ 9am ET/ 2pm BST/ 3pm CEST. To sign up, and to learn more about Over the Top, check out its Steam page here.
For more games like Over the Top, check out our recommendations for the best war games and the best FPS games, where you’ll find plenty of excellent WW1 and WW2 shooters.
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