Delta Force Review: Large scale warfare at its best

Team Jade and TiMi Group Studios are trying to become the new pioneers in the first-person shooter genre with their latest endeavor, Delta Force. As someone who plays competitive multiplayer titles almost daily, I have been dipping my toes into the game for a while. Trying to find a game that can perfectly emulate the feeling of all-out warfare is quite challenging. This is why many players still go back and engage in the devastated European continent in Battlefield 1.

I have spent a significant amount of time in both Battlefield 1 and V, but I was extremely disappointed with 2042. Looking past the buggy launch, Dice's last entry in the franchise lacks the soul of what makes a good Battlefield game. So as you can expect, Delta Force certainly had me excited as it promised the same feeling of all-out warfare in a modern setting.

But how much did the developer deliver on their promises? Is Delta Force worth a download button and jumping into? Hopefully, with my review of the game, some of these doubts will be cleared and you will get a definite answer. Let's dive straight in.

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Delta Force is a fun free-to-play addition to the FPS market

The gameplay and game modes

Delta Force offers two types of multiplayer modes (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

Delta Force allows you to experience the thrill of a modern Battlefield game that 2042 failed to provide. Currently, there are two main multiplayer modes in Delta Force: Warfare, an all-out, objective-based mode where players are divided into two teams of 32 players each, and Operations, an extraction shooter mode that allows you to jump in on a PvPvE action of finding loots in the map and extracting with said loot.

First, the positives. The weapons and Operators feel extremely satisfying to use. Compared to the previous Closed Beta Test which I participated in, the weapon pool for each class has been narrowed down to give them a much-needed tuning. Recons, for example, have access to all the sniper rifles, but a limited number of automatic ones.

Now, Vehicles play an important role in all-out warfare scenarios but they feel awkward to use in Delta Force. Except for the tank, every other vehicle feels too floaty, and I found myself that even if you get rammed slightly they will turn over like they have zero weight to them. While the guns in the various vehicles are satisfying to use, driving them can get quite annoying as you will run into obstacles often and your car will get tripped over.

The aerial vehicles are the worst offender of this in Delta Force, as they are quite weak and can be destroyed easily. From what I have seen, most people used them to traverse to higher points on the map and then abandon them.

Extraction mode can appeal to both newcomers and fans of the genre

Map of the Extraction mode (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

Operations is the Extraction mode in Delta Force. Similar to other titles in this genre, you will be dropped on a map and need to find valuable loot and fight against both AIs and real players. But the biggest plus in Delta Force's Operation mode is the fact that it can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore fans of the genre alike.

The difficulty of extraction shooters is what kept many people from trying them out. Tarkov provides an excellent, yet quite hardcore experience that many FPS players don't want. Similarly, if you make an extraction shooter easy, hardcore fans of the genre will roll their eyes and won't give it a try. Achieving the perfect balance that can drag in both new players and fans of the genre is challenging, but somehow Team Jade was able to achieve this.

I am no expert in Extraction Shooter. They are not my cup of tea and the only thing that I played that comes remotely close is The Division and its Dark Zone, which I must admit was loads of fun. But I put a few hours into Delta Force's Operation mode, and I must admit, the experience provided was extremely beginner-friendly.

You start by gearing up with the necessities like ammo, and medicines for a session with two other players, then drop in the map. Here you will need to slowly, yet carefully move across the map. Loot can be found in most buildings, with AI roaming the zones. Approaching your objective will also require you to think and coordinate with your squad mates.

You can either go full Rambo mode, going in guns blazing and attracting the attention of other players or think strategically about how to carefully scout the area for other players and eliminate them. This made the matches I played more intense, as I was trying to coordinate with my team as much as I could when encountering other squads.

Guns in Operations also function a bit differently than the Warfare mode, and while they were a bit tough to manage, it wasn't too hardcore like having extreme recoil similar to what can be seen in something like Tarkov. I think this approach to weapons made the firefights more approachable for me, as I was still trying to learn the ropes. They are also not extremely easy to use, which will be a big draw for those who want some hardcore action.

Extracting out of the map in Delta Force's operation mode is also relatively easier. Once you get to the exfil point, your squad gets a 10-second timer after which the match will end. Most exfil points are easy to reach, making it a comparatively easier experience. Obviously, other squads can still crawl up on you, but given the short 10 seconds that you need to wait, it definitely was less stressful.

The operators in Delta Force add another layer to this experience. From what I could gather, Luna and Stinger were most players' go-to choices because of their abilities. The former can use her recon dart to scan for enemy players, often changing the tide of the battle and Stinger can reduce the need to carry way too many healing items with his Hive-Tech pistol and passive to revive others quickly.

Inventory management is there, and to get more loot, I had to often forego some essential items like ammo and healing resources. But thanks to the operator's abilities, healing was not that big of a deal as long as I was able to get less injured. The game also does a brilliant job of limiting the Stim Shots of Stinger, so that you coordinate with your squadmates and carefully use them.

Delta Force's operation mode is quite satisfying to play, as it provides the perfect bit of balance between the intensity that fans of the extraction shooter genre like, with a casual friendly approach that can draw in new players.

While I cannot offer much expertise on how an extraction shooter should play out, given a newcomer like me was able to enjoy it, I can say one thing for certain. You should at least give it a try and test the waters out for yourself. Who knows? It could turn out to be your next favorite thing.

Warfare is fun and chaotic but suffers from certain bad map designs

Warfare is fun and chaotic (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

The one where I can bring my expertise though is the Warfare mode. Any Battlefield veterans will instantly recognize this mode. There are currently two game modes on offer: King of the Hill which is similar to Conquest where a team gains points based on the amount of objectives they hold.

The other is Attack and Defend aka Breakthrough, where one team attacks various objectives on a map and the opponent must defend those points. When one sector falls, attackers move up the map and target the next area while defenders lose ground and must fall back.

This is where the map design of Delta Force comes into play. Each map looks stellar visually, but the biggest issue in my opinion comes from the unbalanced nature of certain objectives. This is not a big issue in the King of the Hill mode as the objectives are overall balanced for both teams.

However, the A/D mode in Delta Force has balancing issues. For example, while attacking on the Threshold map, the objectives in the second sector are hard to take as they are more defender-oriented. The same can be said about the cave systems in the Ascension map.

What really disappointed me about the ongoing Alpha Test was the lack of new content compared to what was on offer during the previous Beta Test. There seem to be only three new maps added to the King of the Hill and A/D playlists, making it three maps in total. Some new game modes have also been added to the game, but they are not available yet.

While the smaller trench map is fun to play at times, I still crave the all-out warfare feeling of the 32v32 maps, and playing in the same three can and will get stale over a few hours of playtime. I have played around 10 or so matches in the past few days and was able to experience the most from the new set of maps.

I do hope that the developer introduces more maps to Delta Force soon, especially to the Warfare game mode.

A fun and varied weapon customization system

A varied weapon customization (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

Weapon customization system has become the norm of any shooter game in the market and the same goes for Delta Force. The game features an in-depth customization system that allows you to modify your gun by attaching or changing various parts ranging from under-barrel attachments to optics and even stock.

You gain these parts by leveling up your weapons which can be done by either using the Weapon XP tokens or by using them in a match. As time goes on, you will unlock more parts for the weapon, increasing both your proficiency with the gun as well as rewarding you for playing with it.

This makes grinding extremely satisfying and enjoyable without it feeling like a second job with minimal rewards. Using better attachments also modifies the gun, making it either more powerful or stable, based on your playstyle.

Operators have abilities that are fun to play, but they are not oppressive

Delta Force's operators form a core part of the gameplay (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

The statement of an all-out warfare title having Operators will strike fear into any Battlefield fan's heart, but hear me out. While Delta Force has characters with different abilities that specialize in various roles, none of them are broken or game-changing.

The operators are divided into your standard four classes: Assault, Recon, Support, and Engineers and all of them have a kit that performs exactly like you think. Recon characters have the ability that allows them to reveal enemy information, Assault characters have high mobility and come packing with explosives to disrupt enemy vehicles, and so on.

The way the developer balanced the Operators in Delta Force is by not giving them access to every weapon and gadgets like Battlefield 2042 did. Healers like Toxik and Stinger have access to smoke that they can use to lay out cover to either aid the team in pushing an objective or obscure enemy sight.

Gun balancing plays a major role here as they even out the battlefield a lot. Recon characters have access to mostly sniper rifles with a few automatics for those who want to join the action while the Assault class has access to the best armaments in the game that allows them to jump into the fray of the battle.

The operators are extremely balanced and their abilities are not game-breaking like the ones in 2042. In a weird sense, despite having ability-based characters, Delta Force feels like a natural evolution of Battlefield's 4-class formula.

Monetization is not all bad, but not great either

One thing that certainly intrigued me is a gacha system, where you will need to roll a slot mechanic to unlock certain high-tier skins. You get some rewards per roll and will need a total of 75 rolls to obtain the skin if you are not very lucky. I didn't get the time to assess the drop rates yet, but a 10-pull can cost you around 10 dollars.

I will not hold this against the developer too much, as they do need to make money to support the game. But in other instances, certain weapon skins can be a big hit or miss. Some cosmetics are good enough for the price they cost while others don't. Also, the pop-ups that showcase shop items can get annoying.

Performance

Playing Delta Force so far has been a stellar experience when it comes to talking about performance. I didn't face any major bugs throughout the few hours I played, except for the game freezing up on the loading screen during the Operations Mode. That is the only instance where I had to forcefully close the game and restart.

Similar to the previous Closed Beta Test which I also got access to, I was getting a stable 100 FPS on my PC which has the following specifications, with a bit of drops during certain instances, especially when there were too many particle effects on the screen.

Ryzen 5 5600X
AMD RX 6600 8GB VRAM
32 GB RAM

Getting a game with good optimization for PC is tough in 2024, especially from big AAA Studios, but surprisingly Team Jade has impressed me with the quality it has put into the game which is still in its Alpha Test phase.

Ranking system: Both good and bad

Ranking system in Delta Force (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

Delta Force's ranked mode is well done for the most part. Your elo gain is determined by your performance and not the outcome of the battle. If you performed well during a match, even though you lost it, you will gain MMR. This is a positive experience as you are not tied down by the 31 other players in your team.

However, SBMM is there in Delta Force and I think that it can ruin the experience for many. Climbing the ranked ladder and facing tougher opponents is fine, but Skill-based matchmaking is annoying as it easily punishes you for playing well in one match. I do think that this needs to go.

Some concerns

A gacha mechanic in a shooter game? (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

While the game has a lot of positives, certain things in the game are worth to be worried about. The first one is quite obvious and has been pointed out by many players on Steam. While I don't support Kernel Level anti-cheat which can potentially harm my system, the biggest issue is that the ACE anti-cheat that the game uses stays on your disk even after you uninstall Delta Force.

Another concern of mine comes as someone who has engaged in ability-based shooters for a while. I don't support locking any character or operators behind any grind or battle pass, even though they are in free tiers. While none of the characters are broken as of now, there is no guarantee that it will not be the case in the future.

Balancing a character before releasing them in the live servers can be a nightmare and you will often need community input to define how you will nerf or buff them. But this can in turn lead to players having a frustrating experience of going against someone using the OP characters that they got by spending money.

Another thing that I have to say is that the support characters have way too many smoking utilities. This results in the matches turning into the spam of smokes in the objectives, limiting visibility and you raging after dying to a random spam of gunfire. My suggestion is to limit the smoking utilities by either increasing their cooldown or reducing the number of smoke bombs that you can carry.

In conclusion

Delta Force perfectly succeeds in the all-out warfare formula where Dice failed with 2042. (Image via TiMi Group Studios)

I will be very frank. While Delta Force provides a great experience for anyone looking for the all-out warfare feeling, it certainly does not have anything unique going for it. But that is not a bad thing to be very honest. The developer can still create a fantastic live service experience in the current framework.

I am not that big into the extraction shooter genre so I have no idea about how good or bad the experience provided here is compared to other games, but what I can tell you is the fact that Operations is extremely friendly for new players. Even someone like me who hasn't really played other Extraction games outside of the Division's Dark Zone, I found the experience quite fun.

You could quickly loot and extract from the map, but it was tense as you do have a chance of running into better squads who can finish you off.

The game has minimal performance issues and the same goes for the server as well. Overall, the gunplay feels nice with in-depth customization that completely changes how your weapon performs. Operators are fun to play with but they are not overpowered enough to turn the tide of the battle and the maps are solid visually.

My biggest concern is the Kernel Level anti-cheat obviously and hopefully, the developer will resolve the issue and find a better way to avoid hackers from manifesting the servers.

I also still don't support locking Operators behind any type of grind, but the developer has promised that Delta Force will not be pay-to-win, and from my experience with the various characters I'm willing to give Team Jade a pass for now.

As someone who started playing Battlefield with 4, and enjoyed 1 and V to its fullest, I can honestly say that Delta Force comes closer to the all-out formula than most games, and even 2042. It is a fun, addictive and simply provides the experience that Dice's last venture failed at

I do recommend downloading the game and testing the waters out for yourself. As for me, I will be jumping in on the action and will be keeping an eye out on the horizon for more maps, game modes, and content making its way in the future.