I booted up Gunzilla’s free-to-play battle royale, Off The Grid, and the first thing I heard was a rude comment from the game’s announcer, Master Sergeant Cobra. Not the best welcome.
When Off The Grid launched in early access in October 2024, it was heavily promoted on platforms like the PlayStation Store and recently made its way to Steam. Trusted sites like Polygon, IGN, and Kotaku touted its frequent updates and world-building by District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. Intrigued, I decided to dive in.
After a flashy introduction, Cobra started spewing out insults like “Come on, you chickenshit pussies!” It felt like a weird way to start a game. The premise is straightforward: you parachute into a map, scavenge for weapons, and fight to be the last team standing. My first match felt lackluster, as many opponents appeared to be bots. Online, players shared concerns about the long matchmaking times and the abundance of bots, which raised fears about the game’s future.
What surprised me more were the character skins. I encountered players decked out as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris — a bizarre twist that made me wonder about the game’s target audience.
Gameplay itself was nothing revolutionary. The shooting felt decent, but movement was clumsy, making it tough to control my character. A cool feature allows players to swap limbs picked up during matches, some offering unique abilities. Yet, often, I found myself just waiting for my next opponent.
Now, about the NFTs. The game has an NFT element, meaning the loot you acquire can be bought or sold based on blockchain technology. After selling a rare item, I earned GUN tokens, the game’s cryptocurrency. However, as an Xbox user, I couldn’t access my GUNZ Wallet — a frustrating limitation due to platform restrictions. Gunzilla seems to recognize the mixed feelings about NFTs, downplaying their role while integrating them into gameplay.
While the game insists it’s playable without engaging with NFTs, ignoring this aspect feels counterintuitive. Engaging with the marketplace is part of what makes Off The Grid unique, yet the main gameplay might not hold up against competitors.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a solid battle royale experience, you may want to try something else. The endless insults from the announcer wear thin quickly, and while the game has its moments, it often leaves you wanting more. Unless you’re keen on cobbling together fake coins from loot, you might find better options in the vast battle royale landscape — ones without players sporting bizarre political skins.
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Off The Grid, Sports, Windows games, Multiplayer video games, Blockchain game, Kamala Harris, Tron, Non-fungible token, Neill Blomkamp, Surviv.io, District 9, Cobra, Donald Trump, Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, Kotaku