You could very well consider New World Interactive’s Insurgency to be a success story. Yes, it failed to be funded through its Kickstarter campaign, but the game continues development through private investment and is making great progress. Insurgency: Modern Infantry Combat, was originally (by the same developers) created it as a Half-Life mod that was a great success, as it featured realistic weaponry and real-world locations reflecting the ongoing conflict in Iraq.Now, in 2013 here we are discussing the sequel and it’s well on its way to becoming another hit, still on the Source engine. You might be wondering why now the game is called “Insurgency” instead of “Insurgency 2” now. Well, using the in-game chat, I spoke with the Creative Director, Jeremy Blum about just that:
Hawk SE : Jeremy – I may have missed this, but is there an explanation to the name change from Insurgency 2 to just Insurgency?
[NWI]Jeremy : well there are a few reasons but to me it’s because Insurgency was never a purchasable game before
Hawk SE : How are you able to push forward with the game after Kickstarter?
[NWI]Jeremy : private investment
Hawk SE : So this is “Early Access”, but is this Pre-Alpha, Alpha, or Pre-Beta technically?
[NWI]Jeremy : Alpha
[NWI]Jeremy : because technically anything can still change
Hawk SE : You okay with the word “Alpha” being used in preview?
[NWI]Jeremy : yes, Alpha is fine
Hawk SE : What version of Source is this?
[NWI]Jeremy : CS:GO
I’ve spent many hours playing with other Early Access players, even Jeremy who was in the most populated server, playing at all hours of the day. As stated, the game is early, only in Alpha. But the CS:GO version of the Source Engine is working real hard and has impressive visuals, high quality textures and great ballistics.
Each movement of the character is deliberate and realistic. It may feel slowed down to other games, but it takes into account weight from which type of character class you pick simply called Light, Medium, and Heavy. They all have access to the same weapons (per faction), but how much armor they carry dictates player movement. The teams are split amongst the Insurgents and the Security. You can even do a sprint to slide to reduce your
The HUD is wonderfully minimal. Only showing score, mags of ammo, and the chat window. It’s a clean and immersive experience, allowing you to see more of the action without clutter and nonsense obscuring your vision. Speaking of, when getting shot at will put you under suppression which blurs the screen while not diminishing your aiming ability.
There are only three maps, each cover different specifics, such as the indoor/outdoor desert map, the outdoor mountainy snow map, and the indoor underground car park. While not exactly cliche, it allows to test varied environments and test small to medium sized maps. Each of the maps I played on supported up to 16 players per side. Definitely had a good balance and allowed us to check corners as a team, covering each other as we moved from place to place. Really exciting, I hope the camaraderie continues into the full game.
As you play, you’ll earn Supply from capturing and holding objectives both as a team and individually. Supply points can be used to customize your weapons for say holo sights, 4x magnification, hollow point bullets, or foregrips. Each supply attachment or enhancement has a specific point. If you don’t have any points, you’ll have to stick to stock weapons and trust your iron sights. This should drive teamwork, as there is a meaningful reward for working together.
Insurgency has a great foundation, has caring and engaged development team, and is a lot of fun that isn’t tripped up by gimmicks and over-the-top flair. It’s down-to-earth, gritty, and death comes quick if your finger isn’t on the trigger. Another modern military shooter has landed, and it’s an honest game full of promise and great attention to detail. I look forward to seeing it grow and get better from here.
You can buy Insurgency for $19.99, get a Steam key, and take part in the action here: https://www.playinsurgency.com/cart
