Verdun PS4 review - BF1 gets some hard competition

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World War 1 was one of the most bloody and brutal wars in history, mustard gas, Trench Warfare and ridiculous conditions that were faces by armed forces over the four years that it lasted. However, very few video games have captured the horrors from WW1…And while “Battlefield 1” is the talk of the town. Another little-known WW1 game recently released on PS4 known as “Verdun” by a small studio called M2H game Studio, and it had great success on Steam when it released last year. Well, guess what? “Verdun” has now made its way to the PS4 as well. So this would be my thoughts on the PS4-version of “Verdun”.

Hold the line boys! Hold the bloody line!

Visuals and sound are at a good standard in “Verdun”. However, they’re not going to blow you away. Nevertheless, it’s the authenticity and attention to detail that makes “Verdun ” into a winner in my yes. So, what about the maps then? Well, Maps are fairly large with various trenches and barbed-wire barriers (in terms of authenticity M2H sure nailed it), and the selections of weapons are relevant to the era. As you will find troops are in traditional gear (and not like the cosplay styled capes that you see in “Battlefield 1”), and the sounds of war is a hard thing to emulate. Because nothing can really compare to the screams and cries of injured soldiers, and yet Verdun does a good job. As the screams of comrades is quite unnerving, and it’s not glorified either, none of it is and that’s what sets “Verdun” aside from its competition.

Keep your enemies close, but your weapon (s) even closer.

“Verdun” has plenty of game modes, but the main one consists of a turn-base attack and defend. So basically both sides fight to take over the enemies trenches, which makes for some amazing moments as you and your team charge across no man’s land dodging on coming fire to take the trench ahead. There’s also a Co-Op survival mode where you defend a trench from oncoming enemies. The only thing that holds “Verdun” back is the online community, while playing there was less than a thousand players and since launch day that has dwindled (possibly due to the Battlefield beta). Even so, I still hope “Verdun” will find a strong community overtime. Because you can see that a lot of hard work has been put into this game, and it would be a great shame if the servers become baron.

The gameplay is pretty simple, but when it comes to taking damage, don’t expect to soak up bullets. As one or two shots will kill you instantly (which hypes up the tension). So whether you’re creeping through the trenches and or charging over the walls, don´t get too cocky, as there is a bullet out there with your name on it. There are four classes to play as, all of which are specialized in their own weaponry (each one has their own pros and cons). For example, the heavy gunner must deploy his Bipod to be able to fire. You can also create squads (which is a good idea if you intend to stay alive, you are also awarded more XP for working together), and teamwork is a must when it comes to taking enemy trenches.

“Verdun” puts authenticity first, and that really shows throughout the game.

That´s really nice of course, but “Verdun” is far from flawless. Well, for starter, the customization feature is a little confusing. As most of the customizations is done during in-game rather than setting up a specific class from the main menu. Furthermore, there is a lot to unlock as you progress up the ranks, and your appearance even alters as you rank up. However, with no class creator…So it gets a bit confusing as you try to figure out where all your gear is or how you need to equip it during a battle, and the online aspect of the game is a little shaky. As lag spikes hit hard sometimes, and there’s stuttering at times that makes combat quite difficult, but it tends to even itself out over time.

Join the war they said, it’ll be fun, they said. Well, if death is their definition of fun, then hell yeah!

Nevertheless, “Verdun” is still a really good game with no doubt. Furthermore, the game truly nails the feeling of trench warfare. As holding positions and attacking works perfectly! Here´s a free pro-tip though, team work is a must when it comes to winning games (you won´t win any battles on your own in “Verdun”). The only downside is the community size, but hopefully it will grow over time. So if you’re looking for an authentic WW1 shooter on PS4, then give “Verdun” a fair chance.

Pros:
+ Authentic WW1 setting
+ Great Multi-player
+ Low Price

Cons:
– Lag issues
– Confusing customization
– Small community

Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound/music: 4/5
Controls: 4/5
Replay value: 4/5

tgg grade 4 out of 5

Verdict: 4/5
M2H has done a really good job with “Verdun”. So the game is a must play for those looking for something a little more authentic for their WW1 Shooter!

Title: Verdun
Developer: M2H
Format: PS4, Xbox One and Steam
Genre: FPS
Resolution: 1080p
Release date: 2016-30-08
Difficulty: Easy to Hard
Spent time: 6 Hours
Average grade internationally: 56.00% Gamerankings.com
PEGI age rating: Blackmill Games/M2H
Price: £15.99 (£11.99 on PS Plus)
Install Size: 2.3GB