Isonzo Critic Reviews

Shifting the action from both the muddy trenches of the Western Front and the snow-dappled rural expanses of the Eastern Front to the blood-soaked peaks of The Great War's arguably most sophisticated theatre of conflict, developers BlackMill Games and M2H have excelled themselves with Isonzo. A thoroughly thoughtful and visceral first-person shooter where tactics and strategy are valued equally to a quick trigger finger, Isonzo isn't just the best entry in the WW1 Game Series to date, it also happens to be one of the best tactical multiplayer shooters full stop.

The third installment in the WW1 series does not disappoint with recognizable gameplay in a new format, considering the battlefield has moved to Italy. It looks graphically neat, the authenticity is evident and the gameplay can be very hectic. At the same time, though, you have to expect a relatively steep learning curve and somewhat clunky controls on consoles. Nevertheless, Isonzo is a shooter worth mentioning.

Isonzo is the third act of the WW1 Game Series franchise developed by Blackmill Games which, even without proposing major changes compared to Verdun and Tannenberg, proved to be a good tactical shooter that evokes the battles on the Italian front. Its biggest problem, however, is an imperfect technical optimization, but also the low amount of playable content such as maps and modes.

The realism of the battlefields, uniforms and guns is at the heart and core of the game. The combat is brutal and unrelenting for anyone looking to dive into the historical battlefields of Isonzo. Players will have to deal with constant deaths while engaging with this historically accurate, tactical FPS delivered by BlackMill Games.

Isonzo is already the third World War 1 shooter from the Dutch Blackmill Games studios. It's pretty clear that Isonzo refines the renowned formula.

Isonzo may be fascinating for people who enjoy historical settings in an FPS. Unfortunately, gameplay wise is far from perfect and it needs way more content to captivate its players.

Isonzo is a decent game. Solid in many areas, but never one to show off, the title delivers a good gameplay core, and offers it up at a reasonable price. Performance problems aside, good gunplay and interesting maps are enough to make the experience worth it, at least in the short term. A campaign or a large pool of maps could certainly enhance the value of the title, but even without it, you have a lean, satisfying experience that will be especially appealing to anyone with an interest in the First World War.

Isonzo injects some much needed verticality and colour into attritional World War I conflict. The class types allow players plenty of ways to contribute, although online competition can feel like a meat grinder. A way to gradually introduce new faces would've been very welcome, although there isn't that much to Isonzo as a package. For offline combatants, the bots do provide a more forgiving opposition, if a touch predictable. Online with strangers, I struggled to find organisation amongst players. Still, there are moments where it shines with a mix of tension and victory. More maps are forthcoming and it is cheap which could entice someone to give it a shot.

Isonzo is an honorable attempt at creating the historical events of the battles between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies. The multiplayer-only component with concern for long-term player base sustainability, alongside a multitude of user experience gripes make it an unremarkable experience.

World War I returns with the Italian theatre authentically recreated for some grounded, methodical FPS action. The real war was a grind and Isonzo maybe captures that feeling a little too well with a lack of variety in maps and modes, coupled with some major technical and visual issues. Even so, it’s an earnest effort that’ll draw in appreciators of history and those who like their FPS experiences to be more tactical and threatening than the Battlefield 2042s of the world.