Beyond the Wire
by Mikhail
Jul 14, 2022 |
1
Votes |
87
Played |
0
Reviews
9
rate
Genres:
Action , First Person ShooterGraphics:
3DLabels:
War , Historical Setting , Player vs Player (PvP)Platforms:
Publishers:
Offworld Industries Beyond the Wire is a World War I first-person shooter and World War I simulator by Offworld Industries. As a soldier in WW1, you’ll join one of many available factions, like the Imperial German Army and the French Republic. Use various weapons from history, and cooperate with your squad in 50v50 battles. Play Now Similar Games Played
People Also Played
Summary
World War I is critically underrated and underrepresented compared to World War II. Thankfully, it is now getting enough attention from video game developers and even in film, with 1917 becoming a massive hit. Many WW1-themed games are starting to appear, likely buoyed by Battlefield 1’s success.
However, Beyond the Wire is your best bet if you’re tired of its unrealistic arcade gameplay and want something more down-to-earth and realistic. Instead of resorting to gameplay that focuses more on explosive arcade-ish action, it uses a tactical and slower approach, with cooperation on a premium over personal glory. So no, you may not get to play a hero and go on a banzai bayonet charge into no man’s land because that’s the best way to get rid of your team’s tickets.
Its approach to gameplay is similar to its developer, Offword Industries, and other game, Squad. However, it manages to set itself apart thanks to its outstanding visuals, fun gunplay, and era-appropriate weapons. The thing is, should you give it a shot? Well, before you grab your bolt action rifle and head to the trenches, here’s what it has to offer:
Plotline
Beyond the Wire doesn’t have a single-player campaign or story, but it uses the backdrop and battlefields of World War I. The combatants are, of course, the principal belligerent nations of the era, like the Third French Republic, the German Empire, the American Expedition Force, and the British. However, the game also features special factions, particularly the renowned Harlem Hellfighters, an all-African American unit that served with distinction. There are also upcoming ones, like the ANZACs. It remains to be seen if the Ottoman Empire will be part of the future updates.
There are countless battlefields in Beyond the Wire, ranging from the town of Chateau-Thierry to the German region of Vieil-Armand.
Gameplay
Compared to Squad, Beyond the Wire’s gameplay is considerably different yet quite similar. This is a good thing, given that familiarity is a must in hard-to-play titles like these. The overall approach to winning is identical, thanks to the 50v50 game modes, Assault and Frontlines.
Assault puts one faction in an offensive role, charged with capturing objectives along the way. Meanwhile, the defending faction will attempt to repel the offensive by preparing defenses and ensuring the enemy team won’t capture the forward operating bases. Meanwhile, Frontlines requires both teams to capture open areas of the battlefield.
Beyond the Wire’s guns are composed of historically-accurate rifles, handguns, and semi-automatic carbines. Some of these weapons include the popular Lee-Enfield gun, Gewehr 98, and the American Springfield M1903. There are also assault rifles and SMGs in the form of the BAR 1918 and the Chauchat gun, but these came late into the war. Moreover, the game does have a few automatic weapons in the form of machine gun emplacements; these played a critical role in trench warfare, specifically during the Battle of the Somme. There are also field guns or direct-fire cannons, which are best used as defensive weapons, especially at charging concentrations of infantry.
Compared to Squad, firefights are a little slower, mainly due to the bolt-action and semi-automatic weapons. On several occasions, I was face to face with an enemy infantryman, and we were missing at point blank range with our clunky rifles. Thankfully, shootouts aren’t the only thing you can do here since you can do construction duty like build sandbags to help cover your teammates.
Apart from playing as infantry, you can also opt to play as a tank crew, although only the Mark IV tank is available now. These slow, sluggish early versions of the modern steel monsters we know today are far from their armored vehicle counterparts in Squad. Since it’s still an early access game, there are features yet to be added, and hopefully, we’ll get to see the Renault FT17 and the German A7V.
Community
Beyond the Wire has a loyal fanbase, but unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of players online. There are several servers online, but you would be lucky if you could get a dozen players simultaneously. Thankfully, the game has a Discord server and subreddit, so you can join those communities to see if they’re organizing games.
Graphics/Sound
In terms of presentation, Beyond the Wire goes beyond the call of duty. The battlefields and environments are incredibly detailed and atmospheric. I daresay the explosions and ringing gunfire across the trenches provide more of an experience than Offworld Industries’ Squad. They’ve also taken it one step further by introducing bloody and gruesome visuals, which aren’t best for anyone squeamish.
Conclusion
Overall, Beyond the Wire is a fantastic game and the makings of a hit tactical shooter. However, there aren’t a lot of players diving into it, so it may be a good idea to wait for the next big update and for its community to return once more before descending back into the trenches. Though it’s classified as a tactical FPS, we think it’s more of a WW1 simulator.
Beyond the Wire Blog
New Game Added: Beyond the Wire
by Mikhail
Jul 14, 2022
Read More
Featured Games
Realm of Warriors
Assemble a party of the strongest heroes to take on both the rebel forces and the corrupting influence of the Dragon Demon in this Chinese-themed browser MMORPG, Realm of Warriors!
RAID: Shadow Legends
Recruit the best to join your team and take on Siroth, the Lord of Darkness himself!
Hustle Castle
Save the king and his daughter from the abyssal lord as he threatens to destroy your kingdom and marry your bride to be in this fun mmo simulation game.
Dark Genesis
Play Dark Genesis and save the world from destruction with your allies.
War Robots
Head into the cockpit of a mech and decimate opponents in War Robots.
Blade of Kings
Blade of Kings is an idle RPG by Esprit Games. You’ll take a role of a warrior, defending the land from hordes of monsters and attempting to rise in rank in the kingdom. Take part in action-packed idle battles, use a variety of skills, raise pets, and achieve victory.
