Wikipedia

Draft:WW1 Game Series

  • Comment: I don't see any sources talking about the series itself as opposed to the individual games - not seeing WP:GNG being passed here. ᴢxᴄᴠʙɴᴍ (ᴛ) 23:54, 13 October 2024 (UTC)

WW1 Game Series
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Developer(s)
  • BlackMill Games
  • M2H (former)
Publisher(s)Focus Entertainment,
  • BlackMill Games (former)
  • M2H (former)
Platform(s)
First releaseVerdun
April 28, 2015
Latest releaseIsonzo
13 September, 2022

The WW1 Game Series is a collection of squad-based, multiplayer first-person shooter games set during World War I, initially developed by independent studios BlackMill Games and M2H. The series consists of Verdun (2015), Tannenberg (2019), and Isonzo (2022). Each game focuses on different fronts of the Great War: the Western, Eastern and Italian Front, respectively. The series offers historically accurate depictions of weapons, uniforms, and battlefields, with each title emphasizing teamwork, tactical gameplay, and immersive World War I experiences.[1][2][3]

Gameplay and features

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All games in the WW1 Game Series share several common gameplay elements: they are squad-based multiplayer shooters that focus heavily on historical accuracy, offering players authentic World War I weapons, uniforms, and battlefield conditions.[4][5] The emphasis lies on teamwork, and players are required to coordinate their actions and use period-appropriate tactics.[6] In each game, players can choose from a variety of unique roles that determine which weapons and abilities they have. Suppression effects, trench warfare, and limited resources are other features that add to the immersive experience of fighting in World War I. The games support large-scale multiplayer matches with AI bots available for offline play.

History

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The series was initially developed by independent Dutch studios M2H and BlackMill Games, with BlackMill Games continuing development after the series was acquired by Focus Entertainment in 2022.[7]

Verdun (2015)

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Released on April 28, 2015 after more than a year in Steam Early Access, Verdun is the first title in the series and is inspired by the infamous 1916 Battle of Verdun. The game was initially released on PC, and later on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.[8][9]

Set on the Western Front, Verdun features a squad-based multiplayer system with up to 64 players and several game modes, including the flagship Frontlines mode.[10] In Frontlines, players must fight for control over trenches in turn-based warfare, reflecting the attrition-based combat of World War I. Other modes include Squad Defense, Rifle Deathmatch, and Attrition Warfare.[11][12]

The game continued to receive free updates, adding new content and improving its gameplay over time.[13][14][15] A special event called Christmas Truce, based on the historical Christmas truce of 1914, was introduced in December 2015 and was available for two weeks.[16] Players could choose to join snowball fights and football matches instead of the usual matches, and send each other postcards and sing Christmas carols together. The event has returned to Verdun during every Christmas period since then.[17][18]

Tannenberg (2019)

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The second game in the series, Tannenberg, launched on February 13, 2019 after having entered Steam Early Access in November 2017.[19] It was initially released on PC and came to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2020 and 2021.[20][21]

The game is inspired by the 1914 Battle of Tannenberg in East Prussia, covering the Eastern Front of the Great War. The game allows up to 64 players on PC (40 on consoles) to engage in tactical squad-based combat with a newly designed class system that has an impact on available weapons, abilities and stats.[22] The main game mode in Tannenberg is Maneuver, where teams capture sectors and control points to drain the opposing side's resources.[23] Other modes include Attrition Warfare and Rifle Deathmatch.

Much like its predecessor, Tannenberg has received multiple free updates since its release.[24][25] In a unique feature, a "Wolf Truce" event was temporarily added, based on historical reports of soldiers calling truces to fight off wolves during the war.[26] Much like Verdun’s Christmas Truce, this event returns for a short period of time every year.[27][28]

Isonzo (2022)

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Isonzo was released on September 13, 2022, simultaneously launching on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.[29] The game takes players to the Italian Front and is inspired by the real-life Battles of the Isonzo, which occurred between 1915 and 1917.

Isonzo introduces the Offensive game mode, where players fight over several defensive lines and must complete objectives to progress.[30] The game supports up to 48 players on PC (40 on consoles) and features six distinct classes, each with unique abilities and equipment.[31]

Free updates have introduced additional content, including new factions and maps.[32][33][34] Isonzo’s counterpart to Verdun’s Christmas Truce and Tannenberg’s Wolf Truce is a new gameplay mode called Ascent, where Italian mountaineers scale the slopes of the Marmolada Glacier to capture their enemy’s positions while Austro-Hungarian defenders hurl rocks at them to fend them off.[35]

Reception

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The WW1 Game Series has been generally well-received for its dedication to historical authenticity and tactical depth. However, reception has varied across the individual games. Verdun received praise for its immersive trench warfare but was criticized for performance issues, particularly on consoles.[36][37][38] Tannenberg was seen as an improvement in terms of gameplay mechanics but was less celebrated for its distinctiveness.[39][40][41] Isonzo garnered attention for its unique Italian Front setting and mountain warfare, with some positive feedback for its gunplay and maps as well as improved graphics, though there were concerns about the game’s pacing, its performance and other technical issues.[42][43][44][45]

References

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  1. ^ Gerblick, Jordan (25 March 2021). "WW1 Isonzo is a historical multiplayer FPS coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2021". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  2. ^ McCaffrey, Ryan (24 March 2021). "WW1 Verdun Follow-Up Isonzo Announced for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and Xbox One". IGN. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  3. ^ Morics, Peter (24 July 2020). "Tannenberg Review: Period Accurate For Better Or Worse [UPDATED]". Screenrant. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  4. ^ Woolsey, Camerson (8 May 2015). "Verdun Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  5. ^ Renshaw, Paul (13 March 2017). "Verdun Review". The Xbox Hub. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ^ Watanuki, Sam (26 July 2020). "Tannenberg PlayStation 4 Review: What's Old Is New Again". The Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  7. ^ Batchelor, James (13 September 2022). "Focus Entertainment acquires WW1 Game Series developer BlackMill Games". GamesIndustry. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  8. ^ Makuch, Eddie (15 June 2021). "WWI FPS Games Verdun And Tannenberg Launch On PS5/Xbox Series X/S With Free Weekend". GameSpot. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  9. ^ Makuch, Eddie (8 March 2017). "Xbox One Gets World War I Shooter Verdun Today". GameSpot. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  10. ^ Denton, Jon (2 September 2016). "Verdun review". Eurogamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  11. ^ Moore, James (6 September 2016). "Verdun Review". GameSpew. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  12. ^ Treese, Tyler (2 September 2016). "Verdun Review – Stuck in 1916 (PS4)". PlayStation Lifestyle. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  13. ^ Romano, Sal (5 December 2019). "Verdun 'remastered' update now available for Xbox One, soon for PS4". Gematsu. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  14. ^ Harradence, Michael (29 July 2020). "Verdun Update 1.07 Patch Notes Revealed". PSU. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  15. ^ Horti, Samuel (15 December 2018). "WW1 shooter Verdun gets new map, mode and weapons in free update". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  16. ^ Donnelly, Joe (16 December 2016). "Verdun to reenact WW1 Christmas Truce for War Child charity". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  17. ^ Chalk, Andy (15 December 2017). "Verdun's Christmas Truce DLC returns next week". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  18. ^ Chalk, Andy (19 December 2018). "Verdun developer will plant 2500 real trees to celebrate this year's 'Christmas truce' event". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  19. ^ Chalk, Andy (16 November 2017). "World War I FPS Tannenberg is now on Early Access". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  20. ^ Carey, Sean (1 July 2020). "WW1 first-person shooter Tannenberg launches on Xbox One later this month". True Achievements. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  21. ^ Makuch, Eddie (15 June 2021). "WWI FPS Games Verdun And Tannenberg Launch On PS5/Xbox Series X/S With Free Weekend". GameSpot. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  22. ^ Carey, Sean (24 March 2019). "Tannenberg Review". GameGrin. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  23. ^ Hancock, Patrick (24 February 2019). "Review: Tannenberg". Destructoid. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  24. ^ Bishop, Sam (26 July 2019). "Tannenberg expands with a Baltic map and Latvian soldiers". GameReactor. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  25. ^ Dawe, Liam (28 July 2020). "WWI FPS 'Tannenberg' adds a big new free map with a famous fortress - on a big sale". GamingOnLinux. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  26. ^ O'Connor, Alice (12 April 2019). "Tannenberg calls a truce to fight the real enemy: wolves". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  27. ^ Streva, Frank (20 March 2020). "Tannenberg's Wolf Truce Event Is Live Again". Niche Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  28. ^ B., Todd (21 November 2022). "Wolf Truce event is back in Tannenberg". Linux Game Consortium. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  29. ^ Brody, J. Brodie (12 September 2022). "Isonzo Review: A Brutal (If Repetitive) Battlefield". ScreenRant. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  30. ^ Banas, Graham (19 September 2022). "Isonzo Review". PushSquare. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  31. ^ Park, Morgan (30 September 2022). "Isonzo Review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  32. ^ Sarnowski, Melissa (23 November 2022). "WW1 Shooter Isonzo's Caporetto Update Adds German Empire Troops & More". ScreenRant. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  33. ^ van Autrijve, Rainier (9 November 2023). "'Isonzo' White War: Marmolada Expansion Adds New Locations, Weapons And More, Free To Play On Steam This Weekend - Trailer". WorthPlaying. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  34. ^ Mates, Bogdan Robert (7 September 2023). "WWI FPS Isonzo's Fourth Free Expansion, Piana, Out Now". GameWatcher. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  35. ^ "Isonzo: WW1 Italian Front – Ascent: Official Trailer". IGN. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  36. ^ Dingman, Hayden (17 May 2015). "Verdun review: A thoughtful, squad-based take on WWI". PCWorld. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  37. ^ Masand, Sidd (12 September 2016). "Verdun Review – All We Need Is Just a Little Patience". COG Connected. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  38. ^ Brierly, Gareth (9 October 2022). "Isonzo Review". The Xbox Hub. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  39. ^ Ardron, Nicola (29 July 2020). "Tannenberg Review". GodisaGeek. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  40. ^ Collyer, Jamie (26 July 2020). "Tannenberg Review". Xbox Tavern. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  41. ^ Burrows, Adrian (28 July 2020). "Tannenberg Review". The Sixth Axis. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  42. ^ Thompson, Miles (13 September 2022). "Isonzo Review (PS5) – It's All Gone Quiet On The Italian Front". Finger Guns. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  43. ^ Gardner, Matt (3 October 2022). "'Isonzo' Review: A Simple, Satisfying Strategic Shooter". Forbes. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  44. ^ Lyons, Ben (13 September 2022). "Isonzo". GameReactor. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  45. ^ Fraser, Mick (13 September 2022). "Isonzo Review". GameWatcher. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
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