Prima Game of the Week | PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Why You Should Play

• Addictive gameplay
• Compelling & unique graphics
• Recent release of version 1.0 & now available on Xbox One

Having spent hundreds of hours running the streets in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG for short), we chose it as our very first Game of the Week because it offers unbridled action and intensity. The tinge of fear that runs down your spine when you’re waiting inside of a building, footsteps echoing around you, just waiting for the door to open is something that never grows old. Thanks to the new vaulting mechanics and map added with the 1.0 release in December, PUBG won’t give up its number one spot on the most-played list anytime soon.

Gameplay

The premise is simple. One hundred players drop into a massive open world, where they’ll need to loot up, equip weapons, and take out their enemies in an attempt to walk away as the last person standing. Over time an electric field falls onto the map, pushing everyone closer together, making the combat even more intense as the match wears on.

That said, it didn’t take long to get swept up in the excitement that comes with every PUBG combat session; the thrills that came with every step was addicting, and kept us wanting more. Since the game’s first release back in March of 2017, we’ve experienced so many incredible moments, basking in the glory of our wins, and sometimes even laughing as we realized the bad decisions that led to our demise.

Guns are an important part of the PUBG formula, and every weapon feels like it stands on its own. As we play through the game, each gun that we use feels markedly different compared to the others. The feeling of using an SMG like an UMP or a Vector is quite different than wielding an AWM or an assault rifle like the AKM. Bullet drop, bullet speed, and even the fire rate of weapons play a huge part in gun battles, and knowing when to take cover and when to peek are all-important pieces of the basic formula that makes up combat in PUBG.

Visuals and Performance

One of the things we like most about PUBG is how the developers chose a darker, grimmer palette of colors for the world. Unlike other battle royale games, PUBG forgoes the overly dramatic and colorful environments that we’ve seen before to focus on a darker aspect. It fits the game’s theme better, and creates a more immersive environment for the game. Developer Brendan Greene (better known as PlayerUnknown) put together a game that’s both mechanically and technically brilliant, offering ease of access to both new players and skilled veterans of the genre; Greene has a lot of experience in this genre, consulting on Arma 3 battle royale, as well as H1Z1’s King of the Kill.

Looking at the game from a performance standpoint, we’ve noticed a massive jump in how well PUBG performs in the past nine months since its initial release. As with any early access game out there, PUBG started out as a rough idea in development, and the developers worked hard to improve and develop the game as the PUBG community has grown. Since the game’s initial launch, the development team has squashed bugs and improved gameplay optimization, all while supporting the community and working to add things that will make the game better. The lack of any real performance issues makes it easy to sink hours into the game each week, and makes it even easier to recommend PUBG to people with lower end PCs.

Game of the Week

Since March of 2017, we have spent so much time looting our way across the world that PUBG brings to life, and every mistake that we’ve made has helped us to become a better player. Each match is a step, and while some of these steps end in falls, the formula keeps us coming back for more. We’re not the only ones, either, as PUBG continues to be the number one played game on Steam, with over three million daily players since its release out of early access this past December. In addition, it won the “2017 Best Multiplayer Game” at the video game awards and was nominated for Game of the Year.

While PUBG relies greatly on the individual player’s skills, it’s still extremely accessible, and the simple gameplay is both addicting and exciting, while offering a complexity that begins to show as you invest more time. The rush of fear and the subsequent adrenaline spike that come with every encounter and kill is unmatched by any other battle royale game.

PUBG took 2017 by storm, and the developers ended the year on an even bigger note with the release of 1.0, which added a new map and several new key components. Plus, with the release of PUBG on Xbox One in mid-December, the game is now accessible to even more players.
The developers managed to create a perfect blend of great gameplay riddled with adrenaline pumping action and just the right amount of fear. Stunning gunplay, smooth performance, and an addicting gameplay loop lead to unlimited replayability, and that’s why PUBG has earned the title of “Prima Game of the Week.”

If you’re enjoying PUBG as much as we are, then make sure you check out our PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds guide, where we showcase several helpful articles including guides on the best shotguns in PUBG, as well as information on how to find the best loot.