Foxhole has been in Early Access on the gaming platform Steam for about a month now and promises battles with over 500 men on several expansive maps that are constantly changing due to player actions. Our author Dennis has taken a closer look at the game and must say after a few hours: The concept is really interesting, even if he still hasn’t quite figured it out.
Currently, there are shooters like sand on the beach, yet some game developers are trying to bring something new to the table and showcase new gameplay mechanics. With Foxhole, another tactical shooter starts and mixes action-packed battles with strategic elements. Additionally, you can practically do whatever you want in the game.
What is Foxhole actually?
Foxhole is a MMO shooter where you control your soldier in an isometric perspective – meaning from above. On the servers, up to 120 soldiers are controlled by players. But that’s not all: In a special campaign, multiple servers fight on multiple maps for supremacy. It can happen that over 500 players are present on the battlefields. Foxhole reminds me of a sandbox game because you can practically do whatever you want.
Will you manufacture weapons and help build walls and defenses, or would you rather play the chauffeur who transports team members to the areas of operation? You can also act as a foot soldier and give the enemy players a hard time. The battles are fought on a vast map where every action influences the war.
Gameplay – Action and Tactics with a Touch of Sandbox
Foxhole plays out like a top-down shooter, similar to games like “Hotline Miami”. Here you control your soldier from above and navigate him across the battlefield. The control is typical for a shooter, using the “WASD” keys to move your character while aiming and firing with the mouse. Whether you rush to the front or proceed more tactically is up to you. If you prefer to charge in, you should be cautious, as ammunition is scarce in Foxhole.
That’s why here you should drink more aim potion instead of wildly wasting bullets. If you prefer to act from the backlines and want to experience the tactical side of the game, you can spend your time gathering resources and building walls and defensive structures. Sometimes Foxhole feels like a sandbox title to me because everyone can choose how they want to contribute to the war. You can shoot or build. Or you can spend time like I did, just going back and forth and getting to know the corners of the map better.
Foxhole: My First Gaming Minutes
Once you have chosen a suitable server, you can choose between two factions. After that, you can use a spawn point. These points are usually close to a town hall or an outpost. Here you should first build a weapon with the click of the E key so you don’t end up as cannon fodder right away. After I crafted my weapon, a teammate of mine came around the corner with a big transporter. I got in and drove with the remaining soldiers to the front line. Here you can already tell that Foxhole is a team-based shooter because you won’t get far alone.
Imagine It’s War and No One Knows How to Get There…
If you decide to transport players back and forth, you should always lock the car when leaving, because otherwise another player will usually take the vehicle and drive off to never be seen again. Once you arrive at the outpost, you still have the option to craft a suitable weapon near a camp, provided you have the materials for it. Quickly conjure a submachine gun and off to the action. At least that’s what I imagined; in reality, I was just hitching a ride back and forth and didn’t know what I was supposed to do.
Here, the developer should definitely incorporate a comprehensive tutorial because most players want guidance when getting started. You either have to figure it out or hope for the help of an experienced player.
Teamplay is Everything in Foxhole
Foxhole is a shooter where playing in a team is crucial. Solo players are not well-received here, and you quickly notice this in the chat. The players are passionate about it and give 100 percent effort to lead their faction to victory. I, for instance, didn’t know what was happening to me at first and was simply shot down.
Here, you really need to engage with your team and discuss strategies and approaches. To avoid doing this cumbersome in chat, Foxhole offers the ability to communicate with your comrades via voice chat using Discord.
Dive into the Action or Prefer to Handle Logistics?
When you are new to the game, the question arises about what exactly you want to do. It’s important to gather resources and transport them to the various outposts to supply them. Sometimes the game feels like a logistics simulator because without resources or “dough”, nothing happens. Once you are stocked with enough materials, you can get going. Do you want to fight at the front and decimate enemy soldiers with your cannon, or do you prefer to be the builder and construct walls and defenses? Foxhole shines with its sandbox elements as there are many options to choose from and you can approach things differently.
Conclusion: Lacking a Tutorial – You Are Quite Overwhelmed at First
My first gaming hours were quite pleasant, even if I didn’t know exactly what I was supposed to do. The developer should definitely add a comprehensive tutorial to guide players on the right path, or else you’ll end up like me, driving trucks for hours. But once you get the hang of it, Foxhole rewards you with an intense and extremely team-based gaming experience. The shooter is one of those games that you must play extensively and get to know in order to unleash its full potential.
Foxhole is currently in Early Access but already offers a lot for this stage. I can overlook minor bugs like getting stuck on some objects or some translation errors. It is currently available in the Steam store for 20 Euros and has already shown a growing player base. So if you don’t mind diving in and the steep learning curve, you should definitely check out the game.
You can buy Foxhole on Steam.
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