A new Free2Play tactical shooter called Veiled Experts is coming soon to Steam, which draws on the foundation of Counter-Strike but takes a completely different path otherwise. MyMMO has already had a few rounds and gives you a brief assessment of the tactical shooter. An open beta is planned for March.
Call of Duty was my entry point into tactical shooters. Hardcore “Search & Destroy” with a well-rehearsed team – is there anything better? Yes, fans of Counter-Strike might say. But this “stopping” while shooting for precision… what’s that about?
It was only through a small Valorant hype that I recognized the appeal behind it. And a few rounds in the new tactical shooter Veiled Experts further solidified that impression. It has an exciting, predictable element that adds a certain tactical depth.
Nevertheless, I would always prefer Overwatch over Valorant and CoD over CS:GO. But Veiled Experts takes such a unique approach that it could become its own “original.” Read here about my first impressions of the game.
Here you can watch the current trailer:
Refreshing Destruction with Teamplay
What makes Veiled Experts unique? It is a refreshing mix of Counter-Strike with hero shooter elements in third-person view, dynamic maps, and a touch of battle royale.
The main mode is “Search & Destroy” – the attacker and defender teams start on opposite sides of a map, the attackers need to plant a bomb (Seed), and the defenders have to do everything to prevent that. If a player is down, they can be revived under certain circumstances. A team deathmatch mode is also planned.
As in CS:GO, a round starts in the shop – you buy weapons, equipment, and some of the special abilities of the agents. Additionally, there are benefits that can be unlocked for the whole team. Here, each team member can invest, and you unlock things like armor for everyone.
The developers pointed out during the play session that “scan equipment” is an important part of tactics. This allows enemies to be detected early. Veiled Experts has many such anti-camper mechanics.
Each game field is bounded by a magnetic barrier. Like in a battle royale, this zone moves, shrinks, and you take damage when you are within the magnetic zone. The goal is to give constant campers no chance to concentrate for long on a specific spot.
On top of that, the agents come with very different abilities. I played with Soy, a support character. With her ability, I could either scan the environment or regenerate my teammates’ armor or health. I could switch between modes.
Then there are specialists like Dmitry, who receives a sniper rifle at the start of the 4th round without having to spend any money. Or Lily, who accumulates discounts in the shop when she spends money.
Smooth Third-Person and Tactical Dynamics
How does it play? As a fan of The Division, I am familiar with third-person and know how clunky the controls can sometimes be.
Veiled Experts surprised me positively right away. You sprint by default but can also walk slower and/or crouch. There is also a quick roll in the game, which has a short but noticeable cooldown.
It felt good, fluid, and rewarding from the first minute. The maps were also helpful. We played on three different maps, all packed with cover, long sightlines, and tactically usable elements. If you have an eye for it, cover was usually only a roll away.
If the attacker team destroyed a bombsite, some variety entered the game. The areas were then destroyed by the bomb and changed the map.
The large maps with their many possibilities and the tactical dynamics from the magnetic field as well as the changing bomb sites directly caused excitement during the playtest. I wanted to play more, put a team together, dominate a match.
I actually got my little dose of Call of Duty – for a lot of cash, I was able to get a Juggernaut suit and rampaged across the map with a minigun.
Finally, a little info about the weapons: Each weapon played very differently and could be improved with attachments during the matches.
Additionally, the developers explained to us that the different types of ammunition also have different effects – 9mm ammunition is not as strong against armor as larger calibers.
When can I play it? Veiled Experts still needs some time until its full release on Steam. For example, the progress systems in the game are not yet fully developed – they want to finish the gameplay completely before worrying about such things.
However, there have already been initial tests, during which it was allowed to publish recordings. If you want to see more, take a look on YouTube.
An open beta is planned for March 2023 on Steam, and possibly the latest addition to our list of the best Free2Play shooters of 2023 is waiting here. I will keep an eye on it.
What’s your impression? Leave a comment on the topic.
