You are on page 2 of our list of the best and biggest Battle Royale games of 2022 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Here you can go to page 1.
PUBG: Battlegrounds – The Classic
Genre: Battle Royale Shooter | Developer: Krafton, Inc. | Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox | Release Date: March 23, 2017 | Model: Free-to-Play (restricted)
PUBG: Battlegrounds started as “Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds” and was something like the modern founder of the genre. With PUBG, the hype surrounding the exciting game concept of “Battle Royale” ignited in 2017.
The shooter takes place in a rather realistic, dark scenario and sends you to remote locations where you only need to prove one thing: You can survive.
How big is PUBG? The shooter reached over 1 million concurrent players on average during its prime. In January 2022, there were still over 240,000, which means a 3rd place among the top games on Steam (via steamcharts.com).
For a first impression, we embed a trailer here:
How does PUBG differ from other Battle Royale games? The question should actually be: “How do other BR games differ from PUBG?”. Because no other shooter has shaped the genre like PUBG.
This allows many mechanics from PUBG to be found in other genre representatives, but there are also things that make the “classic” unique:
- Found weapons can be modified with attachments in the match
- Weapons can be somewhat difficult to handle, but play uniquely
- Slow game pace encourages sneaking
Who is PUBG for?
Compared to the other major genre representatives, PUBG is like the “hardcore shooter”. The game is merciless, and you go down quickly when you take hits.
If you enjoy a more grounded setting and don’t care much for crazy tricks to outsmart your opponents, then PUBG is your Battle Royale.
All the other major titles have faster movement, unique mechanics, or let you bring your own equipment into the game. PUBG drops you on the island, and you should secure as much victory as possible with your limited resources.
How tough is the entry? The unconventional weapon handling along with the low time-to-kill presents a certain hurdle. The entry is not easy.
However, experienced shooter players will quickly get the hang of it and will only need a few rounds to achieve initial successes.
In comparison to Fortnite or Apex you have fewer complex mechanics to learn. The tempo is also lower.
After a while, you will have the hang of the weapons. Thus, the learning curve of PUBG lies more in the shooting itself than in movement tricks or nimble building skills.
What problems does the game have? Cheaters have plagued PUBG since day one, and with the free-to-play release, the problem has worsened further.
“Free” players have no access to ranked matches, and “premium” players can more likely land in the same round during matchmaking. But in general, cheaters are an issue in PUBG.
Personal assessment of PUBG
The personal assessment of PUBG comes from our shooter expert Marko Jevtic. Marko has played every game on the list and has a certain history with PUBG.
Personal Assessment Marko Jevtic: Although PUBG was not the first Battle Royale on the market, it almost single-handedly made the genre a sensation. From today’s perspective, PUBG seems hopelessly outdated in many respects, but beneath this facade, there is still a great game in 2022.
Because what still makes PUBG special is its complex gunplay. Realistic mechanics and “quirky” weapon handling give the game a finesse and depth that even the most modern imitators don’t offer.
The comparatively slow pace with low TTK rewards a cautious, stealth-like approach. This is a refreshing change from the otherwise hectic other games on the list.
From the realistically styled PUBG: Battlegrounds, we move to the direct contrast title – Fortnite: Battle Royale.
Colorful, loud, and crazy, the shooter conquered the gaming world after its release by storm and continues to bring joy to its players.
