Badlanders is a brand new action shooter game published under the name of the popular mobile gaming presence, Netease Games. This game appears to take huge inspiration from the popular PC/console game called Escape from Tarkov. There is essentially a twist on the popular battle royale genre, where the focus is more on looting than survival. Players spawn in a map with 24 other people and play just like in any other battle royale game – scavenge for loot and fight off enemies. Every few minutes, escape points will open up around the map and players must get to one safely. If they manage to escape, they can take all their loot with them. The player can use the loot for themselves or they can exchange it for cash in the virtual market. In this article we will do a short review of Badlanders, looking into each aspect of the game in detail.
Graphics and performance is up to standard
Starting off with the review, since Badlanders is a Netease game, you would expect the basic quality of the game to be good, and it is. If you have played games like PUBG Mobile or COD Mobile Battle Royale or any other multiplayer battle royale, you will already be familiar with the gameplay of Badlanders. Nothing to complain about in this aspect of the game really.
The only downside is that the game can feel a little buggy on low-end devices, leading to some frustrating situations in which you feel as though death was not your fault. However like said previously, if you played battle royale on mobile before, you will know exactly what we are talking about.
The main concept of Bandlanders is freshening
We’ve seen many battle royale shooters on mobile, all with the same focus on survival. However, the concept Badlanders uses is different and is quite freshening to experienced mobile gamers. You have different objectives to complete and choices to make. It all feels new and fresh, which might be exactly what you need if you are getting somewhat tired of the usual battle royale.
Also, the idea of having a virtual marketplace where you can sell and exchange loot is very promising. Everything you find in-game is worth something, which gives a whole new perspective to the game. Instead of looking for weapons that are usable, you are also looking for value, so you can sell on for big money. In the end, in-game cash is one of the main purposes of playing the game.
The combination of risk and reward is brilliant
One thing Badlanders excels at is providing a balance in risk and reward. Both of these play a big part in the whole game. Should you play it safe, avoid enemy interaction, and just head straight to the escape point after filling your inventory? Or should you play aggressively, engaging with enemies, and stealing their loot? The choices you make depend on how safe/risky you want to play and that will then determine the reward you earn. Mobile games have lacked this idea for a long-time now.
There are few games in which there is actually a lot at stake all the time. With Badlanders you are constantly playing with the fear of losing everything you have collected in a match. Overall, this is something missing from the mobile gaming platform. Badlanders is one of the few games with a focus on risk and reward, which makes it stand out from the rest of the mobile shooters. Let’s just hope Netease can keep this feature as good as it is now for the future of the game.
Monetisation is expected to play a big part
If you’ve played other Netease games before, you’ll know what the situation is like for monetization. Put simply, Netease usually allows you to buy your way to in-game success using real money. It looks as though this will also happen in Badlanders. Also, with the virtual marketplace, you will be able to buy whatever you like in the game. You may end up seeing players with some high-level gear very early on.
Fear not though, just remember that even if players can buy high-level loot using their own money, they will still be in the same situation on the battlefield. Once you die, everything you have in your inventory at the time of death is lost forever. All you need to do is play it safe, smart, and skillfully.
Final Verdict
In conclusion from our review point, you will find that Badlanders is a very different kind of battle royale game. It may share huge similarities in terms of core gameplay, however, the main concepts are quite different and refreshing. If you have heard of Escape from Tarkov, you are probably intrigued by this mobile version. Badlanders is most certainly a mobile shooter worth some recognition, Netease has done a good job here.
What is your review on Badlanders? Have you played it yet? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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