Hell Let Loose: Vietnam takes the already fairly relaxed concept of warfare – getting shot by people you cannot see – and adds dense jungle, helicopters, tunnels and enough confusion to make Dartford Crossing at rush hour look like a carefully managed military exercise. It is still the 50-vs-50 tactical FPS fans know, but the move from Europe to Vietnam changes the rhythm considerably. Unfortunately, it also introduces a few problems that make this particular hell feel less like a masterpiece and more like a software update that escaped supervision.
Gaming Heaven
There is still an excellent game buried underneath the foliage. Battles are wonderfully unpredictable, with ambushes, artillery, napalm and close-range firefights regularly turning carefully considered plans into complete nonsense. The asymmetrical forces are particularly effective: American firepower and mobility face Vietnamese tunnel networks and guerrilla tactics, creating matches where nobody can feel entirely comfortable.
When everything clicks, it is tremendous fun. One minute you’re advancing with your squad, the next you’re being chased by a tank while questioning several life choices. The scale remains impressive, and the mixture of individual combat, squad leadership and broader strategy gives Hell Let Loose its unusual identity.
Gaming Hell
Sadly, Vietnam itself is not always kind to the game. Much of the scenery consists of increasingly similar jungle, making different maps remarkably difficult to distinguish. The aggressive colour grading doesn’t help, nor does the texture pop-in. Trees appearing from nowhere while you’re aiming at someone is especially useful if your tactical objective is to be killed by a man who technically wasn’t there five seconds earlier.
Vehicles are another headache. Helicopter controls feel unnecessarily awkward, while vehicles can be surprisingly fragile and often seem more trouble than they’re worth. There are also visual glitches and rendering issues that rather undermine the otherwise impressive atmosphere.
Final Judgement
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam has the bones of a brilliant tactical shooter, but at launch they’re buried beneath an awful lot of leaves, questionable vehicle handling and technical rough edges. The combat can be absolutely superb, yet the presentation occasionally makes it feel unfinished.
