XDefiant Review – A Frenetic, Fun Arena Shooter

Someone at Ubisoft must have watched Avengers and immediately had the idea to mash up all of Ubisoft’s major game series into one. I’m just guessing here, but the crossover part seems true. XDefiant is the latest addition to the Ubisoft FPS shooter roster that blends the elements of action shooter with a focus on arena-based combat.

The 2008-2009 COD era probably influenced this game, and I am not mad about it because that’s how I caught XDefiant on my radar. Now I am here reviewing this game where Ubisoft’s biggest gaming franchise clashes against each other in a fast-paced combat arena setting. 

Gameplay

XDefiant is a Multiplayer FPS shooter with classic FPS mechanics at its core. Two teams, each comprising different factions, will engage in battle on various maps to complete the objective. It’s really hard not to compare this game to Call of Duty, especially since XDefiant’s game modes and mechanics are so similar it.

Coming from someone who has spent thousands of hours in CSGO and other FPS titles like Rainbow Six Siege, I was pleasantly surprised by the game’s approach to the different modes. It is a fast-paced shooter that prioritizes movement and positioning when facing your enemy because these two deciding factors influence the outcome of every gunfight.

I missed Rainbow Six Siege’s absence here and I think our favorite operators would fit well in XDefiant’s dynamic and fast-paced environment.

The easiest part of XDefiant gameplay is handling the guns. Unlike Ubisoft’s other FPS shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, gunplay is less dependent on recoil. However, map knowledge and positioning still matter if you strip down the core gunplay mechanics of this game to its bare minimum.

Always go after your enemy when they’re vulnerable or least expecting it. Sure, you might not stand a chance against a skilled player, but catching your enemies off guard is super satisfying and worth the risk.

Crossover Factions Comes With Their Iconic Kits

As of now, there are 5 factions available to play, each consisting of 3 characters who share the same kit. Cleaners from Tom Clancy’s Division, Echelon from Splinter Cell, Ghost Recons’s Phantoms, and Far Cry 6’s infamous freedom fighters, The Libertards, and Watch Dog DeadSec Cyber hackers who are up for purchase, but you can opt for the free route, to grind and unlock them. It’s free but it might take you quite a while racking up a 700k score in-game.

Despite offering unique abilities and Ultras for each faction, I couldn’t do much with them since it takes forever for them to charge.

If you are familiar with other Ubisoft games, you will recognize these groups. I missed Rainbow Six Siege’s absence here, and I think our favorite operators would fit well in XDefiant’s dynamic and fast-paced environment. Hopefully, the devs are planning to add some of the iconic Rainbow Six Siege operators to this game without changing their gadget sets.

XDefiant Unique Abilities Kit Will Keep The Gameplay Fresh

What makes XDefiant an enjoyable and different experience from Call of Duty is the addition of specific and unique abilities to these factions. We got a utility gadget consisting of your usual offensive grenade options and then an ability that highlights the faction’s strengths and is indicative of their background. The passive ability set gives each faction the personality that makes it stand out from other playable characters.

Not only that, you can charge your Ultimate, or what we call an “Ultra” ability, throughout the game, which accumulates passively and ramps up after you score a kill. Ultra is a game changer and if timed correctly, you can change the outcome of the match.

These additions are fairly well and I honestly loved the idea of having specific abilities that can keep the same old core game model refreshing. If developers keep updating the game with this mindset, XDefiant will likely become its franchise, I hope so.

As Fun As XDefiant Is, It’s Not Without Flaws

Let’s put the fun aside for a moment and address some issues that I noticed a few hours in. One major problem I have is with the movement. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fast-paced game, but I couldn’t ignore how stiff the character’s actions felt. I can run fast and vault over walls with no problem. However, when I tried to slide while taking cover under fire, it felt stiff and awkward.

You can slide, but the distance is so short, and you can’t immediately start running again. The flow of movement takes a big hit, which surprised me a lot because sliding is something I utilize more and more as the matches get action-heavy.

I ran into some funny bugs where characters’ faces were glitching out, and in some matches, the whole map floor texture was missing, which was pretty distracting.

Sliding is a big deal in fast-action games like Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and Call of Duty. It’s all about dodging enemy attacks by sliding into cover or under obstacles, and I think this aspect of the game needs some serious improvement or love from developers. 

My biggest disappointment with the gameplay is the ability to uptime. Despite offering unique abilities and Ultras for each faction, I couldn’t do much with them since it takes forever to charge. A single ability takes 25 to 30 seconds to recover which is too much for the fast-paced nature of the game.

Don’t even mention the Ultras; they take a long time to charge. Realistically, you can only use them once per match, or sometimes you don’t even get the chance to activate your Ultra.

Visuals And Performance

Coming towards the technical and visual side, XDefiant does its job pretty well. It’s not groundbreaking or photorealistic in any way but for a competitive shooter, it is well-optimized and light on specs. I was getting 140+ fps on the High-Medium preset, even during heavy action. It’s safe to say that XDefiant will be widely accessible to anyone who owns a decent mid-range PC.

XDefiant had its beta testing last month in April for a couple of days, and It looks like there’s still some work needed on the textures. I ran into some funny bugs where characters’ faces were glitching out, and in some matches, the whole map floor texture was missing, which was pretty distracting.

It’s not game-breaking, but hopefully, the developers will polish it by the time season 1 starts since we are in the pre-season testing phase right now.

Verdict

After a few years of testing and delays, I can confidently say that the product we have right now is in good shape. XDefiant is worth checking out if you’re into fast-paced, free-to-play shooters that are all about non-stop action and fun. It is not as polished as Call of Duty titles, but XDefiant stands on its ground while aiming to be its own identity.

The game’s position is in good hands, although I would still stress that developers should polish this game further for a much more fluent and entertaining experience. XDefiant’s idea of creating a crossover mashup between Ubisoft’s biggest gaming franchises seemed to pay off, and it is a matter of time before XDefiant is a game in a league of its own with its distinctive identity that strives to be an iconic FPS franchise one day.

I am excited about the future for XDefiant and I will be looking forward to my days now playing with my friends.

If you are satisfied with my XDefiant review, do consider checking out our other articles.

• V Rising Review 
• Turbo Golf Racing Review 
• PO’ed: Definitive Edition Review 
• Nioh Review 
• Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER Review