DUSTNET – Review
Back in the day, there was this popular mod for Half-Life, named Counter-Strike. This game used the (then) modern engines and with the new gameplay style of rescuing hostages and planting bombs, CS became an instant success. Each game always has some maps that are highly loved by the fanbase, with Counter-Strike this was DE_Dust2. Even now, many years later, this map is still the number one choice to play on because of its simple yet effective layout. But how does one great creation come to life in a Steam Server? Log into the DUSTNET and find out.
Story
The game takes place on a deserted DE_Dust2 server. Since nothing has been loaded here, it can become your full playground. The players have all the tools at their disposal to create, destroy and alternate the server. Each one is like an organic life form, as long as there are people playing, it exists, but once everybody leaves, it vanishes. Meaning that life is created by people, but will disappear forever once there is no-one to remember it. DUSTNET is the kind of arcade shooter game that doesn’t need a story to be interesting, it’s you that creates the story together with other players.
Graphics
The game has very simple graphics by using wireframe visuals. Those who have seen game development know that this is where most games get their foundation created. Because there isn’t much detail to the objects and the walls are blank, it could be very disorientating for some. It’s hard to spot some walls and during the combat scenarios, you could miss your opponent due to these issues. The good part about these simple graphics is that the game even runs on phones, so you don’t need a bank-breaking computer to run DUSTNET.
Sound
The sounds in the game are as basic as the graphics, creating this whole simple atmosphere where darkness and emptiness reign. An empty server is as silent as the night and the more life there is, the more sound there will be. All the assets are pulled from the original Counter-Strike games and if you played these, you will immediately recognize them all.
Gameplay
DUSTNET is a First-Person Shooter in which you must rebuild an empty and abandoned DE_Dust2 server. Overall the goal is simple, a terrorist must plant the bomb to score a point while the counter-terrorist must stop them or try to defuse it in time. In a normal CS match, this would mean the end of the stage, but in this game, it keeps on going. It feels like there was never any intention to make the classic matches go their way, most players will get their enjoyment of killing the opponent countless times.
Ultimately it’s all about creation and doing what you want. Some will try to make alternative routes, so you won’t be able to reach the objective too easily, while others will focus on the objectives and try to score points. Servers only live when people are playing there, which also means that if there is nobody to play with, the game will be dead as heck. This was also a large issue encountered when we were reviewing this title, we never succeeded to find a populated server or to have people joining us. In its prime, the game looks very promising with people having fun and having three platforms (PC, VR, and AR) playing together with their own powers.
PC users will be battling it out between Terrorist and Counter-Terrorist, VR and AR users will have a God role in which they can alter the map and attack players with orbital strikes. On paper, it all seems like a grand idea but as servers are not that populated, the game suffers from the well-known ‘only online’ issue. When the game gets more traction and more people start playing it, it might become the new arcade FPS builder.
Controls are simple but if you want to nicely build the maps, you will have to get the hang of the large User Interface and the many options it holds. Just create a new server, learn how to build and hope that people join the game.
Conclusion
DUSTNET is a game that seems great on paper but is hindered by its small player base. With matches that go on forever as long as there are people playing, your ultimate goal is just to let the creative juices flow and hinder the other team in the meanwhile. The gameplay is simple yet complicated with the base building and creating new routes or setting diversions. Each game is a unique experience and the three cross-platform possibilities make it fun for various kinds of players to enjoy.
DUSTNET – Review,
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