Loadout is a game full of great ideas, but suffers with some of the worst network issues we’ve seen in a long time. This presents a bit of a problem considering Loadout is an online only game.
The game launched two weeks back and since that time, Edge of Reality have been working around the clock trying to fix things.
Our As We Play was heavily critical of the game at launch, and on launch weekend there were severe matchmaking issues rendering the game practically unplayable. However, with the recent release of 1.00.14, the team finally seem on-track to deliver the game they want us all to experience. But there’s still work to be done.
The most important thing to note is that the online element has much improved stability. It’s still not perfect and the game still suffers from some horrendous lag spikes which still renders some games completely unplayable, but compared to the launch release, Loadout is a much improved game. The majority of games, whether they’re casual or competitive, will be manageable and playable throughout – though most games will suffer the occasional hiccup. Still, this is a positive, encouraging step from the team.
However, there are regular crashes whenever you’re winning or losing games and Loadout will not register you with the XP earned. This is usually after 2-3 games played, but sometimes it’ll just happen randomly and unexpectedly, kicking you back to the title screen. Unacceptable and frustrating for a game that is launched and available for full public consumption.
There are still disruptions in frame rate and many character models and buildings don’t draw themselves properly until you’re up close. I reduced the resolution considerably and still noticed juttering and skipping. Of course, the online lag-spikes don’t help with this, but there is still plenty of work to be done in this area, especially with tearing, clipping and draw-distance.
The Friends List is in working order now. Anytime a friend is on Loadout, you can see them in game and initiate a chat. I’ve also been able to join people in a game from the friends list, though not tested this extensively. It’s a simple thing, but a positive step of progress the development team have taken.
The game also seems to have stopped forgetting my loadout choice after each death and keeps me with the set of guns I asked for at the very beginning. This was clearly a slight bug the game was plagued with at the beginning, but no longer seems to be an issue.
That said, bots still seem to be able to take incredible amounts of damage. They’re certainly not the bullet-fodder you’d expect, and aren’t always the best way to practice before entering the competitive field. This needs further tweaking and balancing.
Some unusual new things we’ve picked up: If you’re in the middle of a gunfight and you fall off cliff to your death, that kill is credited as a suicide, not as a kill for the other player. I found this a bit harsh, especially in a Deathmatch scenario. Some character models will also lose their clothes in the middle of a fight for no apparent reason. The character models seem to be in their customized garb one minute, then in their underpants the next.
Patch Analysis
Technical Competency – 7/10
Audio/Visual – 8/10
Network Stability – 5/10
After this patch, we’ve decided to increase the overall technical rating of Loadout. The patch has improved the network issues that plagued the game at launch, but they’re not completely there yet. There are still a number of problems which need work.
Still, an encouraging big first step from Edge of Reality. We look forward to seeing them continue to iron out the game’s issues.
Overall 6/10
(original score – 4/10)
Issues you’ve encountered
- Aim bots being spammed
- Looping matchmaking – When trying to play a exhibition match, have to loop through matchmaking 4 or 5 times before getting a match.
- Crashing after matches on victory/defeat screen and offering no XP reward
- Says ‘Unable to Connect to Server’ when booting up game. Issues with ports, registering internet and accessing servers.
- Cannot get out of windowed mode when switching from full-screen