GROUND BRANCH

1.0 release was just a marketing ploy

1.0 Better have all the meat this game is missing cuz this game doesn't hit like other existing titles. Want a rainbow six type of game like this is trying to achieve get Ready or Not. Like weapon customization a little too much get Operator and if the game is to easy for ya get Tarkov.

Expectations were not high, redownloaded after years of no content. Two barebones operations with AI slop voices, no friendly AI. Armor is in but I couldn't even tell the difference. This is 1.0 in name only. After waiting patiently for 6+ years I think I'm just done with this game.

500 hours later... I can't recommend the 1.0 release. I have nearly 500 hours in Ground Branch, and I don't regret supporting the project during Early Access. However, I feel it's important to explain *why* I spent so much time with the game. The majority of those hours were made enjoyable by the incredible modding community—not by the base game itself. Community-made weapons, equipment, maps, and other content kept the game fresh long after the official content had run dry. For years, I accepted the slow development because I believed the full release would finally deliver a complete tactical shooter. I expected meaningful improvements to AI, mission variety, content, and overall polish. I kept supporting the game because I trusted that 1.0 would justify the long wait. Unfortunately, it didn't. After playing the official 1.0 release, I honestly feel like the game is still closer to a technical demo than a finished product. The gunplay and weapon customization remain excellent, but those systems alone cannot carry the entire experience. The AI is still disappointing, official content is extremely limited, and there simply isn't enough depth or replayability to justify calling this a fully released game. The core mechanics are solid, but the gameplay built around them still feels unfinished. Ground Branch has always had enormous potential, and that's exactly why this is so frustrating. I wanted this game to succeed. I defended its slow development for years because I believed the final product would be worth the wait. I also believe the modding community deserves a huge amount of credit. Without their work, I doubt I would have reached anywhere near 500 hours. Much of the game's longevity has come from passionate community creators rather than official updates. I don't hate Ground Branch. In fact, my disappointment comes from how much I wanted it to become the tactical shooter it promised to be. As an Early Access title, I could recommend it based on its potential. As a game now marketed as a full 1.0 release, I can't honestly recommend it in its current state. I sincerely hope future updates prove this review wrong.

I really wish I could give it a mixed rating. The gun play, the customization, the graphics, all great, but man the AI just kills this game. I bought int GB in 2023/24 and played it on and off, some small missions here and there, but honestly? The interactions with the ai just straight up suck. I wish they were more dynamic... I was imagining the AI would be able to like, around a doorway and wait for you to get close, or at least take cover behind a doorway if they heard your shots. Maybe you know, have them weigh options depending on how much sound you're making, how loud your gun is, move in small squads or fireteams to try and surround you, etc. But no. Most of the time the ai on small maps or even just in tight corridors just walk down whatever pathing they have and then either completely miss you or stare at you for a second before they pull their weapon up and gun you down, all while being alone or following each other in a straight line. They don't hide behind cover like one would expect, they don't do much of anything really, they're just moving targets half the time and they just feel too simple to be worth going against. I don't know. I had some fun with this game don't get me wrong, but for its price point? Ehhh... It's a shame too because most of these mil-sim games and others like it struggle in the same department. The ai's just blow in all of these games. This game is basically the original ghost recon with a few more mechanics baked into it, so if you enjoy the OG GR you'll enjoy this, but only for a certain amount of time before you start noticing the cracks. All in all, [i] if you have the money to spare[/i] then by all means try it out. But if you're really not sure about it, just wait and see what happens. I got my moneys worth though, so at this point whatever ends up happening is what ends up happening with this title.

I genuinely don't understand how this game made it to a 1.0 release. The movement feels awful, the graphics look like they're straight out of 2015, and the AI is some of the dumbest I've ever seen. Enemies either instantly one-tap you in the head or spend their time running into walls like complete idiots. There is no in-between. The maps are empty and lifeless. Barely any environmental detail, almost no props, and the extraction points are literally just a cheap green smoke effect with a terrible animation. This game has supposedly been in development for years. I get it, maybe it's a small team or even a solo developer. But calling this a full release? Seriously? If I bought this game as a brand-new player without knowing its history, I'd refund it within the first two hours without thinking twice. It honestly feels like the bare minimum amount of work was done just to squeeze more money out of people. The new 1.0 missions are embarrassing. One is basically recycled content, and while the new map is... new, that's about the nicest thing I can say. The environments, textures, and overall presentation feel like they're at least ten years behind modern games. After getting frustrated, I went back to Ready or Not, and the difference is night and day. Sure, Ready or Not is starting to show its age too, and I know it had a much bigger budget and team. But if you're deciding where to spend your money, I'd recommend Ready or Not every single time. The online experience is also terrible. I expected a tactical shooter, but every public lobby is full of people sprinting around like it's Call of Duty. If that's the experience I wanted, I'd just go play Call of Duty. The UI is ugly, the customization is clunky, and attaching accessories to your weapon is way more complicated than it has any right to be. I spent half an hour fighting the weapon editor just to get a simple optic setup that other games let you make in seconds. Overall: Strongly do NOT recommend. There are far better tactical shooters out there that actually respect your time and your money.

I've owned the game for over 11 years and only have 11.6 hours of playtime. That should tell you how bad this game is.