For those die-hard SOCOM fans that are desperately waiting for the latest release, if it ever comes, I feel your longing pain. SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs was one of the best online tactical shooters to ever grace a console. It was refreshing to have a hardcore multiplayer that attracted a more mature audience and created a strong community of like-minded players. 

SOCOM had great hardcore features that keep fans playing to this day. From no respawn modes to grenade blasts knocking down players within a close blast radius, there was a lot to love about the classic title that made it feel like a truly tactical and realistic experience for the time. Current die-hards of the series are keeping the game alive with custom servers and discord communities. However, if custom servers and old gameplay mechanics aren’t your thing, there is a very good substitute that is available now.

Insurgency: Sandstorm by New World Interactive has been rocking on Steam since 2018 and has gathered a big following of hardcore shooter fans ever since. With its recent release on consoles at the end of 2021, the realistic FPS has grown its fanbase to new heights. The game is offering tactical and realistic gunplay that will surely scratch that hardcore FPS itch.

Although Insurgency: Sandstorm is not a third-person shooter, it keeps the tactical mechanics from SOCOM alive with an A+ rating. Team load-outs are balanced so you won't get picked off by an army of snipers. Game modes are all objective-based with no Team Deathmatch option, which is very showing of the game's overall strategic themes. Objective-based plays are thoroughly rewarded as opposed to kills.

The gunplay in this game is one of the best I’ve played in any tactical shooter. Spray and pray fans won't see any leeway here as short and steady burst shots prevail as king. Guns and load-outs have weight, which directly affects the way you play. LMG and heavy armor load-outs make your character completely useless at sprinting and movement, in general, is very slow. You won't find the one guy zipping around the map, bunny-hopping his way to the top of the leaderboard, racking up kills with his fully modded LMG. That Call Of Duty norm is non-existent in this game.

I play on a PlayStation 5, which drastically increases the load times when you install the game directly on the SSD. The game runs at a solid 60 FPS and looks good. On console, I can proudly say the communication in this game is widely used which is a must for tactical games that require teamwork in order to pull off a win. The communication is proximity-based as well as radio-based. So, although you can radio your team from anywhere on the map, the enemy that is close to you can also hear your comms. This forces you to think twice before speaking and allows you to eavesdrop on your enemy for a possible flank.

There is a bit of a learning curve with the controls but it is nothing too unorthodox. After my first few matches, it became second nature. I do recommend running the co-op mode first before jumping into the PVP as it can be very unforgiving and cutthroat for new players. But for my fellow SOCOM fans, you will feel right at home.

Insurgency: Sandstorm gets a lot right when it comes to the tactical and realistic shooter genre. If you’re like me, reminiscing of the older days of SOCOM online, or if you are a tactical shooter fan, this game checks all the boxes. With a 2 Year pass that is already available to purchase and more content planned for release later this year, Insurgency: Sandstorm will keep your mili-sim heart pleased for a long time coming… or at least until Sony announces the next SOCOM.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via EGS and Steam.