Squad

Squad is a multiplayer tactical first-person shooter that emphasizes teamwork, communication, and large-scale combined arms combat in contemporary military conflicts. Players join one of two opposing factions as ordinary soldiers, coordinating with teammates to capture territory, deplete enemy resources, and complete mission objectives across expansive maps. The game features realistic combat mechanics, specialized roles within squads, and a base-building system that requires strategic coordination between logistics and combat units. Success hinges on effective leadership, clear communication via integrated voice chat, and cohesive execution of tactics, with matches supporting large player counts and diverse environments.

Squad: A Masterclass in Tactical Warfare and Teamwork

Introduction

In the crowded landscape of military shooters, Squad stands as a towering monument to the power of teamwork, communication, and tactical depth. Developed by Offworld Industries, this multiplayer-first tactical shooter is not just a game—it’s a testament to the enduring legacy of Project Reality, the Battlefield 2 mod that redefined realism in first-person shooters. Squad is a game that demands patience, coordination, and strategic thinking, rewarding players not with flashy killstreaks or overpowered abilities, but with the unparalleled satisfaction of executing a well-planned operation as a cohesive unit.

Development History & Context

Squad was born from the ashes of Project Reality, a mod that transformed Battlefield 2 into a hardcore military simulation. The mod’s success was built on its emphasis on teamwork, realistic ballistics, and large-scale combined arms combat. However, the limitations of the Battlefield 2 engine eventually became a bottleneck for further innovation. In 2014, a group of Project Reality developers, including Will Stahl (aka Sniperdog), formed Offworld Industries to create a standalone spiritual successor.

The development journey began with a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2015, which raised over $434,000 CAD—more than double the initial goal. This funding allowed the team to transition from the Battlefield 2 engine to Unreal Engine 4, unlocking new possibilities for graphics, scale, and modding. Squad entered Steam Early Access in December 2015, where it spent nearly five years refining its mechanics, expanding its faction roster, and polishing its gameplay. The full release arrived in September 2020, but the game has continued to evolve with regular updates, new factions, and community-driven content.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Squad is not a game with a traditional narrative. There are no scripted campaigns, no cinematic cutscenes, and no overarching story. Instead, the game’s narrative emerges organically from the interactions between players, the dynamics of each match, and the immersive environments that serve as battlegrounds. The game is set in contemporary military conflicts, featuring real-world factions such as the U.S. Army, British Army, Russian Ground Forces, and various insurgent groups. Each faction is meticulously researched, with authentic weapons, vehicles, and equipment that reflect their real-world counterparts.

The thematic core of Squad is the depiction of modern warfare as a chaotic, unpredictable, and often brutal experience. Unlike arcade shooters where individual skill reigns supreme, Squad emphasizes the importance of teamwork, communication, and adaptability. The game’s design philosophy is rooted in the idea that warfare is not about lone heroes but about the collective effort of a well-coordinated unit. This is reflected in the game’s mechanics, which punish lone-wolf playstyles and reward players who work together to achieve objectives.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its heart, Squad is a game about teamwork and coordination. Matches are large-scale affairs, with up to 100 players divided into teams of 50, each further split into squads of up to nine players. Each squad is led by a squad leader, who is responsible for coordinating movements, setting objectives, and communicating with other squad leaders. The success of a team hinges on the ability of these leaders to work together, adapt to changing circumstances, and execute strategies effectively.

Core Gameplay Loop

The core gameplay loop in Squad revolves around capturing and holding objectives, depleting enemy resources (represented by “tickets”), and completing mission-specific goals. Matches are won by either exhausting the enemy’s ticket pool or achieving specific objectives, such as capturing all control points in an “Advance and Secure” match. The game’s maps are vast, ranging from urban centers to rural landscapes, and are designed to support combined arms combat, including infantry, armored vehicles, and air support.

Role-Based Gameplay

Players choose from a variety of specialized roles within their squad, each with unique equipment and responsibilities. These roles include:

• Rifleman: The backbone of any squad, equipped with a standard rifle and grenades.
• Medic: The only role capable of reviving downed teammates and healing wounds.
• Engineer: Responsible for constructing and repairing structures, as well as planting explosives.
• Machine Gunner: Provides suppressive fire with a heavy machine gun.
• Grenadier: Equipped with a grenade launcher for indirect fire support.
• Light Anti-Tank (LAT): Carries a disposable or lightweight anti-tank launcher for engaging light armor.
• Heavy Anti-Tank (HAT): Armed with a powerful anti-tank launcher capable of destroying heavy armor.
• Marksman: Provides long-range fire support with a scoped rifle.
• Crewman: Operates armored vehicles and tanks.
• Pilot: Flies helicopters and provides air support.

The limited availability of certain roles encourages balance within teams and ensures that each squad fulfills its tactical needs on the battlefield.

Base Building and Logistics

One of the most innovative aspects of Squad is its base-building system. Squad leaders can construct forward operating bases (FOBs), which serve as respawn points, supply depots, and defensive emplacements. These structures require coordination between logistics players, who transport resources across the map, and combat squads that secure territory. Properly managed fortifications and supply lines are critical to sustaining an advance or holding ground.

The logistics system adds a layer of strategic depth to the game, as players must balance the need for frontline combat with the necessity of maintaining supply lines. Logistics trucks and helicopters play a crucial role in ferrying ammunition, construction supplies, and medical resources to FOBs, ensuring that squads remain operational.

Communication and Coordination

Communication is the lifeblood of Squad. The game features integrated positional voice chat, with separate channels for local communication, squad communication, and inter-squad coordination. Clear and timely communication is essential, as the game does not provide minimap markers for all threats, leaving players reliant on callouts and visual awareness.

The game’s communication system is designed to mimic real-world military operations, with squad leaders acting as the primary point of contact for their teams. This structure ensures that information flows efficiently and that squads can adapt to changing circumstances on the fly.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Squad’s world-building is rooted in authenticity. The game’s maps are meticulously crafted to reflect real-world locations, from the urban sprawl of Al-Basrah to the rural landscapes of Narva. Each environment is designed to support a variety of gameplay styles, from close-quarters combat in city streets to long-range engagements in open fields.

The game’s visual direction is grounded in realism, with detailed character models, authentic weapon animations, and immersive environments. The Unreal Engine 4 powers the game’s graphics, delivering stunning visuals that enhance the immersive experience. The sound design is equally impressive, with realistic weapon sounds, environmental effects, and dynamic audio that reacts to the player’s actions.

The game’s atmosphere is further enhanced by its attention to detail. From the way bullets ricochet off surfaces to the way vehicles handle on different terrains, Squad strives to create a believable and immersive world. The game’s sound design is particularly noteworthy, with realistic gunfire, explosions, and ambient noise that contribute to the game’s tense and immersive atmosphere.

Reception & Legacy

Squad has been widely praised for its emphasis on teamwork, communication, and tactical depth. Critics have lauded the game’s realistic gameplay, immersive environments, and innovative mechanics. The game has earned a Metacritic score of 87% based on critic reviews, with many outlets highlighting its unique approach to multiplayer shooters.

The game’s reception among players has been equally positive, with a Steambase Player Score of 81/100 based on over 230,000 reviews. Players have praised the game’s depth, realism, and the sense of camaraderie that emerges from working together as a team. However, the game’s steep learning curve and demanding nature have also been noted as potential barriers to entry for new players.

Squad’s legacy is already secure as one of the most influential tactical shooters of the modern era. The game has inspired a new generation of military simulations, including Post Scriptum and Beyond the Wire, both of which were developed using Squad’s engine. The game’s success has also demonstrated the viability of hardcore military simulations in the modern gaming landscape, proving that there is a dedicated audience for games that prioritize realism and teamwork over arcade-style action.

Conclusion

Squad is more than just a game—it’s an experience. It’s a testament to the power of teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking in the face of chaos and uncertainty. The game’s emphasis on realism, combined with its innovative mechanics and immersive environments, creates a unique and unforgettable experience that stands apart from the crowded field of military shooters.

For players willing to invest the time and effort to master its mechanics, Squad offers a rewarding and deeply satisfying experience. It’s a game that demands patience, coordination, and adaptability, but the payoff is unparalleled. Whether you’re leading a squad into battle, ferrying supplies as a logistics driver, or providing critical medical support as a medic, Squad offers a sense of purpose and camaraderie that is rare in modern gaming.

In the end, Squad is not just a game about shooting—it’s a game about working together, overcoming challenges, and achieving victory as a team. It’s a game that reminds us that, in the chaos of war, the strength of a unit lies not in the individual, but in the collective effort of those who fight together.