The developers of tacticool newcomerGray Zone Warfarehave revealed a lot of goodies about the upcoming Night Ops update. The Czech team at MADFINGER Games has shied away from putting a date on the patch.
The expectation is that it will fix a lot of problems identified during the initial release, and bringGray Zone Warfarecloser to its much-hyped potential.
Gray Zone Warfareis an open-world tactical shooter that draws inspiration from industry-heavy hitters such asArmA,Escape from Tarkov, andDayZ.
The game is set on the fictional tropical paradise of Lamang, an island in Southeast Asia that has been cordoned off after a major accident.
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Players join one of three rival private military companies hoping to extract valuable items and information from the island.
The game came out in early access in April 2024 to mixed reviews.
Going Dark With A Day-Night Cycle
As the name implies, the main feature of the upcoming Night Ops update is the addition of a day-night cycle. Navigating the thick tropical jungle at night is not for the faint of heart, even with night vision goggles.
MADFINGER hopes this update will “focus on gear fear.” This will also apply to equipped tools.
In the nextGray Zone Warfareupdate,if your helmet takes damage, it can also break your NVGs.
Now, taking a bullet in the old green goggles is not a death sentence, but navigating the jungle to either a helicopter landing zone or a friendly base after that means turning on a flashlight. Now all of Lamang knows you are here.
New Guns and Damage Models
Gray Zone Warfarehas a workable but still diminutive weapon selection, but the developers are working to change that.
The update adds the new AK-12 service rifle and the AKS-74U carbine, as well as the AK-15, AK-19, and AK-308 (versions of the AK-12 chambered in 7.62x39mm, 5.56x45mm, and 7.62x51mm, respectively).
On the sidearm side,you get the classic, two-world-wars winner, the Colt M1911pistol.
Both new and existing guns will have durability stats for components so the clapped-out AKM you found in a starter village will need replacing no matter how much you love it.
After much community complaining,MADFINGER is rebalancing shotguns and 9mm pistols to make them more effectiveup close.
This change will pay off nicely with the new anatomic damage and ballistic models.
Starting with the Night Ops update,when a bullet hits someone,itstrajectory will be modeled through layers of skin, tissue, and bones.
This more granular approach will make certain hit zones like the neck much deadlier and require players to exercise more caution before staring down the barrel of an enemy shotgun.
Quality of Life and Balancing
Past the big ticket items, MADFINGER gave QoL some love. You will soon be able to inspect items and your character model in 3D before setting off for the ultimate tactical drip check. You will also be able to highlight items in your inventory by type.
The co-op aspect is getting an overhaul to help make teams more efficient but also discourage griefing.
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People in the same squad can share map waypoints for more effective planning.
If you shoot a member of your faction, you will no longer be able to loot their bodyif they die. This has been a major issue in early access, with some players killing friendlies to steal their gear.
MADFINGER also hinted about a future Rogue System, but it does not go into detail yet.
In the Stylistic Gray Zone
Before release,many toutedGray Zone Warfareas a “Tarkovkiller,” as the game shares many tactical and extraction elementswith its controversial sibling.
The comparison does not feel particularly current, though, asGray Zone Warfareleans a lot harder toward open-world survivaland requires you to play part of a functioning PMC with clear objectivesrather than theEscape From Tarkov’Home Alone' premise.
The gamecame out a little too soonby most accounts, but the hope is that theNight Ops update will pave the way for it to become a tactical shooter classic.
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