Hell Let Loose gameplay trailer showcases 'authentic' WWII combat (Updated)

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We haven't heard from the WWII multiplayer FPS Hell Let Loose since October 2017, when it launched a $100,000 Kickstarter to help get it across the finish line. It ended up drawing in more than double that amount, and today the developers announced that it will launch on Steam Early Access in 2019.

Hell Let Loose is a "realistic platoon-based" shooter built around 50v50 battles, "in which players must coordinate to capture sectors and resources to beat the opposition into submission," publisher Team17 said. "Authenticity is key, and players will be able to experience history using a realistic period arsenal, with accurate weapon behavior." 

The trailer released today appears to reflect that approach. In contrast with the high-speed, over-the-top gameplay of Battlefield 5, the action in Hell Let Loose is slow, clunky, and ugly: You can't see a hell of a lot, and the kills in the trailer aren't the result of epic duels but of shooting guys in the back while their attention is focused elsewhere. "Realism" is a squishy concept in the context of videogames, but that seems pretty close to the mark as these things go. 

Hell Let Loose is listed on Steam, and there's a website up at hellletloose.com, although there's not a whole lot to see there right now. Developer Black Matter said that "a roadmap of key content drops" will be posted when the Early Access release is live. 

Update: The post originally stated that Hell Let Loose will be out in January 2019, but a release month hasn't actually been specified.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.