Off The Grid: A Decent Shooter Marred by NFTs
▼ Summary
– Off The Grid features an obnoxious in-game announcer who frequently insults players with crude language, setting a negative tone.
– The game is a third-person battle royale with NFT integration, allowing players to extract and sell loot as blockchain-based items.
– Many players encounter bots instead of real opponents, and matchmaking delays raise concerns about the game’s longevity.
– Controversial political skins, like Donald Trump with a “No Woke” sticker, are available, hinting at the game’s player base.
– Despite Gunzilla downplaying its NFT elements, the game’s core loop revolves around blockchain transactions, which are optional but central to the experience.
Off The Grid delivers a forgettable battle royale experience overshadowed by forced NFT mechanics and an obnoxious tone. The free-to-play shooter, developed by Gunzilla and creatively influenced by Neill Blomkamp, struggles to stand out in a crowded genre while pushing blockchain integration that feels more like a distraction than a feature.
From the moment players boot up the game, they’re greeted by an abrasive announcer named Master Sergeant Cobra, whose constant stream of juvenile insults quickly wears thin. The core gameplay follows familiar battle royale tropes, parachuting onto a map, scavenging weapons, and fighting to be the last team standing. While the gunplay feels responsive, movement lacks precision, and matches often pit players against bots rather than real opponents.
One of the game’s few unique mechanics, swapping out cybernetic limbs mid-match, adds a layer of strategy, but it’s buried under questionable design choices. The in-game store features divisive cosmetics, including Donald Trump and Kamala Harris skins, which have become alarmingly popular among certain players.
Where Off The Grid truly stumbles is its reliance on NFTs. Despite Gunzilla’s insistence that blockchain elements are optional, the game’s economy revolves around extracting and selling loot as NFTs using its proprietary GUN token. Console players face additional confusion, as platforms like Xbox and PlayStation block full access to the crypto wallet system, leaving earned assets in limbo.
Even without the NFT controversy, the game fails to justify its existence. Finding matches takes too long, the humor falls flat, and the overall experience pales in comparison to established competitors like Fortnite. Unless you’re actively seeking a mediocre shooter with blockchain gimmicks, there are far better battle royale options available, ones that won’t bombard you with cringe-worthy one-liners or political cosplay.
(Source: kotaku)
