Ahead of Summer Game Fest, I was lucky enough to be invited by Tencent and Team Jade to preview Delta Force: Hawk Ops long before its eventual release. With the last Delta Force title launched back in 2009, it has been 15 years since a new addition to the series, and I can feel the anticipation rising for fans of the series.
Delta Force: Hawk Ops is being created by TiMi Studios, a company that normally takes on mobile titles, the best known of which is Call of Duty Mobile. All eyes are on the studio since it has taken on such a beloved franchise with the aim of coming to PC and console after handling mainly mobile releases to date. I can confidently say that, at minimum, Delta Force: Hawk Ops is a truly gorgeous FPS with detailed maps, weapons, customization and Operators. It is beautiful in game and in menu, and this far from release, it’s a great feat.
Team Jade has taken on a monumental task, as Delta Force: Hawk Ops features not one but three intricate game modes, and as of now, not a single step feels phoned in. I find that many games try to take on too much, which leaves corners cut and ideas not thoroughly thought out. With Delta Force: Hawk Ops, having experienced their 32v32 mode, Havoc Warfare and their extraction mode, Hazard Operations, so far, I think they are bringing something to the table for veterans, new players and even the most hardcore.
Havoc Warfare is a 32×32 defense and attack mode. One team will need to take over an area while the other defends it. I was slowly learning the ropes and maybe stressing out the kind developer walking me through the game as I ran directly into fire to see how the mechanics played out. It is all a part of my process, though. Just ask me what I did for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
“There are real stakes at play in Delta Force: Hawk Ops because you use your in-game currency to provide for your characters, and without it, they will be seriously out-kitted.”
Jumping in feet first, I died quickly and often. But this allowed me to play with the four different operators that were available to me and experience several weapon types and special attacks. I found rocket launchers, snipers, grenades, submachine guns, pistols and more. I attempted going in guns blazing, finding a nice rooftop to snipe from, and even taking a more standard AR approach.
I think this mode will bring a lot to regular FPS players, but they might find the groupings frustrating. I liken it to an LGF Raid in World of Warcraft, where everyone is attacking, and no one is really accomplishing anything. You will be able to queue up with a group of friends directly, but you will also have many strangers in the group with you, complicating things. This mode does not require you to bring your own weapons, but you will need to unlock them by playing.
If 32v32 doesn’t sound appealing to you as an FPS player, there is an extraction mode in Delta Force: Hawk Ops as well. Hazard Operations is pretty standard, and playing it solo was anxiety-inducing, though you can load in with up to three friends. I was given around 30 minutes to extract safely. Each map has a boss you can take on, but they are not easy to take down and will cost you time and resources, but the rewards could be great.
There are also multiple extraction points and caches to find around the map. There are standard extraction points, but Delta Force: Hawk Ops also brings paid points, where you use in-game currency to extract. You may already have a surplus, but you can also earn it doing missions on the map. There is also a random point. It may be easier to reach, but there is a chance the point might not actually be there when you arrive.
“I can confidently say that, at minimum, Delta Force: Hawk Ops is a truly gorgeous FPS with detailed maps, weapons, customization and Operators.”
You will also get to take anything you loot inside the match with you when you leave. This includes what you take off enemies when they die. The caveat there is gambling with what you bring into your Delta Force: Hawk Ops matches, as when you die or use up your ammo/medkits, they’re gone, and you need to use in-game currency to purchase new items. Otherwise, you’re spawning in with nothing but a knife and hoping for the best.
There are real stakes at play in Delta Force: Hawk Ops because you use your in-game currency to provide for your characters, and without it, they will be seriously out-kitted. You buy guns, other weapons, upgrades, bullets and various kinds of healing products to help you on your missions, but if you aren’t earning currency, you won’t make it far.
Spending currency on new armour and upgrades will be important and are not entirely cosmetic, either. Though I was able to run with a pink AR (when you choose a colour, every addition will match it; this was very exciting to me), every piece of that weapon was carefully selected and crafted together to min/max the gun’s damage output. I likened this to Gran Turismo, as the weapons crafting in Delta Force: Hawk Ops is incredibly detailed and intricate. Every upgrade changes your stats, so there will definitely be players taking this very seriously, aiming for every extra ounce of damage output.
But that is partly where my fears lie with Delta Force: Hawk Ops. It does not appear to be a forgiving game. Though the Havoc Warfare may be easier to jump in and out of, the weapon upgrades and even the auction house might be overwhelming for many. At the same time, there is definitely a market for players who love intricate customization with stakes attached. It definitely won’t be a game you let your kid try on your account.
“Delta Force: Hawk Ops’ monetization will lie solely with cosmetic purchases, as the game is free-to-play, as well.”
The auction house will allow you to sell or buy upgrades, bullets, armour, weapons and more for in-game currency, and I was assured that this would never be able to be purchased for real money. Delta Force: Hawk Ops’ monetization will lie solely with cosmetic purchases, as the game is free-to-play, as well.
The final mode I have yet to touch on is Black Hawk Down, Delta Force: Hawk Ops’ campaign. The company purchased the rights to the film, and apparently, fans on Reddit wanted to see a Black Hawk Down campaign, so now they’ve got it. This was introduced as a single-player campaign, but it seems more aimed at teams of three. After talking with the head of Team Jade, Leo Yao, he noted that playing the campaign single-player would be more challenging, with enemies coming at you from all sides.
I think a lot of people will be disappointed by that disadvantage. The campaign will have the same item mechanics, meaning if you use em’ or lose em’, they’re gone. Though being a part of a team is always fun, I think a comfortable solo experience might be the only thing missing from Delta Force: Hawk Ops at the moment. Yao also mentioned considering a pause feature for a single player, giving them time to strategize, but this was just talking shop and not official.
Team Jade at TiMi Studios has taken on Delta Force: Hawk Ops, and the stakes are high, which they seem to like, judging by the game itself. With a long-running IP, three complete game modes, stunning graphics, console, PC and mobile releases, plus balancing a financial ecosystem, and likely hundreds of in-game items and upgrades, it’s a lot to promise. But from what I can see so far, Delta Force: Hawk Ops is on the right track.
