What can I say? It's free and it's surprisingly good! It's one of them titles you would assume because it's free it's gonna be crappy, buggy and have the lifespan of 3 mins of your time... but that really couldn't be more wrong, it's actually a really good, well developed game. There's a bit of military propaganda thrown in, which is basically to be expected since the US Army use this as a way to advertise their military and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In AAPG you get to use official military issue weaponry like the M4A1, M16, Combat Shotgun and M24 Sniper rifle to name a few, there are no over the top killstreak perks like Call of Duty, no respawns.. so it really gives you a massive sense of needing to work as a team to accomplish the mission, that's further aided by the built in VOIP system. Don't listen to all the people saying "its nothing like past titles in the series such as AA2, or AA3" as I don't think it's supposed to be anything like them so don't let them pre-judgements persuade you from at least trying the game..
All in all, for a completely free, Beta game that's getting better and better over time... It's worth a try, what do you have to lose? I have paid for games far... far worse than this title. Get ya game face on and get in the game!
A great game, with a few bugs, considering I write this review during the beta it means it is already better then most online shooters.
A revive & secure mechanism makes teamplay a must, because teamplay is important joining a clan is also highly recommended.
After playing AA2 a lot and disliking AA3, proving grounds is by far the best shooter currently available.
So it is a shooter. It's called America's Army, and you always play as the Americans. In many respects those are the only things that veterans of the AA-AA3 will find solace in. Apart from that this game seems very much a rehashed shooter. however it is well made. The sound is excellent. Once again you can hear the enemies if they are happy to run around making noise giving you cues to where they lurk. The gun shouts are loud and powerful sounding and very quick to make you jump. The visuals are excellent as well, smoke completely blinds you as it seeps around the corners giving you cover.
when you begin playing expect to die a lot, and quickly. Become frustrated that you must wait until the end of the round. Learn from your mistake.
Why is this an AA game? Because it still calls on the player to use military foundations to win. #1 is teamwork. People must realize this is the reason for online games. Play with your team, not for yourself.
#2- communication. If you don't communicate with your team, you will fail. The community is happy to help you out when you let them know the situation.
#3-tactical superiority. suppression fire. holding chokepoints. and forcing the enemy to play your style to complete the missions.
If you don't want to play an FPS that is heavily reliant on these three key features. go play COD for 6 weeks until the next COD comes out for 60 bucks plus DLC every two days.
This game will make you jump. It only took a minute or two into my first round to remember just how well this franchise can raise your heart level and really make you consider survivability primarily above destroying the nearest enemy. In that feeling comes the desire to consider options and do the most strategically sound attack so that you can finish the round alive standing heroically over the vanquished enemies.
THe reason this game is getting a seven? many features could be implemented, and may still be since as of writing it is still in beta. Rank progression would be a nice feature opposed to an arbitrary number. Enemies dropping foreign weapons such as AK's would be nice. forced basic training and spec ops training would be nice. more or less some of the features AA had many years ago that in my mind re-imagined how an FPS could be molded. Overall, best quality online FPS you will ever find for the price. and in excellent shape for a beta staged game.
America's Army: Proving Grounds was supposed to be an interesting game to play and one part of the game with the medical training really got my attention. However despite all that the game felt it aged poorly and felt it's like another Counter-Strike clone with no effort.
And because of the name America's Army, the game may have assumed that this does connect in different countries and regions which is absolutely upsetting to have this game not being played due to a lack of players and region errors which really explains why this game is unplayable.
The game was supposed to be played on what is like to join the American army but as a Filipino, it really did not bring the American dream in the army.
Simplified- AA has died! Hooah, hooah, hooah!
I downloaded and installed this game's Beta hoping for the past tactical Rogue-spearlike gameplay that I spent hours on a good few years back. Instead, we're given simplified controls that seem to be clearly made for the console, arcade-like points that pop up as you do things, and an all around complete lack of that tactical feel that seemed essential to the AA I know. I could go on, but I think most gamers by now know what I'm talking about:
If you're into the cookie-cutter Call of Duty experience, then this may be right for you. Alas I was looking forward to the old experience that I cherished and loved with AA2 and this simply doesn't provide that. Big disappointment. Hopefully things change as the beta progresses.
A saddening 2 out of 10 for this sick and tired gamer.
Very, very disappointed with the latest instalment of this once-great series.
What ticks me off the most is the non existence of rank progression (i.e. you start as a recruit and progress up to SM of AA in AA3... WITH STRIPES, NOT NUMBERS as is the case with Proving Grounds). It may sound petty but for me rank progression with STRIPES added to the realism of AA3. Also the lack of AI bots is a HUGE loss.
Proving Grounds is 'cartoonish' and clearly aimed at a young audience.
Proving Grounds is a Big fail and a massive letdown. Would much rather have seen a re-tooling of AA3.
Will keep playing AA3 until all of the servers evaporate into history.
Pity.
RIP Americas Army series.
Hooah. Get down. Take rear.
SummaryThis free military game focuses on small unit tactical maneuvers and puts you to the test in a wide variety of new, and classic, America’s Army maps.