XDefiant Evaluation Review

Initial release date: May 21, 2024

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now, Amazon Luna

Developers: Ubisoft, Ubisoft San Francisco

Mode: Multiplayer video game

License: proprietary license

Composer: Nicholas Bonardi

Genre: First-person shooter

While Ubisoft’s most recent attempt to take a piece of the lucrative esports market feels half-baked, XDefiant’s primary modes provide brief but entertaining jabs at the competitive multiplayer arena shooter genre. At the time of writing, construction tape is used to gate off core modes like its practice mode and ranking queue. The only real way to be rewarded for playing the game or going above and beyond a single match is through a boring battle pass with confusing progression choices and conventional weapon-based leveling systems. Not even its intriguing hero shooter-like abilities and minor adjustments to the run-and-gun, low-time-to-kill model created by Call of Duty, along with its dubious netcode and lack of cornerstone features and modes, make me want to go back to XDefiant.

The crossover shooter from Ubisoft could not have chosen fewer intriguing properties to combine. Even while each of the game’s five factions offers a unique gameplay mechanic, they’re not exactly the household names that come to mind when you hear the name Ubisoft. Rather than recognizing familiar faces from games like Sam Fisher or Dani Rojas, players enter the arenas as strangers from Ded Sec (Watch Dogs), The Cleaners (The Division), Libertad (Far Cry), Echelon (Splinter Cell), or The Phantoms (Ghost Recon). There are three playable characters in each group (at least two of which you must unlock), but other than minor cosmetic differences, they are all the same.

With a short time-to-kill to make every shot matter and nearly nonexistent respawn timers that continuously force you back out of the gate to pursue the objective and increase your K/D ratio thanks to the hyper-realistic armory of weapons and gadgets, combat is fast-paced. The most notable aspect of this is XDefiant’s collection of 14 maps, all of which have an abundance of deftly placed chokepoints and lanes, as well as open spaces and narrow passageways strategically placed to promote and reward various playstyles.

A fantastic extreme power to support your team in combat and stack extra kills or extra time on the objective is unlocked when you get enough kills in one life. This is when things start to diverge from the norm: depending on the faction you select, ultras, a beneficial passive, and a secondary ability that is albeit less potent, differ. Each faction has its own unique set of skills and specializations and is modeled after a company or group from another Ubisoft property. During a game, you can switch between them at any time to modify your strategy according to the current task.

In the scenario if you are playing Domination and the opposing side has a sniper in an ideal sightline, they can take out each of your colleagues one by one and prevent you from scoring. Installing a Mag Barrier on a Phantom could potentially deflect some sniper fire, giving your crew enough time to establish a solid foothold and retaliate. Even though XDefiant has certain tactical capabilities, its fundamental design doesn’t promote strategic play over rushing the objective and attempting to outscore the opposition until the score limit is met.

However, it doesn’t always feel right to play that quickdraw game. I cannot tell you how many times my game has detected a shot on an opponent as a hit, only for them to kill me and the game to inform me that they had full health after I had been downed. XDefiant’s netcode and hit detection are completely faulty. I’ve been shot through walls as I move and even died while hiding behind cover that should block my entire body, even with a wired connection and the best ping in my lobby.

Review Overview

Gameplay – 85%

Story – 70%

Aesthetics – 82%

Content – 78%

Accessibility – 75%

Value – 80%

Overall Rating – 78%

Good

Summary: Even though I only installed XDefiant a week ago, I doubt I would miss it if it weren’t on my hard drive. Although the game’s core gameplay is enjoyable, it lacks features compared to most other shooters, even the free ones. Even the most basic modes, such as team deathmatch and free-for-all, are absent, as are features like skill-based matchmaking and a ping system. Its maps are certainly well-made, but aside from the fact that it’s free, I don’t see why this game would become more popular than others. I mean, there’s no rank to aim for, daily tasks that require me to play ten complete matches, and not much to look forward to in the battle pass.