Microsoft has treated us to a fantastic Game Pass update for the start of 2024 - with a bumper selection of big games coming to the library over the next few weeks. After today's addition of Close to the Sun, Team17's World War 2 FPS Hell Let Loose is next to hit the service - and it's one of the most immersive shooters on Xbox.
Set amongst "the most iconic battles of the Eastern and Western Fronts", Hell Let Loose is no joke. There's a deep level of strategy involved in this multiplayer shooter - much more than just pointing and shooting at whatever pops up on your screen with a big red blob over them.
In fact, the dev says that a "unique resource based RTS-inspired meta-game" sets its title apart from the floods of other WW2 shooters on the market - and they're absolutely right. We spent a good few hours with this game when it first launched and felt like we were only just scratching the surface of what Hell Let Loose had to offer. It kicked our butts if we're honest, but also left us loading into match after match to try and improve our strategies and bring home some W's.
Stick a headset on and Hell Let Loose is super immersive as well. It's not flashy in any way, but the visual style combined with impeccable audio is exactly what this sort of experience needs - no more, no less. You'll hear every sniper shot whizz by your head and every tank track truck on by as you do your best to survive some of the most deadly battlegrounds of WW2.
Hell Let Loose is a game that's still growing as well, which makes it a great addition to Xbox Game Pass. The team has big plans for 2024, including a new map, new uniforms, weather improvements and more arriving in an impending update - this won't be a static Game Pass title by any means.
Anyway, if you're into your Xbox shooters then Hell Let Loose is absolutely worth a go on Game Pass - just be prepared for a hardcore experience that doesn't do much in the way of handholding. We reckon we might jump back in with the Game Pass crowd to give us a better chance at survival, and even then, we'll be doing plenty of creeping around and simply avoiding death here. Go easy on us, please!
Hell Let Loose comes to Xbox Game Pass on January 4th, 2024. It's time to ready up, soldier.