Hired Ops, a newly added Steam Early Access game from the Russian developer AbsolutSoft, allows players to take part in a conflict between Russian and United States Private Military Companies for dominance on a global scale.
Hired Ops looks to be a title that takes inspiration from a myriad of successful first person shooters in recent history. The game promises to be a session-based online shooter, much like Call of Duty's style of matchmaking, which is not a bad thing, especially for a smaller title.
The game also features four different types of classes to play; the Stormtrooper, a heavily-armored mercenary that can take more hits than any of the other classes. The Destroyer, a heavy-weapons expert that is great at dealing large amounts of damage to a wide area, but is not as tough as you would think. The Scout is a mobility-based class designed to use smaller arms, but utilize sonar detection to reveal enemies on the map to his allies. Finally, the Sniper is the long-ranged slayer of men, utilizing rifles for engagements beyond that of typical spitting distance; but is not recommended for use on the front lines.
Throughout the Early Access trailer there was a vibe similar to titles like Rainbow Six: Siege and Insurgency. The game, at its heart, seems to be a tactical, small-scale shooter versus more arcade-style and large-scale shooters like Call of Duty or Battlefield, respectively. A wonderful thing noticed in the trailer was the actually dark areas during night maps, making night-vision or flashlights necessary to find people that are hiding in ambush.
The game doesn't seem to have much in the way of character customization, but there was a lot of effort devoted to gun customization; with plenty of different weapon skins, sights, grips, and accessories.
If you have an interest in trying the game out, you can find it on the Steam Store for $9.99.
