Caliber (play caliber!) is a realistic free-to-play class-based third-person tactical shooter developed by 1C Game Studios and published by Wargaming.net, known mainly for World of Tanks (as well as Warplanes and Warships). The game is scheduled for release in Russia and the CIS region on PC for market research and in the case of success – worldwide. I was lucky to participate in closed beta testing during a free weekend in mid-October 2022 and here are my first impressions or an early review as you please.

CALIBER Game Review

Target audience

First of all, let’s consider the target audience of the game. From the 1C Game Studios’ perspective a tactical shooter is a game that’s not about fast reflexes and pixel hunting, but about tactics and teamwork. This means that teenagers will most certainly prefer fast-paced shooters like… hmm… almost any other title.


Operators

Speaking of fantasies, the game fulfills a fantasy of being a Special Forces operator. All operators are divided into four classes: Assault, Support, Medic and Marksman. Each operator has five basic characteristics:

  • Damage (this characteristic speaks for itself)
  • Control (inflicting negative effects on enemies)
  • Utility (healing and reinforcing allies)
  • Mobility (operator’s speed)
  • Toughness (this characteristic speaks for itself)
CALIBER Game Review

Gameplay

The test during a free weekend showed that players are biased towards the Assault class, meaning that joining a battle with Assault takes ages. On the contrary Medic and Marksman classes join battles within seconds. That’s a problem the developers should address before the release. The time of loading into a battle is minimal, bravo!


The third-person view helps to look from round the corners and use covers. And it gives an overall feeling you’re in a movie. However the game feels very close to a generic first-person shooter. Partially because aiming is implemented from the first-person perspective making the process of shooting very immersive. So if you have any doubt about the third-person perspective, there’s nothing to worry about.


Conclusion

Caliber doesn’t look like a game that will be a hit. There’re no rational explanations why this game should be popular among teenagers, and in this regard, it will surely flop. There are many great shooters out there, both free-to-play and not.