World War 2 shooter Hell Let Loose is free for the weekend

Hell Let Loose is a large-scale multiplayer romp where 100 players duke it out over open maps with the assistance of tanks and artillery. This week sees it get its third update since it launched in Early Access back in June, adding Omaha Beach to the map roster. If a weekend spent in sandy trenches sounds like your kind of thing, you can try it now for free. 

In the new map, the 100-player battle starts with half the players at sea, while the other half prepares to fill them with bullets when they try to land. Once the attackers land, they'll have to fight across the beach, with its extensive trench network, as well as fields and villages, each apparently requiring different tactics. 

In our list of the best depictions of World War 2 in PC games, we said that Medal of Honor: Allied Assault had the best recreation of the Normandy landings, despite its advanced years. It's a battle we've seen adapted again and again, but despite the familiarity it can still be a tense, evocative scenario. 

My experience so far has been more than a bit Sisyphean. I run up the hill and get shot. I run up the hill again and get shot again. I run up the hill but a slightly different part and then get blown up by a grenade. There's a theme. 

I did start to get into my groove when I found some allies and we climbed the hill together. It's much easier to sneak through the mud when there are other targets. That time, I actually managed to make it to the top—where I was shot. On none of these occasions have I seem my killer, but I hope to one day get close enough to see their face when they put a bullet through me. 

Hell Let Loose is free to try on Steam until 6pm BST on Monday. 

Fraser Brown
Online Editor

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.