The best milsim FPS just got its biggest update ever

Squad, the tactical FPS that's basically Battlefield with logistics, is slowly growing. Almost two years after leaving early access, the underrated military sim is still getting substantial updates. The latest is update 3.0 Amphibious Assault, which adds a new playable faction, weapons, amphibious vehicles, and a coastal map to drive them on.

It looks like developer Offworld Industries had to do some serious upgrades to its water, which has until now been unnavigable for vehicles and looked pretty wonky for soldiers. As of 3.0, maps now feature "fully-modelled waves, buoyancy, and water drag physics for vehicles" while soldier interactions with water have been reworked. Moving through water will now lower movement speed and deplete stamina depending on depth, and as a nice bit of detail, "soldiers will raise their weapons above their heads when passing chest-deep water."

squad 3.0 update amphibious assault — Update 3.0's new map, Black Coast. (Image credit: Offworld Industries)

For most games, the ability to drive a jeep through a shallow pond wouldn't be front-page news, but in a game where streamlined supply routes and smart base positioning are just as important as winning a gunfight, water crossings are sure to add a new dimension to Squad's metagame. For example, a bridge that used to be fought over as a crucial choke point between two towns might not be as valuable now that some transport trucks can plow right through the river crossing.

If you've ever wanted a bit more organization and strategy out of a class-based FPS, I'd give this a shot. I like Squad because it splits the difference nicely between the push/pull simplicity of a Battlefield map and all the milsim bells and whistles of Arma. It's also one of the few well-supported shooters to offer zero microtransactions.

If that sounds cool, or you're looking for something to hold you over until the day Arma 4 is a real and proper game, then Squad just so happens to be 33% off during the Steam Summer Sale.

Morgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018, first as a freelancer and currently as a staff writer. He has also appeared on Polygon, Kotaku, Fanbyte, and PCGamesN. Before freelancing, he spent most of high school and all of college writing at small gaming sites that didn't pay him. He's very happy to have a real job now. Morgan is a beat writer following the latest and greatest shooters and the communities that play them. He also writes general news, reviews, features, the occasional guide, and bad jokes in Slack. Twist his arm, and he'll even write about a boring strategy game. Please don't, though.