H1Z1: Battle Royale Reviews
H1Z1 checks all of the boxes needed to be a competent battle royale game, but in its main mode it lacks a distinctive sense of character. Without the realistic depth and modular weaponry of PUBG or the wacky base-building antics of Fortnite, its streamlined design rushes toward straightforward, fast-paced action instead and ends up being dull as often as it is exciting. The more interesting thing about H1Z1 is its innovative Auto Royale mode, which translates battle royale mechanics to vehicular combat in a way we haven't seen done better elsewhere.
With a variety of game modes, H1Z1 offers a solid battle royale experience with lots of customization unlocks
The PS4 version of H1Z1 Battle Royale provides a simple, streamlined experience with the thrills of the genre's high-stakes combat. Nothing more, nothing less. [OpenCritic note: Michael Higham separately reviewed the PC (6) and PS4 (7) versions. His scores have been averaged.]
H1Z1 may well have been inspired by the original version of PUBG, and it shows, but in Auto Royale it provides one of the most fun battle royale modes out there.
With the lack of in-game customization options, a small variety of weapons, and a relatively shallow and repetitive experience, H1Z1 doesn't do much to separate itself from the pack.
Solid is the word I would use to describe H1Z1: Battle Royale on PlayStation 4. It's not the prettiest of games or the most clever, but it does what it does really well and it is a great alternative for those who find all the tree chopping and base building in Fortnite very tiresome. H1Z1 is off to a great start on PlayStation 4 and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.
While H1Z1: Battle Royale doesn't do anything particularly special yet, it sets up a solid foundation that can be expanded with future events and additions, a la Fortnite. It earns its battle royale name, but never tries to stand above the rest of the crowd, instead opting to play it safe with the basics. Without knowing if or when PUBG might come to PS4, H1Z1: Battle Royale gives players an ample replacement if they'd rather not get into Fortnite. Daybreak just needs to start hosting some interesting events and updates in order to keep players hooked and interested going forward. I wouldn't say no to a little bit of work on those visuals either. Until then, I think I'll just go watch the movie that inspired this whole gaming trend.
It's not perfect and there are microtransactions that are interwoven with the experience, but if you can overlook the few issues it does have (like you would in a competitor title) you can have many hours of enjoyment here.
Overall, H1Z1 may be a pioneer of the Battle Royale craze, but in the games current form, it just cannot stack up against PUBG and Fortnite due to its lack of focus, polish, and overall content
It's not particularly meaty yet and it needs a fair bit of work done on its visual side, but H1Z1 Battle Royale is a fine alternative to Fortnite for PS4 players.
There's an undeniable sense of staleness that grows over extended play time.
With the advent of its final release, H1Z1 demonstrates a level of thoughtfulness in its design that reflects how closely its developers have listened to players. Whether it's enough to draw those crowds back to Daybreak and the progenitor of battle royale games is a different story, but H1Z1 deserves a lot of credit for the strides it's taken towards polishing an inherently rough and ready genre.
H1Z1: Battle Royale in it's actual state is quite good game. But if developers are willing to fight with PUBG or Fortnite, they haave to fix some of it's problems.
Review in Polish | Read full review
All in all, it's not a BAD game, not by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn't make it a great game. In the end, this is going to be a matter of taste; with so many battle royale games out there, where do you want to spend your time?
H1Z1 may be the patriarch of the modern battle royale game, but it's not the best on the market.
Even though the battle royale genre continues to add new competitors, H1Z1 should stand out amongst the pack, not just because it's one of the concepts founding fathers. Hell, it got me, noted battle royale curmudgeon and all round miserable bastard, to enjoy my time with the game. That's worthy of some merit.
Why not? It’s free. Except if you want to customize your character. That takes some actual dough and earning customization in the game is honestly just too much work to bother. But that’s not really important. Nobody is going to comment how sexy your pants make you look when you’re dead on the ground. How could they anyway? There’s no voice chat proximity.
H1Z1 on Playstation 4 is a fine battle royale, it's free to play so it doesn't hurt to try yet at the same time there are better options.