Insurgency: Sandstorm Reviews

Insurgency: Sandstorm is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
4.1 / 5.0
Dec 20, 2018

Overall, Insurgency Sandstorm is a worthy successor, and a great option if you're looking for a more thoughtful shooter. The progression system doesn't interfere with the gameplay but gives you some nice little rewards to help keep people invested. The biggest weakness is the lack of singleplayer content, but if you've got an interest in modern shooters and a few friends to bring along then Insurgency Sandstorm is a pretty good choice of shooter. Insurgency Sandstorm is available now on Steam for with console versions planned to be released next year.

Read full review

7.8 / 10.0
Dec 21, 2018

Tactical shooter fans should find Insurgency's skirmishes riveting, if they can live with some old-school design in regards to respawn times, respawn distance to fire zones, and limited progression

Read full review

9 / 10
Dec 21, 2018

Insurgency: Sandstorm was a game that kind of hit me out of nowhere. I knew it was coming at the end of this year and I had intentions of checking it out, but once I finally sat down with it and had a few rounds with friends, time just slipped away.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Dec 22, 2018

A very good game that needs some amount of polishing and balancing to really shine.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Dec 23, 2018

Throw into a giant pot the lightning-fast time to kill of CS:GO, the impetuosity and violence of the fights of Rainbow Six Siege, mix it all with the realism of works like Weapon and you will get Insurgency: Sandstorm, the new tactical FPS developed by New World Interactive and distributed by Focus Home.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.3 / 10.0
Dec 23, 2018

Insurgency: Sandstorm is a convincing online FPS. It's not for everyone, but the hardcore gamers will find a satisfying tactical shooter where a good coordination with the team members is vital for success.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10
Dec 27, 2018

Scratches an itch rarely reached in recent years.

Read full review

IGN
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Dec 27, 2018

Insurgency: Sandstorm isn't the prettiest shooter of 2018, but the places where it excels are the places that matter most. Its gunplay is superb, its arsenal is exemplary, and the maps and modes are serviceable enough to facilitate its memorably frantic and immersive FPS combat.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Dec 29, 2018

If you are looking for an online multiplayer shooter that is much more realistic than Call of Duty or Battlefield, but is not pain-in-the-ass realistic like Arma series, then Insurgency: Sandstorm is your choice; and with the promise of constant support and free DLCs from the developers, I expect that Insurgency will soon become a big player in this genre.

Review in Persian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Dec 31, 2018

Insurgency: Sandstorm is one of the most immersive shooters on the market, and perfect for anyone that comes to the genre looking for grounded tactical combat. Variety can be lacking in some areas, but every round spent in-game is a standout experience.

Read full review

Yes
Jan 1, 2019

Insurgency: Sandstorm aims for the hardcore in a way that’s hard not to appreciate. The frighteningly realistic weaponry, excellent sound design and mechanical reinforcement of communication and strategy make it a winner for those who may be tired of the more whimsical and approachable shooter staples available today. While it may currently be a bit thin on the ground in the way of actual maps to play on, there’s plenty of meat on Sandstorm’s PTSD-addled bones, with tight, tactical combat that’ll have your nerves shot but your mind sharp by the end of each match.

Read full review

7 / 10.0
Jan 2, 2019

Insurgency: Sandstorm needs a bit more polish to be the outstanding sequel it should be but if you overlook the issues you'll find a fairly enjoyable multiplayer title.

Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Jan 5, 2019

Insurgency: Sandstorm is one of the most detail-oriented military shooters available today. With some amazing visual and sound design, it's impressive looking and sounding yet also a fun, tactical and tense shooter for players who really want a challenge.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Jan 11, 2019

All in all, Insurgency: Sandstorm is a competent, exhilarating tactical shooter. Even after countless hours of capturing objectives and eliminating aggressive AI, each battle maintains its high level of tension. The weapon behavior and audio work beautifully in tandem to provide an offering that is difficult to find elsewhere currently. The small flaws that crop up occasionally do little to detract from the overall experience, although they don’t go completely unnoticed. New World Interactive has crafted a quality FPS that builds emergent war stories in every battle. Here’s hoping they someday release the cancelled single player/co-op story mode. One could only imagine what their advanced grasp of sound design could do in a structured, nail-biting narrative.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
Jan 16, 2019

Insurgency: Sandstorm was a bit of a mystery to me going into it; I grew up playing countless hours of Team Fortress (the original!), Counterstrike, and Unreal Tournament, leading all the way through to modern shooters like Call of Duty, Player Unknown's Battlegrounds, Arma, and Battlefield, so I was not sure what to think going in. Boy was I shaken to my core; my daughter would often pop her head into the room to check up on me as I giddily laughed or made some exclamation at the awesomeness that will be found throughout the entirety of Insurgency: Sandstorm. Well done I say, well done indeed.

Read full review

Jan 21, 2019

Insurgency: Sandstorm sits between two worlds. In one hand, it tries to make more approachable to newcomers. On the other, its matchmaking system, lack of interesting and unique maps makes it a game only for the most dedicated players.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8 / 10
Jan 28, 2019

One of the best simulation FPS on the market right now.

Review in French | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Feb 21, 2019

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Insurgency: Sandstorm, and whenever the mood strikes for an intense, realistic shooter, this will probably be my game of choice. It isn't as punishing as something like Arma, but it still offers fantastic audio and a brutal TTK that forces the player to slow down, think about their steps, and use all the tools the game puts at their disposal. One can't go into this game hoping for a sleek experience. The technical side of the game is just as gritty as its combat. In the heat of an intense battle, your processor will also put out some heat. Hopefully, New World Interactive can devote some time toward the technical side of things and put as much care into that as it did the audio and gameplay. If the developer can fix those issues, Insurgency: Sandstorm would be one of the better competitive shooters available on Steam.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 1, 2021

One of the most intense and authentic feeling shooters to come along in a long while, Insurgency: Sandstorm prides itself on realistic gunplay and tactics to fashion one of the better online shooters that PlayStation platforms have seen in a good long while.

Read full review

8 / 10
Oct 2, 2021

Insurgency: Sandstorm offers a brutal, satisfying and bleak FPS experience for those willing to immerse themselves in its tactical, punishing offering. Despite some glitches and slightly repetitive design, it stands tall as an inspiring shooter that will improve not only your skills as a player, but will also have you thinking like a soldier. The desert may be a Hellish place to be, but damn is it a rewarding and satisfying experience too. If you enjoy multiplayer shooters, there are firefights here you need to engage in for yourself.

Read full review