It was clear from the outset that Gray Zone was a labour of love. The developers poured every ounce of their creative juices into the game. From the visuals, to the 2D comic-strip style cutscenes to the voice acting from the main characters. The level of detail in Gray Zone went beyond my expectation for an indie title.
You played as Valern, a sullen young man who frees himself from the clutches of the evil Union, Gray Zone’s chief protagonists. Your primary companion on your journey was Anika – she resides in an amulet given to you by your father before he died at the hands of Union slavers. Valern and Anika have an uneasy friendship. At the start she is your guide and sees you through the first level.
In the first chapter of Gray Zone you’re introduced to the mechanics of running/shooting/sneaking and have to make your way through ruins infested by mutants to safety. You’re also introduced to some of the NPC characters who will see you through your journey. Mid way through the first level you get your first squad to control. Each of these additional characters can be controlled in the same way as Valern but I struggled to care about whether they lived or died. That is perhaps the first failing I encountered with Gray Zone; the minor characters are not fleshed out enough to care about them.
That should not detract from the gameplay. This is Valern’s journey and anyone else encountered is purely a supporting character. Sneaking about is fun and the game gives a clear indication of your character being hidden. Enemy units have a field of vision and you can sneak behind them quietly. You are rewarded for taking your time. This does not start as a shooter or traditional action game where you have to kill everything in sight. Sneak, use stealth, avoid using precious ammo and make it to safety.
When you do have to fight there are a range of weapons to use. Rifles, automatic rifles and grenades were picked up in the early game and each feels different and is used in different ways. Of particular delight was the sight of enemies running from a tossed grenade to avoid the explosion. The devs, it seems, want the enemy to react intelligently to the player’s actions. The cover system is well developed and, combined with the tactical pause mechanic, allows you to consider where it will be best for your squad to plot up to give maximum coverage of the playable area.
Into the second part of the game you’re tasked with rescuing miners who have been lost in the area outside of a settlement. The settlement looks beautiful but I can’t help but think there are a number of interactive opportunities which have been missed by the devs here. There are people, farms, vehicles and medical posts. Lots of character has been poured into the settlement yet it remains strangely character-less. Valern should be able to speak to the residents, hear their stories, get side-quests, and perhaps a glimpse into why the world is as the world is. Why is the union using slaves? How have these rag-tag settlements survived? This is a perfect opportunity to flesh out the world of Gray Zone and it’s lacking.
On with the second combat section. After recruiting volunteers Valern and his team venture out into hostile territory and are immediately set upon by mutants. You’re directed to go around the desert, straight into the path of enemies. Ammo was running short, the volunteers lasted a couple of minutes before being gunned down, but your hero characters; Valern, Rab and Mab-Mab are able to be resurrected if they take too much damage. Here I would have liked to see opportunities for stealth included. Valern – whilst not the most in-depth character I’ve ever controlled in a game – doesn’t seem the type to take lives so easily. The game promised action and stealth. I missed the option to sneak past enemies and avoid bloodshed.
Side missions to rescue villagers crop up. I took the first mission and was rewarded with ammunition to carry forward through the rest of the primary quest. Ammunition is scarce. Dead enemies need to be searched for additional ammo. This all forms a pool which – with auto-reload turned on – is used to refill all members of your party. It doesn’t take long before ammo is used up and this is perhaps where the stealth system could be better used. If you’re going to make ammunition a scarce commodity, give the player opportunities to not use it.
I’m aware I am being critical and I do not mean to be. At its core, Gray Zone was a solid tactical RTS experience. It was great fun using the cover system and tossing grenades to break up enemy formations. There was a clear narrative which – whilst is required a bit of fleshing out – could have been developed into a solid basis for game lore.
In all, Gray Zone had the potential to be a standout indie title with its solid mechanics and impressive visuals. However, with no additional chapters on the horizon and the game seemingly abandoned, it feels incomplete. While it offers a fun tactical experience, the lack of further development leaves a sense of missed opportunity, and the story remains unfinished. It’s a solid foundation that, unfortunately, may never reach its full potential.
