War Rock

At first it seemed K2 Network had hit one out of the park with their online tactical-shooter, War Rock. You really can’t beat the price of free, and the game actually provides enough quality FPS action to scratch the itchy trigger finger of any gamer. Sure, it can be very buggy at times, with planes regularly getting stuck in mid-air. A not-so consistent frame rate hampers the experience every now and then, but once again the phrase “not bad for free” pops into the mind. That’s about the time when K2 Network hits the player in the face with a sock full of nickels!

While the game is free to play, within the first week players will quickly notice that their stock of in-game currency will dwindle down leaving the player without a means to regularly “rent” weapons. While the idea of renting weapons may seem odd at first, K2 is simply attempting to bring to America what is actually the norm in the Asian markets of not charging for the game itself, but instead selling or renting individual items that are important to play the game.

Players, however, are not without a means to gain dinar, as they can earn 2,000 dinar every time they go up in rank. That really isn’t enough, however, considering it costs 3,500 dinar just to rent one weapon for 7 days and 11,000 for 30. So, how then can players keep their arsenal stocked without having to devote their lives to the game? Well, K2 is nice enough to offer 3 subscription based models that range from $5.95-$14.95 a month depending on how much dinar the player wants deposited in their account each month.

While the free period is short-lived, War Rock is very enjoyable. The game features elements of both Counter Strike and Battlefield making for a fast-paced tactical experience. The number of levels included and the level design itself are superb, and not just for a free game, mind you. Vehicles are a cinch to operate, and loading times are rather quick. So yes, War Rock is a great game, especially for the first week of play. However, its Achilles heel is forcing players to either buy into its micro-transaction system or play with sub-par weapons, and that sadly ruins the experience.