"Sharp gunplay stranded by bot lobbies and a predatory store"
About
Wild Assault is a team-based hero shooter built in Unreal Engine 5, set in a war-torn 1990s world populated by anthropomorphic animal soldiers. You pick a Valiant, each a character with a signature kit of abilities, and fight in large objective-based PvP modes alongside a Rush variant and a newer PvE horde mode. Movement and third-person gunplay sit at the centre, with weapon attachments and per-Valiant progression to unlock. The economy runs on Beast coins, a battle pass, loot boxes and cosmetics, with some PvE features tied to paid revives.
Verdict
There is a good shooter buried in Wild Assault. The movement snaps, the Valiants feel distinct, and at this price the gunplay alone tempts. The problem is everything around it: balance left untouched for seasons, a monetisation layer that pushes loot boxes and paid revives, and a player base thin enough that bots fill the gaps. Buy it for a few cheap evenings of mechanics that work, but go in knowing the surrounding game has been left to drift.
You'll like it if …
- +You want responsive third-person gunplay and an anthro cast you won't see elsewhere
- +You can look past empty lobbies if the moment-to-moment shooting feels right
- +A cheap entry price is enough to justify a few sessions
You'll dislike it if …
- −Loot boxes, gacha pulls and pay-to-revive systems put you off immediately
- −You expect a live shooter to keep adding maps and heroes
- −Matches stuffed with bots ruin the point of a PvP game for you
Breakdown
- +Movement is quick and reads well, and the gunplay holds up shot to shot
- +Valiants play differently enough that most players find one that suits them
- −Norman and Akai sit well above the rest and warp matches around them
- −Matchmaking drops newcomers into lobbies of veterans
- −Thin player counts mean bots pad out many matches
- +Gun customisation gives loadouts some genuine variety for the price
- +The roster covers a decent spread of playstyles
- −Almost no new maps, guns or Valiants have arrived since launch
- −The PvE horde mode leans on bullet-sponge elites and bosses that punish solo play
- +Character designs carry a clear visual identity on their own
- −There is no lore or story to speak of
- −The tone wobbles: neon cosmetics clash with the military setting, and the game never settles on what it wants to be
- +Art direction and the anthro cast draw consistent praise
- +Combat is loud and readable in the moment
- −Crashes are reported across sessions
- −Animal sprint animations break into a stop-motion stutter
- −AI assets were used in promotional material without disclosure
- +The core systems function and the storefront UI works as intended
- −Balance patches lag badly and the developers are seen as ignoring feedback
- −Monetisation reads as predatory: loot boxes, a self-refunding battle pass, pay-to-revive in PvE
- −No meaningful roadmap, and daily player counts have fallen below 100
- −Bot-filled lobbies paper over the matchmaking shortage
score
