_Aaron_
Member
Reviews coming in for the 1.0 PC release.
Metacritic - 86/100 (29 reviews)
Polygon - 10/10
Game Informer - 9.5/10
IGN - 9.5/10
Metro GameCentral - 9/10
PCGamesN - 9/10
GameSpot - 8/10
Windows Central - 4/5
USGamer - 4/5
GameRevolution - 3.5/5
Eurogamer - Recommended
VG247
Kotaku
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Metacritic - 86/100 (29 reviews)
Polygon - 10/10
Battlegrounds is the refinement of a new language of play, but what may earn it a spot in the video game canon is that conceptual efficiency. It isn't accessible for every player, but it's understandable. Anybody can easily learn to read this game, to watch it, to spot the tension and excitement and drama. Critics and fans have speculated on how PUBG will operate as an esport, whether or not its pacing works for competitive play. But that ignores the obvious fact: Battlegrounds works as entertainment. Sport or not, it has found its audience of players and viewers alike.
We've already seen Battlegrounds' first ”cousin" in the form of Fortnite: Battle Royale, which beat the game to market on console. Expect to see more in the coming years, as every AAA publisher finds ways to put its brands, talent and money into exploiting the language of the battle royale genre. I have no doubt a few of these games will be great. One or two may be superior to Battlegrounds.
But they will never capture the magic of first becoming fluent in this imperfectly perfect game.
Game Informer - 9.5/10
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds brings the battle royale genre to a smashing mainstream success, packed with memorable moments and action-packed adventures. Solo or with friends, you're in for an intense ride that's different every single time.
IGN - 9.5/10
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has taken the military-sim gameplay popularized by games like ARMA and DayZ, boiled it down to its most exciting parts, and streamlined it into quick and accessible rounds of pure, hassle-free, survival-based action. Even though each game starts the same way, its remarkable ability to feel like a new, tense adventure each and every round has kept me coming back for hours on end.
Metro GameCentral - 9/10
PUBG is one of the best multiplayer experiences of the generation, and this is the best version of it so far – even if it's still a work in progress.
PCGamesN - 9/10
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is without a doubt one of the best and most inventive multiplayer shooters of all time, and its persistent flaws have done nothing to detract from that, or its popularity. Perhaps it is not the first of its kind, but it is the purest distillation of what battle royale games are about: self-preservation by any means. And that, as 26 million people have now discovered, is endlessly appealing.
GameSpot - 8/10
PUBG's technical shortcomings can undermine its broader achievements on rare occasions, but they don't override your desire to continue playing. Each phase of a match presents a different type of tension that is equal parts thrilling and terrifying, driven by the insatiable desire to be the last person (or squad) standing. Whether you play solo or in a group, successfully executing adaptive tactics to win intense, high-stakes firefights makes for an incredibly rewarding experience. Every player has unique stories of their most memorable matches, and even after hundreds of hours, PUBG continues to inspire rousing tales of victory and defeat.
Windows Central - 4/5
Battle Royale games are very similar by nature, but they play differently. PUBG offers the best experience to date, but it's far from perfect. Even at 1.0, there are serious issues still plaguing players, including instability, inconsistent gameplay and lack of polish. This is something that's (hopefully) likely to change with future patches and further development, but with the push for esports and console support, we could be in for a long ride.
That doesn't detract from the highly-addictive experience offered by PUBG that will ensure you keep coming back for more, even if you win a few chicken dinners or are left to fight over leftover scraps.
USGamer - 4/5
PUBG is such a pure and fun experience that it overcomes its many flaws. There are glitches, there are crashes, there is jank. The game will probably never be fully done. But parachuting down onto that island feels new and exciting every time. A number of simple ideas comes together to make a great game and establish a great genre.
GameRevolution - 3.5/5
The strangest thing about reviewing PUBG is that this doesn't feel like a full release at all. It just feels like another patch, albeit a major one. I know that there was pressure on Bluehole to release a 1.0 version of the game, but given the issues still in the game, it might have been best to continue hammering away at it for a few more months. I have faith that with such a large following (and cash flow) the PUBG team will eventually get things squared away, but for now, this game still feels like it's in early access. However, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is an absolute blast to play and has a broad appeal that few other games can match. As long as you temper your expectations (and make sure you have a decent PC), then this is one of the top games of 2017 to check out.
Eurogamer - Recommended
In its 1.0 form, Battlegrounds is the year's best hangout game - the most reliably enjoyable social gaming experience that doesn't involve sharing a couch. It appears to have evaded the longevity issues that have dogged its multiplayer survival counterparts, and its success affords its developers the opportunity to invest in solutions to the doubts and weaknesses that remain. Expect studios of all sizes to vie for its position over the next few years. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is ground zero for battle royale games in the way that World of Warcraft was ground zero for MMOs or League of Legends was for MOBAs - not the first, but the one that made it.
VG247
There's still room for a lean, polished Battle Royale game that borrows the same systems. Until then, PUBG's innovations and triumphs are firmly its own, and I am just happy to have been along for the ride.
Kotaku
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds isn't the most technically capable or mechanically complex game, but it is laser focused on delivering excitement. My coworker Gita Jackson called Battlegrounds ”the video game that your aunt has always imagined you play when you say that you play video games." It's as perfect a summation as any. Battlegrounds is exactly what it wants to be and, love it or hate it, that honesty makes for a remarkable game that changed multiplayer forever.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds systems read as simplistic when compared to other modern multiplayer games. There aren’t dozens of character classes with hundreds of interlocking skills. There is no AI director monitoring players to dole out excitement in set portions. Safe zones and bombing zones are randomly placed. But its loose grip upon player’s experiences means you’re more free to decide the kind of excitement you get from it.
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