Apex Legends is one of my go-to games when I need to unwind, kill time, or even relax. Now, I know, the idea of a battle royale game — a genre known for its hectic, often stressful nature — could hardly ever be called “relaxing.” But in between frustrating sessions where I’m almost instantly eliminated from the match and nerve-wracking rounds where I make it to the end, it’s most definitely a comforting game. It’s there, readily available, and waiting for me with open arms.
Since its launch in February 2019, Apex Legends is consistently my most-played game year-to-year. I’ll skip a season or two here and there, but I always come back to it and spend more hours than I’d care to admit playing.
My favorite thing about Apex Legends is the tight feel of the shooting gameplay. It’s a lot like its sister franchise Titanfall in that regard. It’s also super addictive. The fast-paced nature of the gameplay makes you want to come back for more time and time again. It’s great!
But as much as I love the speedy gameplay of Apex Legends, as well as its roster of fun characters, I didn’t realize I needed a change of pace — until one presented itself.
I downloaded Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 at the suggestion of a friend who told me it looked like something I’d enjoy. I decided to check out the most recent trailer at the time, and I was instantly sold. The game looked wild. There were explosions, helicopters, underwater gun fights, more explosions, and lots of cool-looking shooting action.
So I jumped right in, hopeful that I’d found a new battle royale game to sink precious hours into. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the game’s trailer was… a little misleading. In that ad, the action of Warzone 2.0 was presented as fast-paced, full-throttle insanity. It looked right on par with Apex Legends, but even crazier.
Playing Warzone 2.0, I realized it wasn’t the super-fast-paced game the trailer painted it as — but in a way, that’s a good thing.
After a few rounds of playing with randoms and with a friend, I came to the realization that Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 isn’t about hectic running and gunning; it’s a more methodical game where patience is key. Sure, there are those moments when you don’t have a choice and you have to gun down every enemy in sight (or die trying). But for the most part, when you drop into this game’s battle royale map, you’ll want to scavenge for supplies as you normally would, and then follow that up with a more tactical, stealthy approach.
In Warzone 2.0, it’s less about proverbial fireworks and more about waiting for the best moment to strike. You might want to camp out in an empty base or find a perch to snipe from. You’ll want to use your eyes and ears to be aware of other players sneaking up on you. You can’t rush things, because if you do, you’ll give yourself away and become public enemy number one.
The size of the map is pretty large, too, so there’s less likelihood you’ll drop with three or four other squads. This allows you to take your time — within reason, of course — as you scavenge for guns, heals, and other supplies. You can also loot for cash, which is great as you’ll be able to find areas containing “shop” crates. Here you’ll purchase new weapons and customized loadouts, and you can even pay to respawn your fallen comrades.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is built in such a way that encourages tactical play. You can’t get away from those surprise attacks where you need to battle it out like an action movie hero, but you also shouldn’t specifically seek out that type of play. Not here. No, Warzone 2.0 is more about slowly picking off enemy threats as you attempt to reach that number one spot.
At first, it took a little getting used to for me — especially because I put Apex Legends on a pedestal as far as battle royale shooters go. But once I got into it and really started playing to the strengths of Warzone 2.0, I found that there’s room for both kinds of experiences.
If I want to chill with something a little faster that lets me shut my brain off after a rough day, Apex Legends will be my go-to. But if I’m in the mood to put in time and play a tad more strategically, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is a solid, often exhilarating battle royale shooter.
