One of my favorite films of all time is the Japanese title “Battle Royale” from 2000. In the film, dozens of individuals from Japan were sent to an island for a free-for-all battle until one person is left standing. This concept hasn’t really been utilized in video games until recently and even when it has, the concept didn’t work out so well. Well, now that may change with the Early Access title PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds that is available on PC. I had purchased the title in April but I didn’t get around to really playing it until recent because of other games that were released. But, now I have experienced this game and I believe in what it is doing.

The game takes up to 100 players and puts them in a plane that flies over a large map in which individuals will parachute on to. What stands out about this game is just how intense and anxiety-inducing it is from the very moment you jump out of that plane. Time is spent carefully looking at the map and finding a place to land when you make that jump and what buildings you should scavenge when you touch down.

While I’m playing Battlegrounds I can hear my heart pounding out of my chest, especially in the later moments of each round. There are so many aspects of the game to worry about. Resource and time management are just as important as your shooting skills. Survival is key in the game and I love that fact that I can win a round just by waiting things out and not having to waste too much ammo.

It’s a multiplayer title that rewards players for playing smart and utilizing the tools at their disposal and the environment. There have been times where I wanted to get somewhere fast but was conflicted as to whether I should get into a nearby jeep or go by foot. This is a specific situation that I have found myself in on multiple occasions and I would end up going on foot in some situations because vehicles make too much noise and can be a large target for other players.

Things like this are what make Battlegrounds special to me, situations that require quick thinking are at the heart of this game. Each round I’ve played is unlike the last because of the randomization of item locations and the fact that the play area is different for the most part. The game takes place on one large map that consists of land masses separated by water. One smart aspect to the game is that there is a play area depicted by a white circle that is surrounded by another blue circle.

That blue circle is an electric field that will close in on players throughout the match and will cause damage over time if players are outside it. The play area gets smaller as the match goes on so it will force combatants to constantly move and gives them something else to worry about other than enemies. This is where the game gets incredibly tense because it usually ends in a standoff between players in a small, open location.

The game is in early access so there are some issues that I have noticed so far that can hinder some rounds. For example, I was playing with friends and we would take damage randomly every few seconds and there was no reason for it. Another issue is the network, the game doesn’t use dedicated servers so there are some lag issues that I’ve experienced and they can be annoying in the middle of a firefight. These issues aren’t too frequent so it doesn’t do too much to hurt the experience and they are to be expected in an early access title.

PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds is a difficult game, it challenges me in all aspects from managing resources to engaging in firefights with other players. The fights themselves are intense and stressful because you can be killed with just 2-3 shots to the chest. Also, there is an absence of regenerating health in the title. Instead, there are healing items that players must find such as bandages and energy drinks. The game is much more complicated than it looks but that is a good thing, it adds a sense of depth in its complexity and helps make the rounds feel chalenging and varied.

If you are killed once it is game over, so it is incredibly important to stay alive and push for that victory. Victory in this game is satisfying on many levels because it is rare to actually win a round. I’ve played a few titles this year that have captivated me and Battlegrounds is surely one of those games. I hope that the game continues its steady stream of updates and maybe we’ll see new maps and mode variations in the near future.