Veiled Experts is quite the mysterious name for a game that is filled with mechanics and game modes that are commonplace in multiplayer shooters these days. Being familiar isn’t a bad thing here, though. The team-based tactical shooter is easy to pick up and play competently, as demonstrated in the short time I had to preview it. Its two modes – a standard deathmatch with a little twist and a more tactical bomb defusal – were a bombastic good time. But without much depth outside of the running and gunning, the future for a game like this in today’s tough games-as-a-service climate seems cloudy.
Before you jump into either game mode, you’re introduced to the cast of contractors that you can take the field with. A surprising nine of them were available to try, each with their own sets of passive and active abilities. I didn’t get to examine and try out team comps that took best advantage of these unique abilities, but some seem like they can be pretty impactful – like this guy who is definitely not John Wick, but can stun enemies with pistol shots to the torso. The cast is also pretty diverse and aesthetically expressive up close, but I found that when it came to game time, it was pretty hard to identify them. They dress well and have fun haircuts, but in the heat of battle, they’re all just humanoid shapes.
Of the two modes available, bomb defusal was the star. Both teams take turns defending and attacking two points on a map, with the attacking team tasked with planting a bomb and keeping it safe long enough to go off. The second map I played on, a multi-story art gallery, was my favorite, as it really encapsulated Veiled Experts’ emphasis on planning and thinking strategically. There are multiple ways into the building, and only a limited time to do so as a Fortnite-style level barrier slowly closes in around you. You can go through the front door of course, but finding side and window entrances were also on the table. During the first assault my team made, we blew a hole through a wall in the basement from the parking garage and caught our enemies completely off guard. The hole we made stayed there for the remainder of our attacking rounds, but this light, Hitman-esque problem solving made us feel brillant in the moment.
During the first assault my team made, we blew a hole through a wall in the basement from the parking garage and caught our enemies completely off guard.
The other map, a cluttered parking lot with some warehouses and vehicles, was a bit underwhelming in comparison. A sand storm would randomly whip up and make seeing more than a few feet in front of us impossible. In these moments, things felt like utter chaos. Otherwise, the strategy felt far more in favor of the defenders, who could park themselves on one of two roofs and see most of the map, and were much more prepared to engage attackers than the other way around, with far fewer options to be dynamic as the aggressor. It felt the most like the team deathmatch mode, which featured both squads in a straight-up shoot out, with the play area, guard-railed by that aforementioned barrier, moving back and forth between different positions on the map. This was a great little twist that forced teams not to get too entrenched, forcing everyone to think a few seconds ahead at all times. All of the character abilities were disabled in this mode though, with the action boiling down to who’s got better weapons and the skills to wield them.
The shop is available between rounds of bomb defusal, or between deaths in team deathmatch, with money earned based on your performance. You can purchase weapons and items, upgrade your team’s tactical level (which widens the offering of what you can buy), or donate your cash to other players so that they can get their gear up to speed. It felt a bit like Valorant, but with the added availability of big-money purchases like juggernaut armor, which makes you a nigh-invulnerable killing machine for a limited time. I’m sure there is plenty of tactical depth to the timing and assignment of gear that I didn’t have the chance to dig into, and mixed with the round recap time elapsed maps after every round, there’s plenty of competitive potential here.
But for those queuing up solo or looking for a long term game to really invest in, Veiled Experts seems to be lacking much to earn or do outside of the round-to-round play. Cosmetics and Agents to unlock seems to be a given, but there’s no indication that special events or other incentives to play will exist at this time. It’s even too early to tell how many agents will be in the game or how many maps will exist for each mode at this stage in development. It’s a solid start for a third-person competitive team shooter, but the market is very crowded these days. With bright and promising service games shutting down pretty frequently, I worry about its longevity without something to keep people coming back.
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