Shooter specialist Daniel shares meticulously selected insider advice that ensures genuine style in contemporary military environments.
As an enthusiast of authentic military scenarios, I’m constantly seeking out promising games beyond the typical choices like Battlefield 6 or Arma 4.
Where can I find this exceptional special forces vibe, realistic combat gear, and tactical challenges instead of a monotonous run-and-gun experience?
Here are seven titles that top my personal watch list!
– Bellum
– Black Vultures
– Wardogs
– ’83
– Beautiful Light
– Wraith Ops
– Reaper Actual
### Bellum
Milsim Youtuber Karmakut grew tired of subpar tactical shooters that stagnate in Early Access and offer little beyond lofty promises. This prompted him to establish his own studio and initiate the development of Bellum.
His aim: a genuine team shooter concentrating on squad coordination and teamwork with an effective platoon command system. The weapons function like their real-world equivalents, injuries need to be treated, and the team with superior strategy and enemy intelligence prevails.
Built on the Unreal Engine 5, the game promises exceptional lighting effects and precise ballistics simulation. The testing phase kicks off in August 2025 for founders who have pre-ordered the title.
### Black Vultures
The game Black Vultures: Prey of Greed seeks to innovate the genre with an unusual approach that’s seldom seen: rather than two factions, it introduces three sides in an asymmetrical conflict aimed at securing vital resources across the battlefield.
This merges the mechanics of Battlefield and Escape from Tarkov: a ticket system restricts team respawns, while players must locate precious loot containers and transport them to their extraction point.
Black Vultures pledges realistic firearms featuring extensive customization options, an emphasis on teamwork within the squad, and a grim military atmosphere set in a war-torn city in Eastern Europe. Initial playtests are already underway on Steam.
### Wardogs
Bulkhead, the creators behind the WW2 shooter Battalion 1944, return to the multiplayer shooter scene with Wardogs. This time, the studio is diving into a modern military environment and challenging the domain of Battlefield: alongside intense infantry combat, expect artillery, destruction, vehicles, helicopters, and expansive maps.
Details about the gameplay remain limited for now. The developers suggest that Wardogs aims to “redefine the rules of warfare,” facilitating land, sea, and air combat for 100 players. Strategy and teamwork are said to take precedence over rapid firing. A sort of base-building mechanic is also in the works.
Early gameplay footage from Wardogs displays contemporary military gear including sniper and assault rifles, an AH-6 Little Bird helicopter, and even armored vehicles. Players assume the role of mercenaries, and currency plays a crucial role in the game.
### ’83
A portion of the team behind the celebrated WW2 shooters Red Orchestra and Rising Storm is crafting the hardcore shooter ’83, which is (predictably) set in 1983, under the new studio Blue Dot Games. The context: escalating tensions between NATO and the USSR lead to war erupting throughout Europe.
The 40v40 clashes are conducted with traditional Cold War equipment: AK-47s and M16s make an appearance, alongside the iconic T-55 main battle tank. The developers promise credible gun mechanics: prolonged continuous fire risks overheating the barrel, and remaining rounds in the magazine are lost during reloading.
The goal of ’83 is to encapsulate the tactical challenges of games like Arma into compact sessions lasting 30 to 40 minutes, balancing deadly yet approachable combat. Like in previous Battlefield titles, there is a commander role available.
### Beautiful Light
Indeed: Beautiful Light is not entirely realistic, as supernatural threats certainly inhabit the perilous open world of the extraction shooter. Distorted monsters and hazardous anomalies lend a definite stalker atmosphere to the tactical shooter, yet the gameplay remains fundamental, methodical, and strategic.
As one of three operators in a special ops team, the player must infiltrate the mission area to recover an artifact – yet rival squads are also in pursuit (not to mention the gruesome creatures lurking about). Beautiful Light is effectively a hunt showdown set within a modern military backdrop.
The developers promise weapons and attachments modeled after real-life counterparts, hardcore shooter mechanics, and even the HUD is seamlessly integrated through a military interface displayed on the character’s forearm. Tactical devices such as night vision goggles are also crucial to gameplay.
### Wraith Ops
A multiplayer shooter reminiscent of the classic CoD 4: Modern Warfare, but enhanced with modern features and convenience functions – that’s precisely what the tactical shooter Wraith Ops aspires to be.