Happy 1st year, THE FINALS. Suffice to say, you've certainly grown, but has it been enough?

When the game first launched, a wide net was cast. An announcement at the game awards for that year was the biggest marketing play to date. I personally found this game recommended to me by steam, claiming it's like Apex, which I was knee deep investing my time in back then.

On release one year ago, I played the game believing it was unique, and I was hooked before I knew it.

From the descriptions on cosmetics, the incredible sound design, and the satisfying movement, I felt a sense of joy that I did not feel since Team Fortress 2 between the years of 2011-2016. It didn't take much longer for me to start making content on Youtube for this game.

With all that said, THE FINALS made a good impression, but it was far from perfect.
Once the novelty of the game wore off, flaws emerged. Cheaters weren't uncommon and several social features common in other games, like text chat, didn't exist.
Worse yet, whoever stuck around had problems with how much the game was willing to put a spin on FPS norms. Some were willing to put up with the lack of a secondary weapon or the ability to reload while vaulting, but a majority did not approve of "legal wallhacks" in the form of Recon Senses being in the game.
People feared a game as innovative as this didn't stand a chance against the other shooter giants like CoD, Overwatch, Apex, and Fortnite. All of whom had a pretty big head start in their live service with way more content to experience in their present state.

Well, the game fell off in relevance for the main stream, but that didn't stop a dedicated community from holding onto the game. Some did it because the game has "good bones" while others simply did not want to play any alternatives for how poor the consumer experience is... I'm looking at you Overwatch 2.

Thankfully for THE FINALS, the game had enough players to keep the live service going, but it needed to grow and boost player retention or risk fizzling out. Even more thankfully, the developers at Embark Studios listened to feedback and continued to provide updates on a regular basis.

Not every update made the community happy, however. The worst of which was probably the decision to change the ranked mode to Terminal Attack, a bombsite style game mode familiar to many FPS fans, in season 3. It was a controversial change that turned many off from the game. To make matters worse, a mandatory work break during the summer caused Embark to enter "vacation mode," which put the game in a slump.

I had a feeling a low period during the game's first year was inevitable, and there is no doubt there will be another in the second year too.

Gloomy as that may be, the game made a big comeback in season 4, and assuming a similar release period, there's a chance it will occur again in season 8. That is for the future to decide.

Season 4 reintroduced ranked cashout and is better than ever. More over, the World Tour mode that was premiered in season 3 had grown tied to the new sponsorship system that was previously only a Circuit system of weekly challenges. It gives the game a unique experience akin to its gameplay. Contestants stick with one sponsor all season long, and that builds a sense of loyalty to the made up brands/companies each associates with.

Now, looking forward, THE FINALS still brings more for the player base to enjoy. With another map, a couple new weapons & gadgets, a jukebox, and more social features, the game is shaping up to have another solid year.

I recommend this game to anyone that likes shooters and is looking for a unique experience that seeks to innovate in a genre that's existed and been refined for decades.

My personal wish list:
+ Expand the practice range and allow it to be joined in a party rather than strictly solo.
+ Rework the store to include every cosmetic released over the game's life span rather than only what is released recently or within the current season. No more having to dive into the customisation for every weapon, gadget, or piece of a contestant's style (face, upper body, cross body, etc.)
+ Add a new specialisation. Preferably for Light, as there's been no novelty there. I know balancing is a priority but I would hope not to wait longer than a year for something new.

If an Embark developer ends up reading this, I have only one thing to say to them and their studio as a whole:

Stay the course.

Happy 1st year, THE FINALS. Suffice to say, you've certainly grown, but has it been enough? When the game first launched, a wide net was cast. An announcement at the game awards for that year was the biggest marketing play to date. I personally found this game recommended to me by steam, claiming it's like Apex, which I was knee deep investing my time in back then. On release one year ago, I played the game believing it was unique, and I was hooked before I knew it. From the descriptions on cosmetics, the incredible sound design, and the satisfying movement, I felt a sense of joy that I did not feel since Team Fortress 2 between the years of 2011-2016. It didn't take much longer for me to start making content on Youtube for this game. With all that said, THE FINALS made a good impression, but it was far from perfect. Once the novelty of the game wore off, flaws emerged. Cheaters weren't uncommon and several social features common in other games, like text chat, didn't exist. Worse yet, whoever stuck around had problems with how much the game was willing to put a spin on FPS norms. Some were willing to put up with the lack of a secondary weapon or the ability to reload while vaulting, but a majority did not approve of "legal wallhacks" in the form of Recon Senses being in the game. People feared a game as innovative as this didn't stand a chance against the other shooter giants like CoD, Overwatch, Apex, and Fortnite. All of whom had a pretty big head start in their live service with way more content to experience in their present state. Well, the game fell off in relevance for the main stream, but that didn't stop a dedicated community from holding onto the game. Some did it because the game has "good bones" while others simply did not want to play any alternatives for how poor the consumer experience is... I'm looking at you Overwatch 2. Thankfully for THE FINALS, the game had enough players to keep the live service going, but it needed to grow and boost player retention or risk fizzling out. Even more thankfully, the developers at Embark Studios listened to feedback and continued to provide updates on a regular basis. Not every update made the community happy, however. The worst of which was probably the decision to change the ranked mode to Terminal Attack, a bombsite style game mode familiar to many FPS fans, in season 3. It was a controversial change that turned many off from the game. To make matters worse, a mandatory work break during the summer caused Embark to enter "vacation mode," which put the game in a slump. I had a feeling a low period during the game's first year was inevitable, and there is no doubt there will be another in the second year too. Gloomy as that may be, the game made a big comeback in season 4, and assuming a similar release period, there's a chance it will occur again in season 8. That is for the future to decide. Season 4 reintroduced ranked cashout and is better than ever. More over, the World Tour mode that was premiered in season 3 had grown tied to the new sponsorship system that was previously only a Circuit system of weekly challenges. It gives the game a unique experience akin to its gameplay. Contestants stick with one sponsor all season long, and that builds a sense of loyalty to the made up brands/companies each associates with. Now, looking forward, THE FINALS still brings more for the player base to enjoy. With another map, a couple new weapons & gadgets, a jukebox, and more social features, the game is shaping up to have another solid year. I recommend this game to anyone that likes shooters and is looking for a unique experience that seeks to innovate in a genre that's existed and been refined for decades. My personal wish list: + Expand the practice range and allow it to be joined in a party rather than strictly solo. + Rework the store to include every cosmetic released over the game's life span rather than only what is released recently or within the current season. No more having to dive into the customisation for every weapon, gadget, or piece of a contestant's style (face, upper body, cross body, etc.) + Add a new specialisation. Preferably for Light, as there's been no novelty there. I know balancing is a priority but I would hope not to wait longer than a year for something new. If an Embark developer ends up reading this, I have only one thing to say to them and their studio as a whole: Stay the course.