Revised review as of October 2024:
So, given the game some time, it has improved quite a bit compared to its initial release, as well as a number of changes to some elements. One of them is the change in the hub area, where it seems to be more based around a train museum this time, along with new rooms like a trophy room(mostly to showcase completion rewards), removal of different modes for one map; basically meaning it'll mostly be barricaded suspects for the most part(with some bomb defusal on some maps), and a bit of extra customization options that you can unlock by completing levels in different ranks.

TL:DR, great tactical game that's stupidly stressful. Play if you like SWAT 4 or tactical shooters a lot

The gunplay feels just as strong as it is, with great sound design like Insurgency Sandstorm with really powerful-feeling guns, and overwhelming explosions. But much like Sandstorm, if you're not privy to the sudden/loud gun noises or explosions, it'll feel like a horror game... which it does at least feel low-key. Looks and feels fantastic and scary.

Difficulty, in the sense of the game being a bit broken, has been fixed quite a bit. No longer will you be instantly dead by the time you breach with a John Wick gas station robber on the other side, and now attack and respond more appropriately and realistically without being. That said, it's still a game ensuring caution and attempting to arrest everyone than gunning everyone down for best possible score, and enemies can still be a bit stubborn on surrendering unless you surprise them(and are still more so than in SWAT 4). Conversely, your AI teammates are also fairly improved too, if still a bit janky at times; but now more reliable at reacting to enemy behavior

Outside of the broken stuff fixed, enemies are a lot more trickier this time around; given the ability to hide in shelves to surprise you, fake their deaths, hide under beds, shoot from cover(with really poor accuracy but with how intimidatingly loud gunshots can be, can force you to take cover), along with the usual tricks they can do in the older versions like setting traps and being ready to fire as soon as the door is opened if they barricaded.

They also added a sort of "rogue-like" kind of mode called Commander mode, where you have a set of officers with their own "stress" level that affects their performance if it lowers depending on how well/poorly you go through the mission, with their unique abilities that come along with it; as well as the ability to lose your officers if they either die or get too stressed. It's a more proper single-player mode with perma-death(at least with your teammates) that can quickly snowball into madness if you leave them unchecked for way too long. They do bring along a story in this mode, having a lot of background to the missions from the 911 calls to your team prep talk. I confess I haven't played it through very much since while I really like this game, it is one of the times where I'd usually prepare for it in the long haul for how stress the game can be a lot of the time(unless with friends where the stress turns into chaos in a funny way), so not much comment on the story.

Overall, game has gotten quite nice changes overtime from the previous versions until the 1.0 update. Pick it up if you really like SWAT 4

Revised review as of October 2024: So, given the game some time, it has improved quite a bit compared to its initial release, as well as a number of changes to some elements. One of them is the change in the hub area, where it seems to be more based around a train museum this time, along with new rooms like a trophy room(mostly to showcase completion rewards), removal of different modes for one map; basically meaning it'll mostly be barricaded suspects for the most part(with some bomb defusal on some maps), and a bit of extra customization options that you can unlock by completing levels in different ranks. TL:DR, great tactical game that's stupidly stressful. Play if you like SWAT 4 or tactical shooters a lot The gunplay feels just as strong as it is, with great sound design like Insurgency Sandstorm with really powerful-feeling guns, and overwhelming explosions. But much like Sandstorm, if you're not privy to the sudden/loud gun noises or explosions, it'll feel like a horror game... which it does at least feel low-key. Looks and feels fantastic and scary. Difficulty, in the sense of the game being a bit broken, has been fixed quite a bit. No longer will you be instantly dead by the time you breach with a John Wick gas station robber on the other side, and now attack and respond more appropriately and realistically without being. That said, it's still a game ensuring caution and attempting to arrest everyone than gunning everyone down for best possible score, and enemies can still be a bit stubborn on surrendering unless you surprise them(and are still more so than in SWAT 4). Conversely, your AI teammates are also fairly improved too, if still a bit janky at times; but now more reliable at reacting to enemy behavior Outside of the broken stuff fixed, enemies are a lot more trickier this time around; given the ability to hide in shelves to surprise you, fake their deaths, hide under beds, shoot from cover(with really poor accuracy but with how intimidatingly loud gunshots can be, can force you to take cover), along with the usual tricks they can do in the older versions like setting traps and being ready to fire as soon as the door is opened if they barricaded. They also added a sort of "rogue-like" kind of mode called Commander mode, where you have a set of officers with their own "stress" level that affects their performance if it lowers depending on how well/poorly you go through the mission, with their unique abilities that come along with it; as well as the ability to lose your officers if they either die or get too stressed. It's a more proper single-player mode with perma-death(at least with your teammates) that can quickly snowball into madness if you leave them unchecked for way too long. They do bring along a story in this mode, having a lot of background to the missions from the 911 calls to your team prep talk. I confess I haven't played it through very much since while I really like this game, it is one of the times where I'd usually prepare for it in the long haul for how stress the game can be a lot of the time(unless with friends where the stress turns into chaos in a funny way), so not much comment on the story. Overall, game has gotten quite nice changes overtime from the previous versions until the 1.0 update. Pick it up if you really like SWAT 4