XDefiant Review

XDefiant reviewed by Phil Hornshaw on PC, also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

XDefiant joins the free-to-play shooter crowd as a respectable competitive FPS built around various Ubisoft franchises, but little makes it really stand out. Its shooting mechanics generally feel great, and even dying doesn’t kill the momentum since you're dropped right back into the action within a few seconds. Some of its issues, like weapon balance, are relatively minor elements that we can expect Ubisoft to adjust over time. Tougher to solve, however, is the clash between its main ideas: fast time-to-kill makes a lot of its class abilities feel difficult to make the most of because you’re usually dead before you can use them. It’s also lacking a defining mode, leaning on samey point-capture ideas and tried-and-true but tired concepts like Payload and Kill Confirmed. On the other hand, excellent maps keep things interesting longer than they otherwise would be, so hopefully it’ll have the time it needs to carve out its own niche.

[Crossbowner]

It's basically free Call of Duty without taking over all your hard drive space.

[roe]

The game is pretty decent, but Ubisoft needs to balance some of the weapons and abilities.

[TRITONIOS]

Is just like old cods without skill base matchmaking, I'm having a lot of fun with it.

[Opportunist]

This game is more fun that it deserved to be. That's basically all you need to know.

Nothing makes it stand out, it may even be missing stuff, and yet when you play it you want more.

[Mammoth]

It is lacking in things like sound design for one example BUT there is something here that makes me keep playing. It’s also free so it’s hard to complain. Is it perfect? No. Is it fun? Yes. Overall I’ve been enjoying it.

[quanlinglingdingle]

We all know COD is the true COD killer

[ManuXinzo]

It's a great game, a little overwatch, a lot call of duty but it's own ubisoft multiverse

[tylertime]

Not a cod killer but still glad it exists. It does lack soul. A lot still needs fixing and improvement. For me the sound design is terrible, and the hit reg can be quite off at times. Not to mention lack of rewarding progression, streaks, etc. anything that really makes Cod addicting.

[JJTheFlexy]

As a Hijack Dedsec player, there is plenty to hack. Running a class that also has EMP grenades make it a total shutdown unit, even when your abilities are on cooldown. Shields, Health Stations, Bouncing Betties. There is enough to hack to give opportunity to put opponents in very unexpected and uncomfortable positions, while rendering the value of their ability to nothing. Whether you hack it for your own team to shoot back through the shield, or to steal healing, or just lob a grenade to save that ability for a more promising hack, Dedsec is one of the strongest units in the game. Also, Spider do be fun, but I’m defending hijack here!!! Ontop of that, the range on the hack is RIDICULOUS compared to even the intel suit. It’s not crossmap, but if you get eyes on a barrier from across an opening, you can absolutely flip the tables on an enemy that is hunkered down and getting agro.

[niinds]

Took me only 14-15 hours, or 2 hours per day, to unlock DeadSec

[way_way_better]

Wow they actually pointed out how overpowered the sniper is. Nice!

[brianthelion]

It needs to remove bunny hopping. It’s honestly ridiculous

[jaythomas]

The inconsistency in TTK or dying around corners is what's killing my experience. Bullet registration is all over the place.

[SkySwann]

How are people struggling to unlock weapon attachments? They have boosters AND just had double XP over the holiday weekend. AND Ubisoft has challenges you can complete for EVEN MORE weapon boosters.

[sQvQge]

SBMM wasn’t touched on and the matchmaking system is what is making it so fun to come back to. It’s a breath of fresh air

[JohnXWayne]

People keep complaining about the guns being hard to level and sh1t but you comparing it to cod that is a game that only lasts a year before they sell you the same sh1t, Xdefiant isn’t a yearly resale of the same sh1t, it should take longer to do everything!

[LeftBehind]

No mention of sbmm. Considering it's the main driving point.

[decoyfox]

It's solid but needs a lot of work, also no killcam or prone stance really holds it back, but for free it's hard to complain

[Stroutta]

The maps are pretty and eye catching Activision should take notes..

[gasmoggs]

4 ads in the first 3 minutes of a video is wild