This article was produced in collaboration with Valnet Inc. and the Sponsor Team17 Digital
At this point, it’s safe to say that the Vietnam War has woven its significance into several generations. Whether someone was alive to bear firsthand witness to that most terrifying of conflicts, or they’re just now coming up in the world, a few brief images are enough to return so many of us to thoughts of the sheer mayhem unleashed upon the battlefield. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam brings far more to bear upon us than imagery; backed by the power of Unreal Engine 5, developer Expression Games and publisher T17 are poised to deliver one banger of a tactical shooter that’s positively mired in iconic moments.
This isn’t the developer’s first trip to the past. The original Hell Let Loose catapulted players across World War II’s European and African fronts, and one look at the sequel proves the creators have just as fundamental an understanding of the Vietnam War as they did with its (still-supported!) predecessor.
Massive 50-versus-50 multiplayer battles mark their impressive return, fought against the backdrop of a gritty realistic depiction: the jungle is precisely as deadly as it ought to be. Survival means prioritizing teamwork at every turn and approaching your objectives not through a strictly guns-blazing attitude, but a strategic understanding of just how many ways your opponents can get you killed. Traversing Hell Let Loose: Vietnam’s six sprawling maps means putting your life in your allies’ hands, and knowing that the feeling’s mutual.
Epic Scale Returns In Spades
Massive 50-versus-50 multiplayer battles mark their impressive return, fought against the backdrop of a gritty realistic depiction: the jungle is precisely as deadly as it ought to be. Survival means prioritizing teamwork at every turn and approaching your objectives not through a strictly guns-blazing attitude, but a strategic understanding of just how many ways your opponents can get you killed. Traversing Hell Let Loose: Vietnam’s six sprawling maps means putting your life in your allies’ hands, and knowing that the feeling’s mutual.
Any Vietnam War sim that neglects to add helicopters for the United States faction has some figuring out to do; Hell Let Loose: Vietnam has them in spades, with fast-paced and hard-hitting aerial warfare galore. Troop deployment, supply drops, and platoon repositioning are all big parts of the choppers’ importance on the battlefield.
Vietnam’s rivers could be just as fierce a death trap – and arguably a more neglected aspect throughout gaming’s existing coverage of the US Forces’ clash against the NVA – so I’m equally pleased to see some boats here for both sides to wield in earnest. And the NVA’s vast tunnel network, so frequently the stages for incredibly successful ambushes, will also play a big role in the game’s unflinching commitment to realism.
Infantry classes include riflemen, assaults, medics, supports, machine gunners, anti-tanks, and engineers. Stealth and long-range enthusiasts have both spotters and snipers to choose between, and commanders keep it all together from the top. There’s room for tank commanders and gunners, too. US chopper fliers bring pilots, gunners, and crewmen into the equation. The devs have even added a big one with brand-new mortar squads, so yes, this is one suitably explosive shooter.
We’ve seen enough – Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is officially on our radar. It’s shaping up to be as authentic as it is ambitious, and an excellent fix for fans of more hardcore mil-sim experiences. The team behind all this breathtaking carnage aims to release the game on PC and consoles sometime next year, but playtesting’s right around the corner with a Q1 2026 target. Learn more at the official website and check out the game’s Steam page here.
