Testing occurred from late October through early November as The Finals, a total destructor shooter, was in active development at Embark. Guided by Patrick Söderlund, formerly at the helm of DICE, the project is often described as a fresh take on Battlefield with a familiar vibe. This article surveys whether the team met expectations and what impressions the game left on testers.
The initial reveal last year introduced The Finals to a broader audience, followed by a September gameplay trailer and alpha signups. The game’s distinctive style remained consistent: soft pastels accented by bright yellows, opponents adorned in gold, and fast, vertical combat that emphasizes mobility and chaos.
SteamCharts data show a peak concurrent player count around 265,000. The surge surprised the developers, and server strain was noticeable at times, with queues common upon entry and occasional issues where teammates loaded in while others remained stuck on the loading screen.
Available modes
During the playtest, The Finals presented a compact experience with two modes, a ranked ladder, and a shop offering gear and cosmetic items. Players collected weapons and gadgets, customized their heroes with various skins, and aimed to climb the ratings as they adapted to the available modes.
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Both modes and the ranking system hinge on in-game currency. In Quick Cash, players grab a money box, escort it to an ATM, and defend it until the machine tallies the funds. If the enemy seizes the ATM, the money goes to them, turning the match into a modern twist on Capture the Flag. The same currency mechanic drives the ranking game: eight teams advance through three rounds in a knockout format.
And while ATMs tend to be nearby, reaching them is never trivial, as opposing players monitor movements and try to intercept the flag.
The second mode, Bank It, uses money tokens. Token collection comes from defeating enemies and opening caches. Tokens must be deposited into the team account via ATMs; failing to deposit means all coins drop on death, and opponents can see how much money a player carries and target those assets directly.
A notable feature is the ability to drag a fallen ally’s statue to a safe location in an attempt to revive them later.
Customization and builds are straightforward. The game favors a lighter, less realistic approach: the shop offers a quirky array of skins, from a quirky cardboard sniper skin to novelty items like a cheese board and a diamond AK.
Instead of traditional classes, players choose from three body types: S, M, and L. Each size changes weapon access, abilities, health, and movement speed, influencing strategy and playstyle.
S-class characters typically wield snipers and SMGs, M-types carry assault rifles, and L-types use heavier machine guns. Some builds even allow using a hammer as a tool for environmental disruption.
Interestingly, many testers gravitated toward the slot machines for starting advantage, hinting at the game’s unpredictable early balance.
The available weapons proved ample for the eleven days of testing. While the map count was modest, each arena featured dynamic elements like construction-site redesigns, platforms for movement, elevators, and other environmental tweaks that influenced routes and strategy.
Impressions from the game
At the core, the developers emphasize total destructibility, and testers could feel its impact. Players can obliterate certain parts of the environment, though options remain somewhat limited to specific tools: C4, a hammer, a grenade launcher, and a few explosive barrels. This destructibility often shifts positions, enabling bold flank maneuvers and new tactical lines.
Strategic destruction helps you starve the enemy of space and slip behind their lines.
In practice, some encounters resemble a tactical shooter with Siege-like precision. Defending an ATM, teams encounter a difficult challenge when the opposing side detonates a breach to reclaim funds, forcing quick adaptation and dynamic defense adjustments.
A powerful hammer-wielding fighter can strike hard and slip into attacks from unexpected angles. A clever setup can swap from defense to offense in moments, especially once players identify new paths and routes.
There were moments when a bridge collapse altered both money and enemy positioning within a single maneuver.
The level design supports vertical play with stairs, window openings, elevators, and zip lines, enabling rapid repositioning, dodging fire, or catching up to opponents mid-flight.
On the subject of gunplay, the feel is closer to Overwatch than Battlefield: both sides tolerate significant health and slower reloads, inviting close-quarters combat and opportunistic escapes through windows, since no second primary choice is currently available.
Some players favor blunt force arms like knives and even a sword for close combat, expanding the melee toolkit.
The overall vibe blends Battlefield’s scale with Fortnite-like flair: calm, light-toned visuals, no fall damage, and bright markers to guide players through occasional chaos. The style is distinctive, though it may not suit every shooter fan.
Controversies
Several elements drew debate. The shooting balance stands out as a current sore spot: damage from hits can feel inconsistent, with some weapons underperforming against others in high-pressure moments. Gunfights often devolve into chaotic, acrobatic exchanges that feel lighter than expected, elevating pistols and shotguns while automatic rifles underperform.
Some testers worry this diminishes the pace of combat and dampens the thrill of shooting. Another point of contention is a Team Wipe mechanic: if the entire squad is eliminated and revival time expires, players watch a brief pause instead of returning to action, which can stall momentum.
Movement has a mixed reception. While traversal tools like cables, trampolines, and parkour help crossing maps, some character animations and camera work feel awkward, dampening the action and leaving the impression that the movement system needs refinement. It does not evoke the same energy found in games like Apex Legends.
Trampoline mechanics continue to be a fun, though sometimes uneven, staple of the map.
Balance issues, server reliability, and a somewhat opaque build system remain as development-focused topics to be polished. The team continues to explore these areas during ongoing playtests, aiming to fine-tune the experience before a wider release.
With polishing, The Finals could outpace popular shooters by combining destructible environments, strong visuals, and an experienced development team. The core concept has strong potential, and the game benefits from a thoughtful aesthetic and a clear creative direction.
Whether the final product becomes a new multiplayer benchmark will depend on publisher Nexon’s monetization approach and continued player engagement after launch.
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