GTFO
" Intense cooperative horror shooter with stealth and teamwork, but poor solo AI and matchmaking "
GTFO Review
GTFO is a hardcore cooperative tactical FPS that emphasizes stealth, communication, and teamwork. Players navigate dark, atmospheric underground environments filled with challenging enemies and scarce resources. The game is known for its punishing difficulty, requiring careful planning, resource management, and precise execution. The randomized enemy spawns and level layouts add replayability, while the lore and environmental storytelling enrich the experience.
While the game excels in creating intense, rewarding moments, it demands a dedicated squad of players and is not designed for solo play. Bots are generally considered ineffective, and matchmaking issues limit accessibility. Some players find the pacing slow and repetitive, and the inventory system and lack of meta-progression can feel dry. Technical issues like crashes and desyncs are reported but not pervasive. Overall, GTFO offers a unique, brutal co-op experience best enjoyed with committed friends.
Highlights
Gameplay mechanics are highly praised for tactical depth, stealth emphasis, and rewarding teamwork. The gunplay is solid with impactful feedback, and the sound design enhances immersion and tension. Randomized enemy encounters and level layouts increase replay value. The lore is well-crafted and integrated through environmental storytelling and terminals. The game's atmosphere and graphics support the horror-survival tone effectively, with a gritty, realistic art style. Players appreciate the smooth movement and satisfying combat feedback, including limb dismemberment and visual effects.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on the steep difficulty curve, poor solo and bot AI performance, and matchmaking problems. Many players find the lack of checkpoints frustrating, especially during long missions. The inventory and resource management system is seen as unintuitive and restrictive. The absence of meta-progression or unlockable content makes the gameplay loop feel repetitive and dry for some. Technical issues such as crashes, desyncs, and server connectivity problems also detract from the experience. Additionally, some players find the pacing slow and the horror elements less impactful than expected.
Pros
- • Intense, rewarding cooperative gameplay with strong emphasis on stealth and communication.
- • Randomized enemy spawns and level layouts boost replayability and tactical variation.
- • Immersive sound design and atmospheric graphics enhance horror-survival experience.
- • Well-crafted lore and environmental storytelling deepen game world immersion.
- • Smooth, responsive movement and satisfying gunplay with impactful visual feedback.
- • Challenging difficulty creates euphoric moments upon mission completion.
- • Minimalist UI and sci-fi HUD design keep screen clear and immersive.
Cons
- • Game is not enjoyable or viable for solo players due to poor bot AI.
- • Matchmaking system is problematic, making it hard to find games without friends.
- • Lack of checkpoints makes long missions frustrating and punishing on failure.
- • Inventory system is restrictive and unintuitive, limiting resource stacking and sharing.
- • Absence of meta-progression or unlockable content leads to repetitive gameplay.
- • Technical issues like crashes, desyncs, and server problems impact stability.
- • Some players find pacing slow and stealth-heavy sections overly drawn out.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
FINAL EDITION
Rundown 8.0 – Duality brings the story of the prisoners in the Complex to its riveting culmination. With all rundowns available in GTFO: Final Edition you and your team have more than 80 nail-biting challenges to suffer through. More than most people ever will be able to endure.
About the Game
Your team of prisoners is dropped into the Rundown when a new Work Order is issued by The Warden, the mysterious entity holding you captive. The Rundown is a series of expeditions, each one taking you deeper into a decayed research facility called The Complex. You descend level by level, scavenging tools and resources that help you survive in a perilous network of tunnels where gruesome creatures lurk in every shadow. Complete all the expeditions to fulfill the Work Order and clear the Rundown.
GTFO is designed for prisoner teams of four, putting cooperation at the core of the experience. Bots can fill your lineup if you’re short one or two players. They’ll follow you through expeditions, sneak when you sneak, collect resources, and fight alongside you. They’re a good fallback, but the level of communication and tactical combat in GTFO means it’s best to play with people.
A strategy is necessary to clear the Rundown. Before you drop into The Complex, your team needs to decide what gear, boosters, and weapons to bring. You must also balance the team, identifying the function of each prisoner so that you know what to do when things go wrong. And they will. They always do.
Stealth and coordination are necessary to survive as you maneuver through The Complex. Many of the creatures of GTFO are suspended in a state of hibernation, so light, noise, and vibrations can easily wake up these Sleepers. And if one of them knows you’re there, they all know. That’s when things get messy.
You’ll need heavy weaponry and a clear mind when the shit hits the fan. Check your line of fire, force them through bottlenecks, set up your kill zones and reload every chance you get. These creatures stop at nothing, and neither should you. Once the mayhem starts, you have no choice but to put every last one of them down.
Clearing expeditions and Rundowns will reward you with new cosmetic gear. Wear it with pride, as it proves to your peers you’ve been to hell and back. The Sleepers, on the other hand, will not care for a second.
8/10 – IGN
“it's a work of unmissable claustrophobia”
8/10 – EDGE
“GTFO has, bar none, the most consistent and polished atmosphere I’ve ever encountered in a game.”
Polygon
GTFO is a hardcore cooperative horror shooter that throws you from gripping suspense to explosive action in a heartbeat. Stealth, strategy, and teamwork are necessary to survive in your deadly, underground prison. Work together or die together.
