Published on August 12, 2026, Liam Mackay's review of Hell Let Loose: Vietnam on Dexerto characterizes the publisher Team17's multiplayer tactical shooter as a brutal, highly rewarding experience that requires close coordination, though it currently exhibits some unpolished elements at launch.

Tactical Gameplay and Faction Differences

Following the World War II setting of the original game, this sequel moves the franchise to Southeast Asian jungles, winding rivers, rural villages, and military bases. The title features six maps inspired by real locations, though Mackay notes that some environments feel a bit too clean and lack the level of war-torn destruction seen in titles like Battlefield: Bad Company 2's Vietnam DLC.

Players can choose from two distinct armies—the US Armed Forces and the North Vietnamese Army (NVA)—across 19 different roles, including commanders, regular riflemen, medics, snipers, and helicopter pilots. Each faction operates differently:

  • US Forces: Rely on brute force, utilizing helicopters, patrol boats, and napalm to capture areas.
  • NVA: Utilize tunnel-building mechanics to establish flanking routes and overwhelm objectives from multiple sides.

An expanded loadout system lets players customize roles with different gear and carry extra magazines, balanced by a weight system that requires strategic inventory choices.

Teamwork Requirements and Combat Mechanics

Review findings emphasize that player enjoyment depends heavily on team coordination. Uncoordinated squads or solo play lead to long runs through the jungle followed by quick deaths, whereas communicating with squad leaders, placing Garrisons and Outposts, and making coordinated pushes transform the gameplay.

Combat is described as fast and lethal: one well-placed headshot or a couple of body shots are enough to eliminate a player, making every engagement tense. While movement can feel stiff, Mackay notes that this is likely intentional to prevent players from acting as one-man supersoldiers, preserving the game's tactical identity.

PC Performance and Value

On the technical side, PC performance has improved significantly since the game's betas. Testing on hardware slightly above the minimum requirements at 1440p with DLSS Quality and mixed medium-low settings achieved roughly 90fps without major stutters or noticeable frame drops.

However, the review questions how long the $40 title will maintain a dedicated audience given its limited content scale compared to the original game's 20 maps, reiterating that the experience feels somewhat underbaked for a full release.