If you’re familiar with games like CS:GO and Valorant, Veiled Experts (or VX) is very easy to get into. At the beginning of a match, you choose from a roster of characters with unique abilities that they all possess. It’s a free-to-play 5v5 round-based shooter where teams plant bombs on certain sites on a map. In the beginning, it all seems quite familiar, but VX quickly starts stacking new features and ideas on top of it in a way that appears messy at first, but turns out to be quite smart and satisfying after a while. Initially, I was apprehensive about the third-person perspective. Third-person isn’t the best choice for tactical shooters who have a short time to kill. Players can peek around cover without exposing themselves, which leads to players holding angles forever and swift deaths for those brave enough to run.
The first way Veiled Experts solves this problem is to focus on awareness of enemy positions. At the start of each round, you can (and should) stock up on Scan Grenades, which mark enemies through cover for a short time. Furthermore, there’s a Scan Bow, which carries out the same results as a weapon, and several characters have abilities that provide even more information. Secondly, each round can be accompanied by shrinking rings like in Battle Royales. The ring in Veiled Experts is quite mesmerizing, since it’s not actually a ring at all; rather, it’s an ever-shifting polygon that tightens slowly towards the center, making players move constantly. With scan grenades in your arsenal, you can’t stay in one place for long without becoming a liability to your team.
The more you play Veiled Experts, the more you realize how thoughtfully everything has been designed. Characters’ abilities are useful but not overbearingly powerful. In contrast to Counter-Strike, you don’t lose weapons you’ve purchased in previous matches if you die, making each match more forgiving. CS and Valorant usually have fewer rounds, so matches are generally quick. Additionally, you can choose from a bunch of character-independent abilities called Leptons, which can provide small benefits like reduced damage during rolls, a free weapon in Round 2, etc. In most cases, the best traits are money-saving ones that will let you upgrade your team between rounds, improve your armour, and magazine capacity.
After my first few hours with the game, I quickly debunked every misgiving I had. The game’s gunplay is smooth and enjoyable, and the maps are great (with buildings exploding to open up new pathways and avenues during matches). A special mention must be given to the player animations, especially as they climb. The game’s movement feels great – not slick and fast like Apex Legends, but deliberate and reliable. Please give Veiled Experts a try. This is much better than you’d expect, and I don’t want it to die because people dismissed it as quickly as I did.
