Realism over Hollywood: Military sim with 200K+ positive reviews just $5 in Steam Sale
If you’re looking to mow down waves of enemies like a Hollywood action hero, Arma 3 probably isn’t for you. Instead, it puts you in the boots of an ordinary soldier in a gritty, realistic war zone – with no room for shortcuts. The focus is on authenticity: weapon handling, movement and vulnerability are all convincingly portrayed, making careful planning and tactical thinking key to survival. The game’s massive maps, Altis and Stratis, together span more than 110 square miles, ranking among the largest in the shooter genre.
In the single-player campaign, you step into the role of soldier Ben Kerry, who finds himself on the fictional Mediterranean island of Stratis amid a growing conflict between NATO and CSAT, a coalition of authoritarian states led by Iran. Spanning three episodes, the story offers a mix of intense defensive missions, guerrilla warfare and large-scale battles. However, it’s often seen as underwhelming due to inconsistent AI, a slow-moving plot and the absence of a co-op mode.
The real core of Arma 3 lies in its multiplayer mode. Co-op missions support up to 60 players, allowing for large-scale operations where teamwork, strategy and communication make all the difference. Whether you're playing as a sniper, pilot, medic or tank commander, the range of roles is almost limitless. The PvP mode is also far deeper than what most shooters offer, featuring intense tactical showdowns in classic modes like King of the Hill and Domination. With a powerful mission editor, players can create and share custom scenarios, adding tons of variety and long-term replay value to both co-op and competitive play. For those who crave tactical depth, Arma 3 is a goldmine. But newcomers and solo players should brace themselves for a steep learning curve – this one doesn’t go easy on beginners.
Reviews: Intense battlefield atmosphere with weak AI
Arma 3 was developed by Bohemia Interactive and launched in September 2013. Following the full release of its single-player campaign, the German gaming magazin GameStar reviewed the game in March 2014 and praised its gripping battlefield atmosphere, expansive game world and rich multiplayer experience. A standout feature is the powerful mission editor, which – together with an active modding community – has helped keep the game alive and relevant for over a decade. According to SteamDB, Arma 3 still regularly draws more than 10,000 concurrent players, a testament to its lasting appeal.
Despite its many strengths, Arma 3 hasn’t escaped criticism. GameStar pointed out issues with inconsistent AI and a lackluster solo campaign. Combined with complex controls and minimal guidance for newcomers, the game’s steep learning curve can quickly become frustrating. Still, the positives clearly outweigh the negatives – GameStar gave it a respectable 79 out of 100. The reception on Metacritic is similar, with a Metascore of 74 and a User Score of 7.6. On Steam, however, Arma 3 enjoys much higher praise: nearly 90% of roughly 215,000 user reviews are positive.
84% discount on Steam
Arma 3 is normally priced at around $30 on Steam, but as part of the Wargames Fest, it’s currently available at an 84% discount – bringing the price down to under $5 until May 5. The Ultimate Edition, which includes all DLCs developed by Bohemia Interactive (excluding Creator DLCs), is also on sale with a 65% discount, now available for about $42. Those willing to wait might see an even better deal; according to SteamDB, the game was last discounted by 88% in March.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
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