Enlisted: The WWII Squad Shooter That Redefined the Genre

Enlisted is a free-to-play World War II tactical shooter developed by Darkflow Software and published by My.Games. Released in Early Access in 2019, the game places players in the role of a squad leader commanding a team of soldiers across the major theatres of the Second World War — from the brutal urban warfare of Stalingrad to the open fields of Normandy and the dense forests of the Eastern Front.

Unlike most modern shooters, Enlisted does not focus on fast-paced, run-and-gun combat. Instead, it emphasises tactical positioning, squad coordination, and the use of the environment. Every engagement is a small war in itself: you deploy your squad, call in artillery, coordinate flanking manoeuvres, and hold ground against waves of enemy soldiers. The result is a game that rewards patience, planning, and teamwork far more than reflexes alone.

At its heart, Enlisted is a squad-based shooter where you control a team of up to four AI soldiers in addition to your own character. You can issue simple commands — move to a position, hold a point, or follow you — and your squad will execute them with a degree of autonomy. This creates a unique layer of tactical depth: you are not just a marksman, you are a commander.

The game features a wide arsenal of period-accurate weapons, from the M1 Garand and Kar98k to the PPSh-41 and StG 44. Each weapon has distinct handling characteristics, and the game's ballistics model means that range, cover, and wind all matter. Explosives, grenades, and — most importantly — artillery strikes add another dimension to combat, allowing you to reshape the battlefield in real time.

One of the most distinctive features of Enlisted is its class system. Players choose from a variety of roles — Rifleman, Medic, Engineer, Officer, and others — each with unique abilities and equipment. The Medic can revive fallen squadmates, the Engineer can repair vehicles and set up traps, and the Officer can boost squad morale and call in reinforcements. Choosing the right class for your playstyle and your squad composition is a key strategic decision.

Enlisted offers several game modes, each with its own tactical challenges. The flagship mode is Conquest, a large-scale objective-based mode where two armies fight to capture and hold key positions across a sprawling map. Victory is determined by a point system, and matches can last 20 minutes or more, with the tide of battle shifting dramatically as artillery strikes and counter-attacks change the front lines.

Assault is a faster-paced mode where one team attacks and the other defends, with a clear win condition and a shorter match duration. Skirmish allows for custom matches with configurable rules, making it ideal for testing strategies or playing with friends. The game also features seasonal events and limited-time modes that keep the meta fresh and give players new objectives to pursue.

Enlisted's visual style is grounded and gritty, with detailed environments that capture the devastation of war. Buildings are destructible, terrain is varied, and the weather system adds an extra layer of atmosphere — rain, fog, and snow all affect visibility and gameplay. The sound design is equally impressive: the crack of a rifle, the whistle of an incoming shell, and the distant rumble of artillery create an immersive soundscape that puts you right in the middle of the action.

If you are new to Enlisted, here are a few tips to help you get started:

After several years in Early Access, Enlisted has matured into a polished and deeply engaging experience. The free-to-play model means there is no barrier to entry, and the game's regular updates and seasonal content keep the community active. While the learning curve is steeper than in most modern shooters, the reward is a sense of accomplishment that few other games can match. If you enjoy tactical gameplay, historical settings, and the satisfaction of a well-executed battle plan, Enlisted is absolutely worth your time.