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Shotspark Studios · 2022 · Windows, Linux

Steam: 77 % positive of 1,159 reviews, as of Oct 28

A.W.O.L. is a first-person, mil-spec shooter developed using the Build engine (Duke Nukem 3D, Ion Fury).

24 games that play like A.W.O.L. and 24 that look like it. Closest by gameplay: AMID EVIL, SharpShooter3D and STRAFTAT.

Player tags

  • FPS
  • Action
  • Shooter
  • Retro
  • First-Person
  • Free to Play
  • Military
  • Singleplayer
Map region: Shooter Campaigns
Open on Steam ↗

Steam reviews

What players say

Players like it as a free retro tactical shooter, but many report performance problems, bugs and weak squad AI.

Many players praise the gunplay, the retro look and the large, atmospheric Build Engine maps, and say the game is worth trying because it costs nothing. Some enjoy the story and the comic-style cutscenes. The complaints are more consistent: frame drops and stuttering with several enemies on screen, crashes, and confusing level layouts, especially the open Dubai level where players lose time finding keycards and elevators. Allied AI that gets stuck in geometry or stands still while being shot is criticised by many, and some find enemies too hitscan-heavy and the difficulty uneven. Recent reviews are more negative than Steam's overall total, with several reporting that the game feels unfinished and that promised updates have not arrived.

Praised

  • Satisfying gunplay

    Players say the weapons feel loud, powerful and satisfying, with explosions and reload animations that stand out.

    Many players
  • Retro look and nostalgia

    Players enjoy the Build Engine style and the feel of classic Doom-like shooters, which many find nostalgic and charming.

    Many players
  • Free and good value

    Reviewers say that a free game of this quality is a pleasant surprise and that its low price makes the flaws easier to accept.

    Many players
  • Large, varied maps

    Players praise the big, open level layouts and the verticality of certain maps, which they find impressive for the engine.

    Some players

Criticised

  • Performance and crashes

    Players report stutter and frame drops with several enemies on screen, some on certain maps, and some crashes that stop progress.

    Many players
  • Dumb squad and enemy AI

    Players say allies get stuck in geometry, stand still under fire or give away positions, while enemies can seem too accurate.

    Many players
  • Confusing level design

    Players find the levels hard to navigate, with unclear objectives, backtracking and frustrating sections such as the Dubai map.

    Some players
  • Unfinished and stale updates

    Players say the game feels unfinished, with little content and no updates since the promised ones, and call it short.

    Some players
Who it suits
Suits players who enjoy retro Build Engine shooters, old-school boomer gunplay and nostalgia, and who will accept rough edges for a free game.
Who should skip it
Should skip it if you expect polished performance, reliable AI teammates or modern level design, since many players report serious technical and design problems.

Short vs. long playtime: Players with more hours tend to be more critical of the AI and level layout, while short-session players mainly remark on the free price and the gunplay.

Summarised by AI from 63 Steam reviews (English, helpful and recent), as of Oct 28, 2026.

Best matches

Plays and looks like A.W.O.L.

Close to it by gameplay and by look, so it appears in both lists below.

By gameplay

Plays like A.W.O.L.

Matched from Steam descriptions and player tags. The tags under each game are the ones both games share.

More matches

  1. Ion Fury92 % positive of 5,665Shared: FPS · Shooter · Retro
  2. SPRAWL zero95 % positive of 1,203Shared: FPS · Shooter · Retro
  3. Project Warlock87 % positive of 4,717Shared: FPS · Shooter · Retro
  4. Day of Defeat87 % positive of 4,499Shared: FPS · Shooter · Retro
  5. America's Army: Proving Grounds77 % positive of 11,089Shared: FPS · Shooter · First-Person
  6. Harbinger94 % positive of 993Shared: FPS · Shooter · First-Person
  7. World War Legion71 % positive of 2,836Shared: FPS · Shooter · First-Person
  8. I Am Your Beast96 % positive of 5,364Shared: FPS · Shooter · Retro
  9. Black Squad74 % positive of 81,179Shared: FPS · Shooter · First-Person
  10. WARMODE61 % positive of 16,289Shared: FPS · Shooter · First-Person
  11. RUNNING WITH RIFLES87 % positive of 14,708Shared: Shooter · Military · Tactical
  12. Delta Force Land Warrior92 % positive of 363Shared: FPS · Shooter · Military

By look

Looks like A.W.O.L.

Matched from screenshots. Each card shows the screenshot closest to the look of this game.

More matches

  1. BABBDI97 % positive of 8,869
  2. Bullets And More VR - BAM VR88 % positive of 486
  3. MISERY85 % positive of 20,623
  4. Freedom Fighters94 % positive of 2,621
  5. Nazi Zombies96 % positive of 961
  6. Dread X Collection 4: The Hunt87 % positive of 380
  7. Quake II RTX86 % positive of 4,792
  8. SiN Gold (1998)78 % positive of 392
  9. TimeShifters92 % positive of 168
  10. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl - Enhanced Edition64 % positive of 6,785
  11. Project Crypt84 % positive of 446
  12. Brigand: Oaxaca94 % positive of 552

At a glance

What games like A.W.O.L. have in common

  • The tags they share most often with A.W.O.L.: Shooter (24 of 24), FPS (23) and Retro (12).
  • They came out between 2003 and 2026, 9 of them after A.W.O.L. (2022).
  • Best rated by Steam players: I Am Your Beast (96 % positive of 5,364).

How these matches work

Matches come from embeddings of Steam descriptions, player tags and screenshots, computed offline. “Plays like” compares what the games are about and how players tag them; “Looks like” compares their screenshots. The share of positive reviews is based on Steam user reviews.

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