There may not be a bigger lie in the gaming industry right now than the term "free-to-play." These games may offer a quick and enticing break from the overpriced games on the market these days, but when you get into them you realize that to have any real fun - you're going to need to shell out cash... and a lot of it. Loadout is different though, at least in a way. Edge of Reality's crass take on the world of Team Fortress 2 still asks for your money if you plan on diving in heavy, but it does so with a fun, crass and fast paced shooter that you won't believe you won't get for free. It can be sloppy and downright annoying at times, but Loadout is like gaming's bigfoot -- a free-to-play shooter that actually delivers.

Now don't get me wrong, Loadout is anything but memorable. It's perhaps the definition of throwaway and forgettable entertainment. You play any one of the game's Adult Swim reject cartoonish combatants. Seriously, there's a guy who looks like Mr. T and a guy who looks like he ate Rambo. Loadout is not in the business of being serious though and it wears it's silly heart on its sleeve. You'll flip off your opponents before you breathe your last breath, or perform a victory dance that showcases all of your jiggling cellulite for the world to see. You'll giggle at these antics the first few times, but grow tired of them very quickly. Moderation is not a skill that Loadout knows, and it proves it by telling you the same jokes over...and...Over.

"...feels like it's much too tight and too precise to be a free-to-play game."

The key to Loadout though is just how fun it is to jump into a game and simply start shooting. Controls feel tight, though I did notice the game seems to feel a bit better when using a controller over mouse and keyboard, but Loadout often feels like it's much too tight and too precise to be a free-to-play game. Maps often feature multiple paths and some great areas that encourage fast and frenetic shootouts, just don't expect a lot of variation from these maps, as you'll get the feeling that though there are a number of maps to select here, they often all feature different variations of the same twists and turns.

It's a shame then that the matchmaking in Loadout is as bad as it is. Matches are meant to be played 4v4, whether that's eight players or a mixture of human controlled teammates against bots, but you'll sometimes get into a match and find out that it's 2v1 or even worse, 1 on 1, and trust me - the game loses all sorts of momentum when it's just you and one more player in these wide open arenas. Updates to the game have made this better since launch, but it's almost infuriating to have to keep backing out of matches because you just don't have enough people to make it fun.

"...unlock new additions and features for your guns..."

As you progress through the game you'll earn Blutes, Loadout's version of XP. You'll use these blutes to unlock new additions and features for your guns - anything from stock to trigger and of course ammo types. In truth, the weapon modification aspect of Loadout was one of my favorite time wasters in recent memory. You'll name your gun and then outfit it as much as you can afford. Each addition and modification to your weapon has its advantages and disadvantages, like adding additional firepower but it might make the gun too heavy or over-heat way too fast. Luckily, Loadout features a test range that you can play with combinations so you know what you're getting into. I personally took great pride in modifying Darlene, my favorite riffle to be one badass machine, so when people would shoot me and then pick the gun up it would give me extra incentive to chase them down.

Get this though; all of these features and all of these modifications are unlocked strictly on blutes and in game currency and cannot be accessed by opening up your wallet. Really, the only things you can unlock by paying for them are extra character customization features, which have no real effect on the gameplay at all. Loadout is refreshing because it allows players to progress through it without the option to buy their way through it. But hey, if you want a wig or to smoke a cigar in the game...feel free to open our wallet.

Loadout is far from perfect. It's sloppy, crass and at times even unfinished, but it's a ton of fun and you're getting a ton of content for a great price; free. Updates since release have made improvements to the game's matchmaking system and the game is getting a bigger following, meaning you'll have more players to beat up and steal their guns. In a world if cheap, free to play ripoffs, Loadout is a gem. A sloppy and unfinished gem.
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