A Brutal and Tactical World War 1 Shooter
You know when you are familiar with the name of something, but don’t know exactly where, or what, it is? That’s been the case for me with Gallipoli.
It turns out that Gallipoli is a peninsula in Turkey, separating the Aegean Sea and the Dardanelles Strait. It is most famous for a major World War 1 battle that took place there between the Allied forces and the Ottomans. That battle resulted in more than 200,000 casualties and deaths on both sides, ending with an Ottoman victory and an Allied withdrawal.
It has inspired TV series and films, and now it is the setting for the latest game from Blackmill Games. This is their fourth in a series of WW1 games, following Isonzo, Tannenberg and Verdun.
Sometimes, when I load up a war shooter like Battlefield or Call of Duty, I get overwhelmed by the choices. There are so many different loadouts, boosts and special attacks that play out in the middle of a game that it can feel like I am being left behind.
Gallipoli is a much simpler multiplayer experience though. The objectives are straightforward but tactically interesting, while you are given a gun that is slow to reload and asked to adapt to a more realistic feeling of battle. How successful that is depends on how much you are willing to invest in it. It would be easy to fall off Gallipoli after just a few games, and that would be a shame.
Story-wise, there are no cutscenes covering the historical conflict, nor do you play as a lead character involved in some heroic campaign. The developers simply throw you into the action, with historical information appearing on each map in the form of text describing what happened there and its importance within the battle. I think I could have done with a little more information, or perhaps some documentary-style cutscenes, but I get the feeling the developers want you to experience, taking in the conflict rather than simply watching it.
Expeditions Bring Tactical Multiplayer Battles
There is one mode in Gallipoli, called Expeditions, which is a sort of cross between Rush mode in Battlefield and War mode in Call of Duty. One team, either the Allied Forces or the Ottomans, takes on the role of the defenders, while the other becomes the attackers. Each side must either defend or attack a series of HQs spread across a large map. Once a certain number of HQs have been taken, the attackers must then capture the final base. Alternatively, the defenders need to eliminate the attacking force before that can happen.
The first thing to say about the gameplay is that if you are expecting fast-moving players wall-jumping and sliding around while shooting, then look away now. This is much more of a realistic battle simulator. There are ten different classes to choose from, ranging from Rifleman to Stretcher Bearer, and each game is played via 25 vs 25 battles, with a list of matches to dive into, which were pretty full at the time of the review. There are currently five maps, all covering large areas, and that means each can prove to deliver a lengthy session. Get a cup of tea and settle in.
Patience and Teamwork Are Key to Victory
Gunplay is hard to get used to at first. These are old-fashioned weapons that feel heavy to use and take a long time to reload. But that also makes the combat feel dramatic and realistic. Players who have spent a lot of time with the game can kill you with a single shot, and it can be difficult to work out where that shot even came from. This can be frustrating during the early stages, but once things start to click and you can rewire your brain to play more tactically, it becomes much more rewarding.
One mechanic I particularly enjoyed was the ability to use suppressive fire, which causes the enemy to panic and makes it harder for them to aim and shoot accurately. Mechanics like this make tactics incredibly important, while teamwork is absolutely essential.
I do think the lack of other game options works to Gallipoli’s detriment. After a half dozen or so long sessions, I was starting to want something else to do. I know that a single-player campaign is not part of the plan for these games, but I would love to see what the developers could do with one.
An Authentic-Looking and Sounding Battlefield
Gallipoli looks alright too, without being outstanding. With 50 players online at once, I didn’t experience any lag, while the maps themselves provide some impressive battlegrounds. The weapons and uniforms all feel authentic, and battle effects such as explosions work well. The sound design is also strong, with an epic war score that increases in intensity as you get closer to victory, which is a nice touch. Shouts, explosions, bullets and the general sound effects are all brilliantly handled.
Gallipoli Delivers Intense and Rewarding Multiplayer Warfare
Gallipoli is a solid multiplayer experience, delivering a high standard of online warfare. The battles are intense and challenging, but with patience comes great reward. The lack of game modes means some may struggle with longevity, but on the flip, others will relish the chance to keep returning, improving and mastering the battlefields of Gallipoli.
Important Links
Step Onto The Beaches Of Gallipoli In This Brutal New WW1 Shooter – https://www.thexboxhub.com/step-onto-the-beaches-of-gallipoli-in-this-brutal-new-ww1-shooter/
WW1 Game Series Heads to a New Front in Gallipoli, Marching onto Xbox, PlayStation & PC In May 2026 – https://www.thexboxhub.com/ww1-game-series-heads-to-a-new-front-in-gallipoli-marching-onto-xbox-playstation-pc/
Buy the Standard Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/gallipoli/9ntt5vgzv7dl
There’s a British Empire Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/gallipoli-british-empire-edition/9p5d9kz17gs5
And an Ottoman Empire Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/gallipoli-ottoman-empire-edition/9p0zkcghxb88
