While most military first-person shooters take the approach of linear singleplayer campaign missions and competitive multiplayer, popular titles like Gray Zone Warfare stand out by bringing tactical gunplay to a PvE-focused open-world. In Gray Zone Warfare, players wield realistic weaponry and gear while moving at their own pace. A body injury system and lore to uncover while exploring the world only adds to the appeal, not to mention the optional co-op. And though the upcoming Steam game Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam does not have every single feature from Gray Zone Warfare, it does resemble it heavily.
In addition to its Gray Zone Warfare vibes, Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam also has some elements that are reminiscent of Call of Duty, like the flashy finishing maneuvers from the modern era games’ multiplayer content. Steam players will wield all the weaponry one would expect from a Vietnam-era game, such as the M16, and they’ll also get to create some CoD-level explosions via an RPG. As they explore the open mission areas, they’ll progress just like they do in similar titles, with the gameplay loop shaping up to be extremely rewarding based on Beyond Enemy Lines’ description.
Players won’t have to wait long to try Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam for themselves, as its Steam page confirms an early access release on May 6, 2026.
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Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam Features at a Glance
- EXPLORE a mixture of open areas and linear battlefields that feature jungles, villages, and military outposts.
- FIGHT your way, from stealthy knife kills to sniping from a distance to running and gunning.
- WIELD a range of weapons, from snipers and shotguns to assault rifles and RPGs.
- CUSTOMIZE guns by earning attachments from side objectives and weapon progression.
- PILOT helicopters, land vehicles, and boats to traverse the world.
- PLAY the campaign alone or with a friend, and enjoy larger PvP battles online.
- CREATE and share your own missions via a fully integrated Sandbox creator.
A tactical Vietnam War shooter with open mission areas. Infiltrate, ambush, or go in loud. Customize weapons, use vehicles, and play solo, in coop, or PvP. Create missions with the built-in editor.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.
Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam is a Game to Get Lost In
Gray Zone Warfare fans should know the key differences up front so they don’t come into the game with lofty expectations. First, players won’t be able to bring their full Gray Zone Warfare squad into Beyond Enemy Lines’ campaign, as co-op is limited to 2 players for this content. Additionally, instead of being fully open-world, Gray Zone Warfare jumps between linear missions and large open levels, balancing the two styles like a modern CoD campaign. Even with these caveats, though, it certainly looks like Beyond Enemy Lines will tick most of the boxes gamers who enjoyed Gray Zone Warfare will be looking to see ticked. For instance, the sandbox players will be able to explore in the open levels seems truly massive, requiring the use of vehicles like helicopters if players want to get around the map and see all it has to offer. Said map will have the terrain one would expect to find in a game exploring the Vietnam War, including the terrifying tunnels that stood out in games like Call of Duty: Black Ops.
As players traverse the jungles of Vietnam, they’ll stumble on a healthy variety of weaponry, with a tool available for every kind of fight. How players approach battles is entirely up to them, with stealth just as viable as sniping or going in loud for most scenarios. And as players increase their body count, they’ll complete side objectives and rank up their equipped weapons, unlocking new attachments to modify their gear. Said attachments will have clear pros and cons, creating a light sense of build-making as players strive to tailor each weapon to their specific needs. They can expect some detailed statistics about the war they’re waging, not too dissimilar from Call of Duty’s combat record, and this is just one similarity to Activision’s flagship franchise.
Also comparable to Call of Duty is the way in which Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam treats its campaign as just one part of a wider experience. Not only will there be smaller objective-based scenarios for groups to tackle in co-op, but there will also be some PvP battles on offer. The exact player count for the PvP multiplayer is seemingly still being kept under wraps as of now, so it’s unclear if the game will have arcadey fights with small teams or huge fights comparable to those of the Battlefield series. It is worth noting, however, that Co-Op missions and PvP matches will not be available at the start of early access, instead being added step by step as the game approaches its full release.
Fortunately, the early access period for Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam won’t be a very long one, as the game’s development team only wants it to spend 2-4 months in early access.
Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam’s Mission Maker is Its Secret Weapon
Another feature that will be added down the road is one that fans have been desperate to see Call of Duty embrace: a map and mission editor. Fully integrated into the game, players will be able to shape their own experience, using the game’s dynamic AI to their advantage. Creations are accessible across different modes, which essentially guarantees endless PvP maps and PvE missions since players can share their own creations and download popular ones posted by the game’s community. Like the game itself, this user-generated content will be cross-platform, letting everyone get in on the fun. For anyone who loved the era of UGC-focused games like LittleBigPlanet, or spent time playing around with Far Cry’s map creation tools, this mechanic could be what really sells Beyond Enemy Lines - Vietnam as a must-play FPS.
