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A.W.O.L. similar games & best alternatives

A.W.O.L.

PC (Microsoft Windows), Linux • 2022

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Quick resume

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

Global score

79/100

Genres

Action, Free To Play, Indie, Shooter, Tactical

Similar games

    Pros

    • Free to play
    • Satisfying gunplay and sound design
    • Retro build engine charm
    • Tactical and action gameplay mix
    • Well-made levels and animations

    Cons

    • Poor and buggy ai
    • Confusing level design especially dubai
    • Performance issues and frame drops
    • Lack of polish and bugs
    • Story and cutscenes often unengaging

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Leadership, Cooperation. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players have freedom to choose playstyle between tactical and action-oriented approaches, with some squad commands and stealth mechanics, though some levels are linear."

    • Competence
      3

      "Gameplay involves skillful shooting, tactical movement, and overcoming AI challenges, though AI is often criticized as poor and predictable."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Single-player experience focused on personal progress without multiplayer or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Players report engaging gameplay and fun gunplay encouraging continued play, though some frustration with confusing levels and bugs may reduce attachment."

    • Cooperation
      1

      "Includes squad commands and AI teammates, but AI is often broken and unhelpful, limiting meaningful cooperation."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Level design encourages some exploration and tactical approaches; players can experiment with stealth and squad tactics."

    • Domination
      -3

      "No evidence of exerting control over others; gameplay is single-player with no social dominance elements."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as a fun distraction with immersive gunplay and retro atmosphere, escaping real life stress."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for enjoyment; no indication of obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players try different tactics, stealth, squad commands, and explore levels with some novelty in mechanics."

    • Exploration
      2

      "Some levels encourage exploration and backtracking, though certain maps (Dubai) are confusing and criticized."

    • Expression
      -2

      "Limited customization or avatar personalization; mostly standardized presentation."

    • Fantasy
      -1

      "Military-themed realistic shooter with some narrative elements; not strongly fantasy oriented."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Single-player focus with minimal social interaction or community feeling."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players learn tactical approaches and improve shooting skills; some challenge and mastery involved."

    • Health
      -5

      "Standard sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires active attention and focus; not designed for background or idle play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No social or emotional relationship building; purely individual experience."

    • Leadership
      1

      "Players can issue simple commands to squadmates, but AI limitations reduce meaningful leadership experience."

    • Progression
      2

      "Players collect weapons and keycards, progress through levels, though no deep RPG or upgrade systems."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Some players find it a good way to unwind, but frustration from bugs and confusing levels reduces relaxation."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable gunplay with satisfying sound effects and visual feedback provides sensory stimulation."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or ranking systems present."

    • Story
      1

      "Contains a narrative with comic-style cutscenes, but story is often considered unmemorable or skippable."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Tactical elements and squad commands require planning and problem solving, though AI limits depth."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some tension and challenge in combat, but overall controlled and predictable gameplay."

    • Value
      5

      "Highly praised for being a free, well-made game with substantial content and fun gameplay."

    • Violence
      4

      "Focus on combat, shooting, explosions, and destruction with satisfying gore effects."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players must avoid death and manage resources in challenging combat scenarios."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026