Hardcore WW2 shooter Hell Let Loose teases a brand new desert map

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the brutality of World War 2, find a new hardcore tactical FPS to play, or both, you really can’t go wrong with Hell Let Loose. These days it boasts an enormous lineup of maps based on real WW2 battles that is still growing – its next map, Elsenborn Ridge, is expected to arrive soon. Not wanting to rest on its laurels, however, Hell Let Loose just teased another new map that’s set to arrive early next year, and judging by its name and some brief visual snippets, it’s taking the action back to North Africa.

While some of the biggest moments from the European and Asian theatres of World War 2 are widely known by most people you meet, many forget to mention the battles that raged in North Africa. Some of the best WW2 games have recreated some of these locations and battles, and Hell Let Loose is no exception. However, in the game’s official roster of maps, only El Alamein takes us to this region of the world. That will be changing with Hell Let Loose’s 2025 map.

While clearly a desert map from the short glimpses we see, the name of the map, Tobruk, is the big giveaway here. Tobruk is a port city in Libya and was host to the Siege of Tobruk, a battle in which a large Australian contingent of Allied soldiers pushed out the Axis forces. While that’s got some fans excited at the prospect of the Australian Army joining other allied powers like the British, Americans, Soviets, and Canadians in Hell Let Loose, the date of 1942 may suggest otherwise.

That’s because the Siege of Tobruk took place the year prior in 1941. However, in 1942, the Axis powers recaptured the port from the Allies during the Battle of Gazala, and from what I can tell, the Australians were no longer present in Tobruk at this time. Instead, from what I’ve been able to gather, it was a mixture of British, French, Indian, and South African forces. I’m not ruling out an Aussie expansion in Hell Let Loose, but given its penchant for historical accuracy and the deliberate inclusion of the date in the teaser trailer, I’d say temper your expectations.

As for the map itself, it looks like a pretty urban battleground this time around. There’s a large, sprawling grid of buildings covering the sandy terrain, but there are also some more open spaces that may make great arenas for some tank warfare.

Hell Let Loose’s Tobruk map will be released in early 2025, according to the game’s developer. We probably won’t hear more about Tobruk until the snowy battlefield of Elsenborn Ridge has arrived in Update 16, which is currently without a solid release date but is widely expected to drop before the end of this year.

Until these new arenas arrive, check out some other brilliant war games and FPS games that offer similar thrills.

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