Free-to-play battle royale Off the Grid comes to Steam, nearly one year on

The stylish free-to-play battle royale Off the Grid has finally arrived on Steam, after almost a year of Epic exclusivity. The game is a cyberpunk-themed dystopia developed in collaboration with District Nine director Neill Blomkamp, so it has real bonafides. Before each run, you can customize extensive load outs, including cybernetic limbs and kitted-out weapons, which you can call down during matches. Off the Grid looks to be cutting a unique niche in a crowded genre. However, if you decide to be pick the game up, you should be aware of its extensive and sometimes inscrutable implementation of cryptocurrency and NFTs.

Like fellow battle royale game Apex Legends, Off the Grid is themed around a televised sport. Unlike Apex, Off the Grid is a bloodsport; the game has a gorey and grim edge. You can loot the cybernetic limbs of fellow players, adjusting to enemy strategy or trying out new toys on the fly. The game also moves fast. Enhanced limbs let players leap over buildings or run to overtake foes.

This brutality is reflected in the loadout and loot system. If you extract powerful weapons and attachments you find on the battlefield, you can equip them in future matches. But if you die before you can extract them, you'll lose them forever. This mixture of extraction shooter gives every match stakes beyond death. However, these loot systems also tie into the game's NFTs. For details, we wrote up a full guide to explain Off the Grid's usage of NFTs and how it might affect your play experience.

If you are interested in playing, check out our guide to the Off the Grid system requirements. If you are looking for more chaotic action, check out the best multiplayer games.

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