Arma 3
2013 · Bohemia Interactive Studio
Has it aged?Why ↓
Arma 3 is a first-person military sandbox where a small ridge matters more than quick reflexes. As Corporal Ben Kerry in the campaign, you fight across the Mediterranean islands of Stratis and Altis, establishing defensive positions, flanking patrols and commanding soldiers through awkward menus. Outside it, the editor lets you build battles or simply fly helicopters.
Experience true combat gameplay in a massive military sandbox. Deploy with a wide variety of single- and multiplayer content, a massive arsenal of modern weapons and vehicles, and limitless opportunities for content creation. Authentic, diverse, open - Arma 3 sends you to war.
The publisher’s description, from its Steam store page.
What it looks like
the trailer, then the store's own shots
The verdict
Play it for terrain-driven combat and the freedom to build your own operations, not for a polished military drama. Altis makes choosing a firing position genuinely absorbing; managing your squad's ammunition makes commanding soldiers unnecessarily laborious. The landscape holds up better than the human movement. Treat the campaign as one route through the sandbox, rather than the full measure of what its editor and community scenarios can do.
Play it if
You enjoy studying a hillside before crossing it, coordinating an attack with other players, or spending an evening in an editor placing units and testing a mission. You would rather learn how to fly a helicopter than have a scripted sequence fly it for you.
Skip it if
You need intuitive squad controls, competent AI companions or a campaign that puts you behind the controls of tanks and aircraft. Nested command menus, troublesome ammunition management and an infantry-focused story will get between you and the war you wanted to fight.
Common questions
- Does The East Wind campaign teach me to fly helicopters or drive tanks?
- No: its missions focus on infantry rather than tank, helicopter or jet assignments. Use the showcase missions, community scenarios or editor to explore the vehicles instead.
- Can I give myself unlimited saves in the campaign?
- Yes, through the customisable difficulty settings; enable them before tackling Adapt's steep difficulty increase. One escape ending disables saving, so this does not remove every campaign restriction.
- What can I make with Arma 3's editor and mods?
- The editor lets you place a helicopter and pilot and fly around the islands without following the campaign. Mod support described in 2023 extends to entire terrains, vehicles, aircraft, weapons, uniforms, equipment and scenarios.
- What does S.O.G. Prairie Fire add?
- The 2021 Creator DLC moves the fighting to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, with a 300-square-kilometre map and period weapons and vehicles. Its voiced MACV-SOG campaign supports up to 14 players, alongside five single-player introductory scenarios.
What everyone else said
we link, we don't reprintHas it aged?
How does it hold up today? Based on recent reviews, how opinions have changed since launch, player activity and updates.
% positive each month, last 4 years.
Reviews via Steam ↗Peak: 27k in Jan 2017.
Player counts via SteamCharts ↗A little less liked than at launch, but still well liked.
Updated within the last year, so still looked after.