Before they gave us Killzone and Horizon, they made a brutal game about Vietnam. Soldiers were not the heroes here

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Today, Guerrilla Games is best known for the beautiful, post-apocalyptic world of Aloy’s adventures. But many older gamers will remember their Killzone series, a futuristic war game with a unique, muted color scheme. Interestingly, Guerrilla Games didn’t begin with science fiction; they actually started by creating realistic and intense games based on the Vietnam War.

Real war

I first played Shellshock: Nam ’67 when it came out in 2004 on PC, PlayStation 2, and the original Xbox, and it really stuck with me. Guerrilla Games wanted to make something different – they weren’t trying to glorify war, but show it as raw and ugly as it actually is. Forget about heroic stories and amazing feats of bravery! This game was all about brutal, gritty violence, really harsh language, and some seriously disturbing traps. You saw limbs flying off after explosions and even executions, sometimes of innocent people. The soldiers weren’t these larger-than-life heroes fighting for a cause; they were just broken, ordinary guys completely worn down by the war.

ShellShock: Nam ’67 didn’t shy away from showing the harsh realities of war. It was one of the first shooting games I played as a teenager, and it really tried to immerse you in the experience. Looking back, I think it attempted to do what Spec Ops: The Line eventually perfected, and that’s probably why it still resonates with so many players today.

Soldier’s career

While the game made an effort to be realistic, it wasn’t always successful. Everything I mentioned before held true, but the impact of seeing a war-like setting diminished during the actual gun battles. Guerrilla Games created a fairly easy experience, even on harder settings. Despite the main character being a regular soldier, not a superhero, he consistently survived fights without much damage.

The game features a wide range of weapons, from pistols and machine guns to more powerful options like grenade and rocket launchers, and even a simple torch. In addition to firearms, the main character can also use melee weapons like a knife and machete. While most encounters involve direct combat, some missions require a stealthier approach. Between missions, players return to camp to interact with and learn more about their fellow soldiers.

Let me also tell you about the main character. You play as Caleb Walker, a young American soldier known as “Freshmeat.” The game follows his journey as a new recruit, showing us his experiences from early patrols to fierce battles in the jungle and Vietnamese villages, and ultimately, his involvement in increasingly dangerous missions.

Success? Not exactly…

Was *ShellShock: Nam ’67* a great shooter, or even a success? Sadly, no. While the game wasn’t a total failure, it had enough problems to prevent it from being truly excellent.

As I said before, the game’s easy difficulty felt out of place given the serious subject matter. The graphics were also a major issue – while they might have been acceptable on the PlayStation 2, PC players were very critical. The recent release of Far Cry set a new standard for realistic jungle environments, and our game didn’t measure up. Many players also found the levels to be too straightforward and restrictive, turning the expansive Vietnamese jungle into a series of narrow pathways between combat zones.

Despite initial mixed reviews from industry critics – averaging between 50 and 58 out of 100 on Metacritic, depending on the system – *ShellShock: Nam ’67* developed a dedicated fanbase over time. Players appreciated its distinctive and, for its era, impactful depiction of the Vietnam War, and were willing to look past its shortcomings.

What happened next?

When *ShellShock* was first released, it didn’t seem like much, but the studio that made it, Guerrilla Games, was poised for success. That same year, they launched *Killzone*, a franchise that became important for Sony PlayStation for years to come. Later, they created the *Horizon* series, which has since become a cornerstone of PlayStation’s games.

The *ShellShock* series continued in 2009 with *ShellShock 2: Blood Trails*, a sequel to *Nam ’67*. Developed by Rebellion and Square Enix – who also acquired the rights to the series – the new game wasn’t as well-received. Many fans disliked the addition of zombies, and it ultimately marked a decline for the franchise.

How to play ShellShock: Nam ’67 today?

So, I was trying to find Guerrilla Games’ very first game on Steam, GOG, PlayStation Store, or Xbox Store, but no luck! It looks like the reason it’s not available digitally is probably because of the music. The game had a killer ’60s soundtrack that everyone loved, and getting the rights to those songs is likely the hold-up.

Nevertheless, physical copies of this game are in circulation, with prices starting from 5-10 bucks.

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2025-09-28 00:33