This $6 shooter is going viral – here’s why

Drive-bys instead of traditional killstreaks: This affordable multiplayer shooter is reminiscent of older Call of Duty games and is currently attracting plenty of attention thanks to viral clips.

Why not swap elite soldiers for gangsters? That's probably what the developers at Trapstar Games were thinking when they came up with the idea for Hood Warfare 2: a classic first-person shooter in the style of older Call of Duty games, where two rival gangs battle for control of the streets of Chicago. The multiplayer shooter launched on Steam on October 8 for $5.99 (currently just under $5.39 with a 10% launch discount). Less than a week later, it had already reached a peak of nearly 15,000 concurrent players on Steam, according to SteamDB.

In terms of gameplay, Hood Warfare 2 is a traditional multiplayer shooter that embraces just about every gangster cliché imaginable – from booming hip-hop music and foul-mouthed trash talk to drive-by shootings as killstreak rewards. Incidentally, that's exactly what its predecessor did, too, except the sequel takes place in Chicago instead of Detroit and features slick Unreal Engine 5 graphics. Another difference is that the original never attracted anywhere near as much attention. According to SteamDB, it never even managed to surpass 70 concurrent players.

There's no story mode in Hood Warfare 2. Instead, players can choose from six multiplayer modes. Turf War revolves around controlling territory, Chaos is a free-for-all battle and another mode with a rather vulgar name is essentially classic deathmatch. Other modes involve stealing loot, planting a bomb or collecting the chain of a defeated opponent. Beyond that, Hood Warfare 2 works much like Call of Duty multiplayer. Before a match, players can customize their weapons with sights, grips, magazines and other attachments. Kills and weapon challenges unlock additional skins and equipment. However, there's no real progression system.

This video posted on X by well-known Rainbow Six Siege player Bryan "Merc" Wrzek shows an intense street battle in Hood Warfare 2 and has received more than 17.5 million views:

Within a week, Hood Warfare 2 accumulated more than 2,000 Steam reviews. However, its 79% positive rating is somewhat underwhelming. This is largely because the game is plagued by cheaters using aimbots. Players also report an unfavorable spawn system and frustratingly short times to kill. Aside from these issues, however, the fast-paced gameplay is said to be a lot of fun. Praise goes not only to the absurd gangster humor but also to the straightforward gunplay, which brings back nostalgic memories for many Call of Duty and Counter-Strike fans.

The official trailer offers a taste of the game's over-the-top humor:

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.