Everything You Need to Know About Off The Grid

Early 2025 saw the battle royale genre welcome its latest contender: Off The Grid.

Now available in early access on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, this free-to-play (F2P) title puts a unique spin on the familiar battle royale formula.

This web3 game review covers everything worth knowing about Off The Grid—from basic gameplay to advanced strategies—whilst exploring its standout features and offering an honest take on its current early access state.

Key Insights

• Off The Grid blends classic battle royale mechanics with extraction shooter elements
• The game offers optional NFTs and the proprietary GUNZ cryptocurrency support a player-driven economy
• Developed under filmmaker Neill Blomkamp’s creative vision, the game delivers rich cyberpunk aesthetics
• Whilst praised for innovative features, OTG struggled with gameplay balance, fairness, and a few others

Where does Off The Grid takes place?

Teardrop Island serves as the backdrop for this dystopian cyberpunk world, where 150 players battle it out in Off The Grid with mechanics that genuinely stand apart from the competition.

Neill Blomkamp’s creative direction adds welcome depth to the game’s lore. The District 9 filmmaker brings a distinct vision to both narrative and aesthetics.

Alongside writer Richard K. Morgan, Blomkamp has crafted a satirical cyberpunk universe where mega-corporations vie for dominance, whilst players take on roles as enhanced mercenaries known as “Zeros.”

But let’s be honest—what always draws the most attention in any Off The Grid game review is the optional blockchain integration.

The game features NFTs and a native cryptocurrency called GUNZ, enabling players to truly own their in-game assets. These are verified through Gunzilla Games’ GUNZ blockchain and GUN token—a feature that has stirred heated debates among players and critics alike.

Is Off The Grid a battle royale or an extraction shooter?

The Off The Grid crypto game blends traditional battle royale gameplay with extraction shooter elements, resulting in an experience that feels both familiar and surprisingly fresh.

Two core modes are available:

• Battle Royale: Drop onto Teardrop Island with 149 other players, scramble for loot, and fight to be the last one standing. The “Overloaded Zone” mechanic shrinks the playable area, forcing survivors into tighter skirmishes as the match progresses.
• Extraction Royale: A more contained mode featuring 60 players on a smaller map. The emphasis here shifts from pure survival to collecting resources and executing strategic extractions.

Combat plays out in third-person, offering wider field awareness than first-person shooters. Weapons include assault rifles, SMGs, snipers, and shotguns, all organised into colour-coded rarity tiers: white, green, blue, and purple. Attachments found throughout the map significantly enhance weapon effectiveness.

Health regenerates over time, but armour requires armour plates to refill. Downed teammates can be revived, and eliminated players can return to the fight if bought back using the in-game currency called Rips.

One of the most original elements in the game—and a highlight in this Off The Grid review—is the Cyberlimb system.

Each match begins with cybernetic enhancements already equipped, but players can find and swap out arms and legs throughout the game. These cyberlimbs unlock powerful abilities, ranging from rocket launchers and air strikes to grappling hooks and temporary invisibility. With more than 30 options available, gameplay variety is immense.

Another standout feature is Hexes—special loot boxes that contain permanent progression items such as weapons, skins, and cyberlimbs. To claim them, players must locate Hextractor stations across the map.

Triggering an extraction initiates a countdown visible to everyone, often leading to intense defensive showdowns, similar to other extraction shooters on Immutable. Extracted Hexes must then be decrypted using GUN cryptocurrency to reveal their contents—adding further utility to the token.

How do I get started in the Off The Grid crypto game?

No Off The Grid game review is complete without a basic tutorial—so here’s how to get started.

Initial Setup and Controls

The game follows standard third-person shooter controls, but mastering movement—especially the jetpack—is essential for survival.

On PC, press Spacebar mid-air to activate the jetpack. Hold W to pitch downward for faster movement, or S to descend vertically. Horizontal angles allow for extended gliding, which is key when escaping the Overloaded Zone.

For controller users:

• Set horizontal look/aim sensitivity to roughly double the vertical (to match the 16×9 screen ratio)
• Adjust dead zone settings to around 0.10 to reduce input delay
• Reassign “shoulder swap” to the right stick click for quicker reactions

Your First Matches

Start with Extraction Royale—its smaller map and clearer objectives make it more manageable for new players.

When dropping in, aim for loot-heavy zones: clusters of buildings or mid-tier points of interest. Some players target mission-related areas for quick gear, whilst others prefer quieter spots for less contested looting.

Once boots hit the ground, secure weapons, armour, and cyberlimbs immediately. Rarity matters—purple gear significantly outperforms white. Armour kits are essential for staying alive, and testing different cyberlimbs helps refine your playstyle.

In early match stages, an automatic respawn system gives you a second chance if a teammate stays alive. Later on, teams must use Redeployment Terminals and spend Rips to bring back fallen members.

Mastering Cyberlimbs: Your Key to Victory

Cyberlimbs are what separate rookies from veterans in Off The Grid. They come in two categories—arms and legs—each with distinct roles:

• Arm Cyberlimbs: Offer offensive and utility abilities like rocket launchers, enemy scanners, or air strikes.
• Leg Cyberlimbs: Enhance movement, enabling faster sprinting, higher jumps, or specialised traversal tools.

Beginners should prioritise movement upgrades. “Roadrunner” legs increase sprint speed, “Leapers” provide powerful vertical mobility, and grappling hook arms grant fast horizontal and vertical traversal.

These mobility tools boost survival by improving escape routes and positional advantage.

Each cyberlimb can contain up to three abilities, offering deep customisation. As you play Off The Grid, keep track of which limbs suit your combat style and learn how to adapt combinations to fit different challenges across the map.

How can I improve performance in Off The Grid?

Built on Unreal Engine 5, Off The Grid delivers a visually rich cyberpunk experience—neon-lit skylines, high-tech environments, and 3D-scanned character models contribute to its immersive design. Some players even gain exclusive content through OpenSea’s partnered in-game skin drops.

But such visual ambition has its drawbacks. Many players, especially those with mid-range systems, report frame drops and inconsistent performance. For smoother gameplay, try these tweaks:

• Lower settings for Anti-Aliasing, Texture Quality, Shadow Quality, Effects Quality, Global Illumination, Post Processing, Reflections, and Foliage
• Enable FSR 3.0 (AMD) or DLSS (NVIDIA)
• Set DLSS to Balanced or Performance mode for better frame rates

What are NFTs and GUNZ used for in Off The Grid?

The game’s most distinctive—and divisive—feature is its blockchain integration.

NFTs represent in-game assets like weapons, cosmetics, and loot, providing players with true digital ownership. Some are available via the Off The Grid Black Market.

GUNZ tokens, which run on the Avalanche subnet as ERC-20 tokens, serve as the primary currency in the dedicated GUNZ NFT marketplace. Players can buy and sell in-game NFTs—potentially for real-world value.

Importantly, blockchain features remain entirely optional. Players can enjoy all core gameplay without touching NFTs or crypto, making the game more accessible for traditional gamers.

Another unique layer involves Nodes—virtual validators that decrypt extracted Hexes and mint them as NFTs. These Nodes, largely sold to early supporters, earn GUNZ tokens through validation, creating an additional player-driven economic loop.

Web3 wallet integration allows players to manage assets across platforms, adding flexibility to GUNZ and NFT management. However, long-term implications for game balance and economic sustainability remain uncertain.

What are people saying about Off The Grid?

As with any early access title, feedback on Off The Grid is mixed.

Initial impressions were mostly positive—players praised its originality, cyberlimb system, smooth traversal, and hybrid gameplay loop. But over time, key concerns emerged:

• Cheating: Rampant cheating, especially through devices like Cronus, has undermined fair play
• Balance Issues: Certain cyberlimbs and weapons feel disproportionately strong
• Technical Problems: Performance and optimisation remain ongoing frustrations
• Matchmaking Headaches: Solo players often face full squads, leading to uneven matchups
• Developer Focus: Some feel the devs prioritise elite players’ feedback over the average user base
• Blockchain Skepticism: Many still question the value and impact of the crypto integration

Despite these issues, the game retains a loyal player base. Frequent updates suggest that developers are actively working to improve the experience.

Is Off The Grid worth playing?

At its core, Off The Grid brings some genuine innovation to the crowded battle royale field.

Its cyberlimb system, immersive movement mechanics, and cyberpunk worldbuilding offer a fresh take. For crypto-curious players, its optional blockchain integration adds another layer, though its current impact remains debatable.

Still, the game faces serious challenges: performance woes, overpowered gear, and a steep learning curve could alienate newcomers. Unchecked cheating and matchmaking problems also need urgent attention.

That said, for battle royale fans looking for something new, Off The Grid is well worth trying—especially since it’s free. There’s real promise here, and if the developers follow through, it could evolve into a standout title.

Whether this Off The Grid game review proves it can become “Crypto Game of the Year” remains to be seen. Blockchain is just one part of a broader ecosystem. The game’s long-term success will depend on how well Gunzilla tackles anti-cheat systems, performance issues, and game balance.

For now, Off The Grid stands as a bold experiment with a lot of potential—one that’s worth being part of as it continues to develop.