I've been at Insurgency: Sandstorm for years, and if there's one thing that's always the same, it's that the bots won't let me feel good about my skills.
They're either the most clueless troops around, getting stuck in corners and doorways, or they're calculating assassins with sniper-like precision who can take me out before I even blink. There's no in-between.
Released in 2018 as the follow-up to the 2014 original, it enhanced everything that made the first game intense and immersive. The emphasis was never on arcade-like mechanics or excessive killstreaks. It was all about realism, tension, and unforgiving gunplay. If you don't play carefully, you die. Simple as that.
Instead of the usual FPS setup, Sandstorm has players split into security forces or insurgents, going head-to-head for control of objectives. Bullets kill in one or two hits, sound is everything, and suppressive fire actually works.
Bots here weren't designed to be predictable cannon fodder but more like a group of disgruntled FPS pros who got reincarnated as AI. In the early days, they were already a challenge, but after several recent updates, they became something else entirely—almost supernatural in their ability to humble even the most seasoned players.
One moment, I'm watching a bot fumble around aimlessly, unable to hit anything at point-blank range. The next moment, a single shot from across the map hits me through smoke while I'm prone and behind cover. Some bots have the reflexes of a competitive FPS pro, snapping onto targets like they have built-in aimbots.
Others move in such odd patterns. They hop around, zigzag, or charge right into the fire. It's as if a mad scientist had a hand in their programming. After a few updates, their odd movement became even more obvious, with some players (myself included) spotting them jumping around aimlessly, almost like they were testing some secret parkour stunt.
Bots in Insurgency: Sandstorm don't need UAVs—they are the UAVs. Outpost gameplay feeds right into this paranoia. Unlike Checkpoint, where bots roam around, Outpost bots seem to spawn with a complete dossier on my whereabouts.
The moment they hit the battlefield, they know where I am, and their first priority is to erase me from existence. It feels like they've been trained to track me, and I haven't found a way to consistently outplay them (yet). I stick to the usual tricks, such as high ground, cautious peeks, and pre-firing corners, but it just puts off the inevitable.
But perhaps the most frustrating part is how unpredictable they are. I go from running the game to getting body-slammed by a bot with a vendetta. They even display tactics that make me question if they're actually communicating with each other. I've been ambushed, outplayed, and shoved into situations where all I can do is take it. If I weren't sure they were AI, I'd swear they were actual players.
Skill issue? Maybe. But when a bot flicks onto my head faster than I can even process that I'm in danger, I think I'm justified in being a little peeved.
And we can't leave out the legendary John Wick's Middle Eastern cousin (aka "Abu-Jafar Wick"). His nickname might not ring a bell, but if you've been around long enough, you've definitely met him. He's the bot that defies all logic, the one who pulls off shots that shouldn't even be possible.
Maybe he's the one who quick scopes you mid-air while falling off a rooftop. He might be the guy who wallbangs you with a handgun from 200 meters away. Or maybe he's the bot that single-handedly wipes your entire team in under five seconds. Every player has their own Abu-Jafar Wick moment, and mine has made me question my skill level.
But the bottom line is that the bots in Insurgency: Sandstorm are as infuriating as they are impressive. They're the definition of love-hate for me.
And if an Insurgency: Sandstorm bot has never humbled you, have you really played the game?