Isonzo

Isonzo is a tactical multiplayer first-person shooter from BlackMill Games set on the Italian Alpine Front of the First World War. Maps are based on historical positions in mountain valleys and on ridges. Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops fight over trenches, fortifications and supply routes; the Caporetto expansion added the German faction.

The game is mainly played in Offensive: one side attacks successive lines of defence, while the other must hold its positions. Six classes complement each other with different weapons and tasks. Isonzo is the Alpine Front part of the WW1 Game Series, which also includes Verdun and Tannenberg.

Isonzo was released on September 13, 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S at the same time, according to BlackMill Games. A regional PlayStation Store listing, however, gives September 20. This date difference is not counted as an additional platform launch.

After release, free major updates expanded the game world, including the Caporetto front with the German faction, Monte Grappa, the winter battles on the Marmolada and the night-time Moschin map from 2025.

Isonzo runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux as well as PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The three PC operating systems belong to one PC version, while the console generations remain separate.

The Xbox version supports Microsoft Smart Delivery according to Microsoft, as well as its own optimisation for Xbox Series. The PlayStation Store lists PS4 and PS5 separately. If you own a previous-generation console, you therefore do not automatically need a version that only runs through backward compatibility.

Each battle presents attackers and defenders with different tasks. Moving between slopes, riverbanks, villages and mountain positions forces both sides to choose cover and routes carefully. Open fire lanes reward observation, while inclines and fortified chokepoints make head-on attacks harder.

The focus is on the Offensive gameplay, not an isolated team deathmatch mode. The battles draw on historical clashes such as the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo and the Strafexpedition.

BlackMill expands Isonzo with free maps and front sections, not just short-term events. The Caporetto Offensive added the German faction, and the Piave and Grappa content brought new battlefields. Later, fighting on the Marmolada, at Montello and Adamello was added, among others. The Moschin expansion brought the first night map in 2025.

There are also paid cosmetic uniform and equipment packs. These change how the soldiers look, while the new battlefields arrived as free updates to the main game. Add-on packs are not separate platform releases.

For Windows, Steam lists at least an Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD Ryzen 5 1400, 8 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon R9 290 with 4 GB graphics memory, DirectX 11 and 30 GB of free storage. Recommended are Intel Core i7-6700K or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 1070 or Radeon RX 580.

macOS and Linux are also listed as supported operating systems in the Steam version. The Windows specifications are not automatically transferable requirements for these two systems.

In Offensive, attackers try to capture a series of sectors or destroy key objectives. The defenders hold them off until the available attack resources are used up. Progress on one map unlocks further sections of the same historical operation.

Rather than only taking the direct route, attackers can bypass enemy lines via high ground paths. The defenders respond with barbed wire, sandbags and ammunition positions. The layout of the terrain therefore shapes strategy more than the choice of weapon alone.

Isonzo has six specialised classes. Officers coordinate actions and request support after marking targets. Assault soldiers push forward directly, while marksmen, engineers and other roles support the team with long-range fire, resupply or fortifications.

More than 50 historical weapons, as well as role-based equipment and perks, can be selected. Support includes heavy machine guns, mortars, wire cutters and signal pistols. Their value comes from teamwork, not from a single universally best loadout.

The front-line battles are designed for larger teams. On PC, up to 48 players can take part according to the official description. Console figures may vary by device, so the maximum player count does not apply to all platforms across the board.

Players choose specialised roles and coordinate advances on several objectives. Some of the online features were added over the years. BlackMill documents cross-platform connections between Xbox and PC, but this is not proof of shared matchmaking across all console platforms without exception.

Combat engineering and trench building are among the lasting game systems of Isonzo. Teams set up sandbags, barbed wire or other barriers, cut through enemy obstacles, and use positions for machine guns and mortars. This changes how quickly a front line can be broken through.

Officers mark targets and coordinate attacks with flares and signal pistols. Depending on the situation, artillery, air support or poison gas can affect particularly contested positions. These tools are built into how the classes work together, rather than being equally available to every soldier at all times.

The battlefields combine natural elevation changes with historically inspired positions. On the original maps, rocky passes, narrow paths, fortified villages and the river courses of the Italian front shape the offensive. Attackers therefore have to adapt their routes to the terrain and lines of sight.

Later free expansions added new ground: the Caporetto Operation, fighting at the Piave and Grappa, snowy sections on the Marmolada, and the night battles of the Moschin map broaden the range without replacing the core objective system.