The Finals Season 5 is upon us, but if you've missed out on this fast-paced, destructive, and extremely fun FPS until now, you don't need to worry. A new season is an excellent place to jump in, so whether you're brand-new to the world of The Finals or a returning veteran, Season 5 is the only excuse you need to get involved.
For the most part, that's because with this new season, there's more of The Finals to enjoy than ever. Season 5 introduces a new map, new weapons, and new gadgets to keep strategies evolving, but there's been plenty more where those came from over the past 12 months - a whole host of new toys have been added to the arsenal of every one of the Finals' three classes since launch, making battles more chaotic and inventive than ever before.
As a fan of the bulky Heavy class, I've taken advantage of a couple of those myself: the Spear offers me a surprisingly elegant melee alternative to the explosive damage of my grenades and rocket launcher, making it an excellent tool to use in close-quarters against fast-moving Light players. The Lights, however, have their own tools, like the Gateway, which they can use to teleport short distances across the map, moving even faster than normal.
Those gadgets are evidence of the way in which The Finals has improved with every season so far. Even at launch, it was an excellent, innovative twist on the traditional FPS formula, but few games are at their best on their very first day. Embark Studios has been tireless, not just in making sure to gradually balance the game more and more effectively, but also in keeping it fresh and exciting.
From relatively humble beginnings, new weapons and gadgets have become ever more adventurous. You might reach a Cashout point, only to find your objective floating in the air, or take refuge behind a wall only to find the bricks that make it up suddenly deleted from existence by a resourceful opponent. Embark has been busy taking the destruction at the heart of its game further than ever, transforming what was already one of The Finals' most exciting innovations into a core part of the game.
If that sounds daunting, however, you don't need to worry. There's a lot of new stuff in The Finals Season 5, but Embark has also spent the past year making it easier than ever to get into the game than ever. The Power Shift game mode is a genuine highlight for new players wanting to get to grips with different characters, and with even more improvements aimed at the more casual Quick Cash format, you don't have to jump straight into Ranked to get an excellent Finals experience.
In fact, you'll find just as much to make The Finals a better experience than ever in the background as you will in the main game. Clubs mean that the social systems are better than ever, and you'll gain extra XP by competing with your friends. New sponsors means there are even more ways to craft your character's perfect fit than ever. And the console experience is the best it's ever been - Season 5 not only brings The Finals to PS4 for the first time, but also offers an enhanced experience for players on newer-generation consoles, with 120Hz mode on PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X, making that destructive gameplay ultra-smooth.
With Season 5, The Finals continues to evolve, but remains the innovative FPS that it's always been. More imaginative and exciting than ever, it's also looking and playing at its best. If you're a returning fan, you'll find a lot to love in its new and improved gadgets and features, and if you're a new player looking to finally jump in, you'll find a game in a better state than it's ever been, with plenty of welcoming social features and new gameplay options to help you become champion of the arena.
