PUBG Mobile: A Review Of The New Snow Map Vikendi

New maps have always been a hot topic of discussion in PUBG Mobile, since each new one brings a breath of fresh air to the gameplay. The game debuted earlier this year with only two maps: the default Erangel modeled after an uninhabited countryside in Russia, and the Mexican desert recreation of Miramar. Then a few months ago, the game got an additional map, Sanhok, which immediately attracted a lot of attention from players due to its lush jungle environment and intense action. Now, the highly-anticipated snow map Vikendi is finally here, so let’s have a look at how it is like:

Vikendi "feels" bigger

Vikendi has a size of 6x6 km, which is a medium between the 4x4 of Sanhok and the 8x8 of the other two, and the developers have done an excellent job of utilizing every inch to create an exciting experience.

Even though Vikendi is smaller than Miramar and Erangel, it feels big. Really big. The map is modeled after the snowy regions of Europe, and the developers have made sure to make it as real as possible. The empty white fields with just a couple of forlorn hideouts thrown in between further create an impression of vastness.

The Cosmodrome is certainly an attractive landmark, and it is clear that a lot of work has been put into it. The rocket might not look as detailed as it does in the PC version, but it is still a sight to behold if you’re a science enthusiast. Moreover, there is a lot of room for clever strategies and aggressive assaults throughout this facility.  The same thing can be said of Goroka, a medium-sized town next to a frozen lake. The Dino Park gives off an eerie atmosphere at times, but is still a nice place to hang out with your squad with all the magnificent prehistoric beasts.

On the other hand, most of Vikendi is basically a snow-covered desert, which is actually pretty fun to explore on a vehicle, but only on a vehicle. If you happen to be wandering in this vast emptiness on foot, you will find yourself very vulnerable to attacks, since you are easily visible on the white background and there are not a lot of hiding places. If you want an overall look of Vikendi from a birds-eye perspective, then Mount Kreznic is a great place to do so. However, be prepared for gunfights and look out for ambushes when you venture here.

To the southwest is the arctic shorelines which are honestly pretty dull. Aside from potentially a few weapons and items to pick up, there is not much to do here. Still, it adds more immersion and lifelikeness to the environment.

All in all, Vikendi is a well-designed map with a lot of things to explore.

Interesting vehicles

Just like any other maps, Vikendi features a wide variety of vehicles to help players move around faster, and there is one type of vehicles that can only be found on this map: The snowmobiles. This shouldn’t surprise anybody since these bad boys are the most effective way to traverse the vast snowy fields as well as the frozen surfaces of the lakes. They come in two variants: single seat and double seat. Both are incredibly fun to drive around and will attract numerous envious glances, which might not always be a good thing. Attracting more eyes means you are more likely to get shot at, and the snowmobiles offer little to none protection from gunfire. They also make a lot of noise, which only serves to worsen the matter. Another issue is that while these vehicles are great for running on icy terrains, if you happen to stray into an area with no snow, they will struggle heavily.

With that said, there are other options for you to consider, such as motorcycles, sedans, and SUVs. While you are probably familiar with all of these, it is worth noting that they are pretty difficult to control when running on ice and snow, so you might want to go at a slower speed.

Chicken Dinners are more valuable here

The snow not only provides impressive visuals but also bring more difficulty to the gameplay. As we all know, one common strategy to survive in PUBG is to hide and stay out of sight. That is a lot harder to do in Vikendi compared to the other maps. As mentioned earlier, the white background means even the slightest moments can be easily noticed by the experienced eye.  In fact, you will find yourself getting sniped a lot more often, even while hoIing up in what you thought was the perfect hiding spot.

Besides that, the towns in Vikendi are intentionally designed so that even the smallest of mistakes or carelessness will bring your match to a premature end. Sure, it is frustrating when you get destroyed by someone who managed to find a better weapon, but on the other hand it also feels massively rewarding when you manage to come out on top. The audio is spot on as well. When you walk on snow, the noise you make will be muffled, and the sound effects of the surroundings will leave you feeling like you are actually in the Arctic.

However, there are a few things that could have been improved to make for a better experience. For example, the developers could have made it so that players leave behind footprints when they run on the snow, like in the PC version of PUBG. Such a feature would have made the gameplay a lot more interesting since there would be more to consider. You could use the footprints as a clue to determine the position of your enemies, while they could do the same to you, just to name an example.  A night mode, with something like the Aurora, could also make Vikendi more immersive as well. Hopefully the developers will include some of these features in future updates.

Final thoughts

Vikendi is, without question, a visual spectacle that adds a breath of fresh air to the battle royale game that we know and love. However, the increased difficulty of this map might alienate some of the average players. After all, it’s hard to appreciate the scenery when you constantly get sniped by someone you don’t even see in the first two minutes of a match.

Another commonly asked question is: “Is this map better than the others?” Well, it’s very hard to say, since that depends entirely upon each person’s perspective and preference. Yet even if you don’t like it, Vikendi still deserves recognition for the amount of effort that has been put into it.