SWAT Commander: Prologue – A Promising Foundation for a Tactical Shooter with a Rough Start

SWAT Commander: Prologue First Impressions

A spiritual successor to SWAT 4, this indie tactical shooter starts strong with mechanics and replayability, but the Prologue build is held back by bugs and AI issues.

SWAT Commander is a cooperative tactical shooter developed by Red Mountain Games and Ritual Interactive. The free SWAT Commander: Prologue, published by Ritual Interactive, released on April 4, 2025. The full game later entered Steam Early Access on July 31, 2025.

According to an interview with Mezha.media, development began in early spring 2021, with the game described as a spiritual successor to SWAT 4. These impressions cover the Prologue build rather than the later Early Access version. For another squad-focused tactical game, read our look at Phantom Squad.

SWAT Commander: Prologue Trailer

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Overview of the Prologue

The Prologue is a short demo that introduces players to the second mission of the game, “Hot Reception,” where you and your squad investigate a shootout between rival gangs at Bernard Tire and Auto Center.

It introduces players to the game’s user interface and core gameplay systems through:

• A mission briefing with clear objectives
• Weapon, armor, and tactical gear customization
• Three mission types: high-risk warrant, barricaded suspect, and bomb threat
• Solo play or cooperative multiplayer via private lobbies

These points reflect our experience with the Prologue build at the time it was played.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Solid Tactical Foundation – Mission planning, gear loadouts, weapon customization, and coordinated team tactics are already in place.
• High Replay Potential – Multiple mission types, customizable loadouts, and randomized enemy positions promise solid replay value.
• Developer Engagement – The dev team has actively responded to community feedback and released bug fixes during early testing.

Cons

• Unpolished Animations & Movement – Enemy animations feel stiff, and overall movement lacks fluidity.
• Inconsistent AI Behavior – Hostile NPCs often break surrender animations to attack and display unrealistic accuracy from long distances.
• No Team AI or Matchmaking – Without squad bots or public matchmaking, players are forced to gather full squads manually for co-op.
• Clunky Equipment Switching – Cycling between gear like grenades, pepper spray, or cameras interrupts movement and feels awkward.
• Overpowered Enemy Vision – Enemies detect players from extreme angles and distances, making stealth approaches nearly useless.
• Frequent Bugs – Issues include door-breach shotguns failing to work and enemy bodies floating mid-air after takedowns.

Recognition and Awards

The game won 1st prize at the Game Development World Championship Summer 2023 and was nominated for Most Anticipated Game at Indie Cup.

Final Thoughts

SWAT Commander: Prologue shows potential and lays a solid foundation for a strong tactical shooter. However, the Prologue build we played was held back by rough animations, frustrating AI behavior, and noticeable bugs.

At the time, smoother animations, improved AI, squad support, matchmaking, and bug fixes were some of the clearest areas where the full game could improve for fans of SWAT 4, Zero Hour, and Ready or Not.

The full SWAT Commander has since entered Early Access, so these impressions should be read as a snapshot of the Prologue build rather than an assessment of the current version.

SWAT Commander: Prologue

Release: April 4, 2025

Genre: Tactical Shooter, Co-op

Developer / Publisher: Red Mountain Games, Ritual Interactive / Ritual Interactive

Platforms: PC via Steam

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