Operation Flashpoint: Red River

‘The closest thing you’ll get to real war...’ The tagline from OF: Dragon Rising promised, and it delivered... A little too well in some cases... While I looked forward to the promise of realistic gameplay, engaging enemy soldiers at 600 metres isn’t exactly the most thrilling experience ever, even if it is how it happens in the real world. Let me paint you a picture:

Full of anticipation, I place the disc in the tray, load the game up for the first time. After watching the five minute opening video I’m placed in a field with my squad-mates; ‘Proceed to settlement’ is the first order of the day. I sprint for a good mile or so to said settlement, up a small hill aaaand... BANG! Killed outright by an enemy I never saw, by his first shot. Realistic? Yes. Fun? No.

So maybe you’re thinking I gave up on it too early? Well, you’d be wrong. I stuck with it but just could not enjoy the game. Samey objectives, poor AI, bland landscape, average graphics, so many minor but irritating bugs. It didn’t really do it for me. I appreciated what they had tried to do with the game however, so when I heard the sequel was coming out I hoped and prayed that they would fix these problems. Well, Operation Flashpoint: Red River is certainly an improvement, but some of the problems persist. The mission objectives vary only in the order they come in; ride in Humvee, clear out village, destroy heli/tank/convoy, ride in Humvee (again... and again and again) and so on. The bugs are still present, which is disappointing considering the time they’ve had to work on the game.

I may have complained about the endless running in Dragon Rising and the Humvees in Red River would have been an improvement, were we not driven everywhere by the computer whilst having to listen to SSgt Knox endlessly insult you and churn out clichéd military catchphrases. The AI itself can cope, provided you constantly remind it of its objective, but this can only be played with other people; that is where the game comes to life. However communication is key, so you must be prepared to command when talking to random gamers online. Once you've been spoon fed throughout the first chapter and you’re allowed to roam free, you and your buddies can become a squad of death-dealing super soldiers. A clever unlock system allows you to go from basic grunt, to a merchant of death in four specific roles; rifleman, auto-rifleman, grenadier (my personal choice) and scout. These classes also carry over to the Fire Team Engagements, missions where you are free to complete objectives at your own pace, in your own way, making it the highlight of this game.

The game’s central mechanic remains the same. To kill people, you must be patient, methodical and think about your shots. Spray and pray won’t ever work, even in close quarters and this is where the realism aspect can be praised. This might not be to everyone’s taste in the world of fast paced, Call of Duty style gun-and-run missions, but if that’s what you want then buy Call of Duty. There isn't much story to keep you involved, but the later missions provide plenty of exciting moments. Even two or three years ago the visuals wouldn't blow you away. Yes, maybe there is a big world to render, but Mafia 2 and Red Dead Redemption both have massive maps, with packed out landscapes and intricate interior sections. Let’s face it, we've come to expect better. So there have been improvements on Dragon Rising, but many of the issues still exist. But you can see that Codemasters are getting there with this franchise, and I reckon that the next one could be a masterpiece.

Score Breakdown:

Visuals – 7/10 Average at best; the saving grace is the weapon texturing, which is spot on.

Presentation – 5/10 The story is almost non-existent. What little narration there is, is usually delivered in the middle of a firefight, when you’re too busy staying alive to notice.

Sound – 9/10 Gun sounds have had a lot of thought put into them. The soundtrack is standard war game music. This score is boosted however by the marines’ choice of Megadeth and Pantera as driving music.

Gameplay - 8/10 Could have been 10, were it not for the persistent bugs. The shooting mechanic is ace, even better when you play without assists and the game really punishes those who don’t act like a soldier.

Overall - 7.5/10 The pros do outweigh the cons in the end, but if you want to jump in and shoot some guys with loud guns, then this isn’t the game for you. Realism is the name of the game, and the game delivers. However, it still needs improvement before it can be considered a CoD beater.

-Sam

Posted in: 360,CDS,reviews.,Sam,xbox