Operation Flashpoint: Red River

Oh look, the Tophat Gamer is reviewing a semi realistic first person shooter concerning conflicts in a middle eastern setting! How unlke him!

Fuck you buddy, I like other things. Fuck you twice over for being wrong, too. If we're calling CoD semi realistic, then Op Flashpoint is no where near as surreal as that. So, you think you're hardcore? You ain't seen nothing yet.

STORY
Operation Flashpoint: Red River's plot concerns a fictional conflict in Tajikistan in 2013. A terrorist group known as the ETIM launches mortar attacks on a US FOB in Afghanistan, prompting the United States to launch operation Enduring Shield, having the United States Marine Corps to invade west Tajikistan and wipe out the Insurgent threat.

The story follows Outlaw squad as they carry out Enduring Shield, and then dealing with involvement from the PLA of China. The story seems pretty out there, but it grounds itself far better than any CoD or Battlefield game I've seen.

PRESENTATION
The game has smooth graphics and animations on the most part, but they're used to show fairly unimaginative settings that have been done before. They're certainly acceptable visuals, but they aren't groundbreaking. I also saw my teammates spaz out alot but recover soon after. It really took me out of the otherwise rather immersive setting.

The voice acting isn't bad; with one excellent, memorable character in particular, coming in the form of SSgt Knox. What made him so memorable wasn't his chewing out of his suboordinates, but the excellent manner in which he does it. I haven't heard that many funny drill seargeant talk downs in a long time, and Knox is certainly funny. I've talked about how swearing in dialogue is normally unnecessary, but Knox uses it in such great effec, that I don't mind so much.

The rest of the voice acting isn't nearly as good, but it plays alongside a somewhat killer soundtrack, filtered in game through the radio's of vehicles. Among the songs I heard were "Symphony of Destruction" (Megadeth) and "Cowboys from Hell" (Pantera) and in my book, thats a win. Like ice cream.

GAMEPLAY
This is where things get really interesting. Yes, it has a similar story to CoD or Bad Company, and the visuals are like holding a mirror up to those titles, but the gameplay sets it apart. Yes, you're a disembodied hand holding a gun of some description, but it's deeper than that.

In single-player, you have almost full control over your team, allowing you to pull off flanking manouevers or to lay down supressing fire on a target. For those who want deeper control, you have the option to command each team member by themselves, as opposed to the whole group. And best of all, the system is easy to use. I confess, I enjoy simple FPS games and that I wasn't ready at all for OF:RR giving me all that control. I ran with it, and found that I was pulling of successful tactics without too many problems.

Also different from other FPS games is the health system. Got shot? You aren't going to regenerate by hiding in the corner sucking your thumb. You have to take cover and physically heal yourself using first aid kits. No, it doesn't go into great detail, but its more immersive than sitting in a corner waiting for the strawberry jam to slide off your eyes. Your teammates are mortal too, so the same applies to them.

What's more, is that even if you only get shot once, you can bleed out. If you don't patch yourself up, your health will decrease. Frustrating for some players, I'm sure, but damned if it isn't challenging.

The actual FPS like controls aren't much to write home about, but they fit with the uber realistic style of the game. You won't be jumping or circle strafing to victory here. Taking cover and utilizing your team is the path to victory. Can it be difficult? Yea, but it never feels cheap. Though I'm not sure if the CoD/Battlefield players will appreciate all the realism..

REPLAYABILITY
OK, so this is interesting. There's NO competitive multiplayer in Operation Flashpoint: Red River. However, there is the option to play the campaign with human teammates. Theres a robust levelling system too, and though there aren't millions of options, what the developers have included is certainly enough.

As much as I loved coordinating an awesome flank on enemies with my BOT allies, doing that with a complete human team would just be magical. It more or less makes up for the lack of competitive MP. Or it would have, if I got to try it.

Fucking hackers, ruining my PSN...

OVERVIEW
This is where I tell you if the game is good, or if it's worth a buy. Op Flashpoint is a difficult one to recommend, at least, to the people who would normally go for FPS games in a modern setting. The look and story are there, but the gameplay just wouldn't mesh with the usual FPS players style.

If you're looking for more depth than just running down linear firing ranges where the targets shoot back, OF:RR may just be for you. It's meant to fill that niche market between fast-paced action games and hyper-realistic military simulators. If you think that might interest you, I highly recommend it.

So, another week down... If anyone's wondering why theres only one pic, it's because my internet is being a whore.... I'm really enjoying this, but as usual, FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. Oh....guess what's next week..... It may be a little unfair for Aussie readers but.... MORTAL KOMBAAAAAAAAAAAT.
See you next time!