Impossible & Frustrating (Hidden & Dangerous (PC))

Member Name: hazzeryoda

Product:	Hidden & Dangerous (PC)
Date:	13/09/02 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Team selection strategy, some strategy elements

Disadvantages: glitchy teams/AI/enemies/gameplay, frustrating in the extreme

Ok, so you're proabably thinking that I'm just a shoot em up fan, games where very little thinking is required (as isnt the case with this game). Well, if the truth be known you're right. But i TRIED I tell you! I really did!

The hype behind this game was rather huge and it has brought about a massive following with its addons, online gameplay and sequels, yet for me, I cannot see why.

When I picked it up in the shop, H&D looked fun, it seemed it had a great depth of play, great scenarios and graphics and a gameplay that set it apart from most other games of its time.

Trouble is, when I got it loaded and started playing it, the fun factor dropped somewhat sharply! I like a challenging game as much as the next man but this really takes the biscuit. As far as I can tell it takes about a dozen times of repplaying each map to fulfill the task, whilst you are battling more with the oversensitive controls and fiddly contol layout than with the enemy. Commanding a team of special forces units with glitchy AI against an enemy with a stupidly weighted advantage at once was not meant for computer games (unless you play the far superior Operation Flashpoint!).

H&D opens up a new realm of anticlimax and frustration in its buggy/glitchy gameplay, in which other game can you lead your teamembers onto a bridge only to find that they have all been led by their A.I. into the nearest deep part of running water they could find; or shoot each other in the head by mistakebeofre running into heavily guarded enemy areas - this is supposed to be a game based on stealth!

The graphics are impressive considered how old it is, but I wouldnt recommend this to anyone unless you want to stare in wonder at such sloppy programming or a hardcore team-based single player fanatic. In this genre ONLY consider Operation Flashpoint.

Although I was impressed by the team selection, weapon selection and strategy behind putting a squad togethe
r for a certain job, the meat of the game just didnt live up to expectations -I did not have fun whilst playing it.

H

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