An acquired taste, but great (Operation Flashpoint (PC))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	Operation Flashpoint (PC)
Date:	04/09/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Technical gameplay is well executed

Disadvantages: Not for all tastes

Games are so often pulled between being realistic and being fun, as the two are so often mutually exclusive, but every so often a game gets the mix right, providing an experience that is gritty and realistic, but also entertaining and compelling. Operation Flashpoint is just such a game - an FPS, relatively obscure in the genre, that was released in 2001.

The game sees you caught in the middle of a conflict between the Allies and the Soviets, and you can choose to play as either one of those sides, or a third partition called simply The Resistance. Regardless of who you pick, the game is no picnic, but a whole lot of fun. It has a great emphasis on being tactical rather than promoting Rambo-style values of simply running in with a huge machine gun and peppering everything with bullets. Instead, you're part of a team of 11 soldiers, either as the leader or simply another grunt, and must perform any given number of duties, from going on routine footpatrols, to suddenly diving into a tank and blowing the enemies to smithereens as they attempt to ambush you.

The game very cleverly melds several styles together, allowing you to play the game as a straight FPS, a third person shooter, and to a limited degree, also direct the action from above like a Real Time Strategy game. The game also grants you a very complex array of commands, meaning you can direct and tweak your soldiers as you see fit, ensuring that the battle goes the way you want it to. Thus, it's a fair testament that the AI is VERY well designed, but on the other side, it also means that the enemies are quite smart also, so as to make it balanced. Also, it only takes a few (and I mean A FEW) bullets for you to go down for the count, so you need to keep your wits about you.

This is an incredibly well designed game that's got some good visuals (for its time), a solid online mode (although I never got into it as much as, say, Allied Assault), and intense gameplay to boot. Not recommended for the impatient gamer, but if you want a rewarding, slow-paced adventure, then this is it.

Summary: Not for eveyone, but impressively crafted