Operation Flashpoint: Red River Preview

[private]Red River is a game for humans. This is something of a revelation – the original Operation Flashpoint having been a game for super-humans, or at least for people for whom military slang is a second language and have no problem with spending hour after in-game hour lying on their bellies in the mud. The Flashpoint name conjures up both the fantasy and the terror of being a soldier of absolute discipline, more machine than man.

Yet Red River finds itself a surprisingly comfortable spot between the full-on simulation of OpFlash (and the rival ARMA series headed up by that game’s original developers) and the meatheaded Arnie machismo of Call of Duty. Purists will inevitably be irked, but a few hours with Red River’s campaign reveal that this is far from a victim of the dreaded DumbedDownitis.

It’s a soldier simulation at heart, but with that concept trimmed down to its barest essentials – teamwork, accuracy, cover, flanking – and rebuilt as a highly tactical shooter that considers entertainment a greater priority than authenticity. But only just. With pleasure must come pain, soldier.

Red River’s story involves a few of the geopolitical What Ifs? that seem to dominate military shooters of late. In recent years, we’ve seen the present-day US go to war with Russia (Modern Warfare 2) and North Korea (Homefront); this time around it’s Tajikistan and no less than China. Careful guys, we’re running out of people to have fictional wars with. Who’s next – Australia? Those troublemakers in Luxembourg?

As the head of a fireteam sent in to battle insurgents in Tajikistan (neighbour of Afghanistan, and in real life largely uninvolved in the conflict there), your job is to boss around three other dudes while doing your level best to keep both them and you alive. While generally part of a larger US force, you’ll often find yourselves more or less alone, up against a veritable horde of enemies dressed to blend in frighteningly with the bleak, arid landscapes of this desert nation. The odds are heavily against you, but you have one thing the enemy doesn’t: expert military training. In theory.

Rushing around on your own, spraying bullets like confetti and screaming ‘diediedie’ will get you precisely nowhere. In fact, don’t be surprised if you spend more time hiding and healing than you do making with the hot lead. Most of all, you should be shouting orders to your squad – flank left, rush that building, defend that point, lay down suppressing fire on that river bank. A radial menu on the right shoulder button brings up what initially seems like a bewildering array of orders, but very quickly becomes second nature. (Although do be wary of the infamous 360 d-pad here – three men were sent to their deaths once too often because it flicked to Rush straight into the enemy’s arms rather than Follow me to this nice, sturdy bit of wall.)

Really, this is designed for co-op play – humans rather than algorithms directing the actions and reactions of each of the soldiers. It seems to hold together as a singleplayer game well enough, though frankly the AI was prone to scampering off into danger at least as much on its own accord as because it had been given silly orders. While your three squadmates really depend on having a real player behind them to grant personality, plenty of that is available from your remarkably entertaining direct superior, Sergeant Knox. He’s the archetypal hard-ass, hurling insults at the speed of sound, but crucially he isn’t just that. He’s highly charismatic, and his ten rules for survival prove to be both tutorial and ongoing mantra. You’ll hate him but you’ll love him, and you’ll most definitely trust him.

Even if, unlike ARMA, Red River isn’t a true soldier simulation, it’s trying very hard to make you feel like you’re in the army in the desert and in a desperate situation, but in the company of people who known exactly what the hell they’re doing. Yes, unlocks and perks are hardly military realism, but you’ll quickly find that a new gun or holographic sight or healing buff makes absolutely no difference if you’re not doing your job well, if you’re not communicating, planning, waiting. Red River is harsh and unforgiving, especially to lazy, gung-ho gamers, but at the same time its steep challenges always feel eminently possible. You can play it, honest.

Here are our thoughts so far.
[easyreview title="Operation Flashpoint" cat1title="Looks" cat1detail="Graphics are looking slick and nice on the eye. We aren't seeing any revolutions though." cat1rating="4.9" cat2title="Sound" cat2detail="From pre-release videos, we are hearing sweet ambient sounds and voice overs are sounding pretty damn sick." cat2rating="4.5" cat3title="Gameplay" cat3detail="If you like taking things slow, this should be for you. However if you like the fast paced action of the COD series then this may be a bit on the slow side for you." cat3rating="3.9" summary="You know what, we are damn well excited about this release. Bring on the game."][/private]