Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising

Developer: Codemasters

Publisher: Codemasters

Operation Flashpoint made its name on the PC, and with the release of this game, it is perhaps not surprising that many console gamers don’t know much about the series.

On the face of things, Flashpoint looks and feels like any other shooter. However this notion quickly disappears after players begin shooting at their targets. Operation Flashpoint is in fact very different from most other FPS games on the market. Flashpoint is built to be, and handles more like, a battle simulation game that its more famous brothers.

For the most part, players are deployed on a large map, as part of a four man team, and given an objective. It is then up to the human players to formulate an attack plan before executing it with as much professionalism and precision as possible. Choosing when to attack, and in some cases whether to attack or not, can often mean the difference between success and failure. Players will find that wind direction and distance plays a massive role when shooting at their targets and, unlike its more twitchy brothers, battle will take place at distance for the most part.

Adding to the realism, there are real penalties to being shot during a battle. Once injured, a player will bleed out and die if left unattended. Even after using a med pack, players will most likely lose the ability to sprint, severely impairing their performance and productivity within their squad. These factors mean that players must be continually thinking about their next move and be ready to adapt their plans on the fly should a plan not go exactly as expected. Thankfully though, the game can be played completely in co-op, which is how it should be. Playing in this way enhances the experience, and the nature of the game forces any group to communicate and plan, creating an experience impossible to replicate with AI squad members.

What some will consider are the games major flaws, others will see as its greatest aspects. As mentioned previously, the distance of a target and the wind direction can hugely influence the accuracy of a player’s weapon. For those used to the Call Of Duty and Battlefield games, it can become very frustrating. Time and time again players will be convinced they have hit a target, only to move into the open and be shot.

There are no save points during a level either. This means that if a team mate is injured or, more infuriatingly, killed the remainder of the squad will have to carry on without them or be hampered by them for the rest of the mission. The worst aspect of this is that the game seems to save its most difficult battles for the final moments of the mission, meaning that teams could work together for nearly an hour, only to be sent back to the beginning with nothing to show for it should they fail.

Graphically, the game is quite poor. By no means will the visuals disgust people, but up against the slick looks players are used to today, Flashpoint is at the lower end of the spectrum.

As a military simulation game, Operation Flashpoint does an excellent job at recreating many of the difficulties that you would imagine occurring whilst soldiers were on a mission. Working together with friends to overcome an often difficult enemy can be extremely rewarding. On the other hand, the lack of checkpoints and difficulty of the game, along with the simulation aspects that are often frustrating, it’s likely to alienate more gamers than it interests.

The Operation Flashpoint series has created a niche market for itself over the years, and should be looked at by anyone turned off by the run and gun nature of most other shooters. On one hand, the tension created by the very real prospect of death whilst in a battle is brilliant, but the days of Operation Flashpoint moving out of the niche market and into the mainstream still remain a good way off.