Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising puts you in the boots of one of several different frontline soldiers fighting a fictional war set in the near future. When you first fire the game up, a stylish series of images accompanied by some funky text set the scene and explain what has happened to cause this war, from back in 1400, through to the games setting of 2011.
A Briefing at the start of each mission provides objectives, a local area map and intelligence reports such as what level of enemy have been seen in the area ranging from light infantry through to helicopter gunships and tanks. After a short load you are on the battlefield. You will notice straight away the limited HUD, you are not given a map and all the usual goodies, just a good old fashioned compass. This limited HUD sets the tone for the rest of the game, and that is realism. Unlike other shooters were the enemy can take a whole clip of bullets before falling, in Operation Flashpoint, one shot is enough to fell an enemy, and the same can be said about you. Pop your head up at the wrong time and its back to the previous checkout, this really makes you plan each move and be more strategic as the thought of dying any second is always hanging above you.
There is also a great sense of achievement when you do kill an enemy, this has been lost in other recent games. Another aspect of the reoccurring realism is the healing system, if you take a bullet in the leg, you will have a limited period to use your medical pack to patch up the wound, before you bleed to death. Depending on where you are hit, your abilities will be affected e.g if shot in the leg, you will not be able to sprint and if shot in the arm, your aiming accuracy will decrease.
Visuals
The visuals in Operation Flashpoint are not quite up to the standard set by modern shooters such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honour. There are some low res textures which let the game down, such as the grass and trees. The character models are of better quality with lifelike movement and looks. The lighting may not be outstanding, but it is satisfactory, with some nice explosions and gunfire.
Sound
While the graphics can be faulted, the sound can not. From the tension filled music in the game menus, through to the bullets whizzing past your head in the heat of the battle, this is top notch stuff. Birds chirp in the jungle, explosions rumble in the distance and you can hear each individual bullet casing bounce on the floor as it is ejected from your gun.
Summary
While not recommended for the casual gamer, anybody looking for a difficult and authentic shooter that is truly rewarding should definitely pick up Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Comments and Reviews
Please log in if you wish to leave a comment or review
As close to war as you ever want to get
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising puts you in the boots of one of several different frontline soldiers fighting a fictional war set in the near future. When you first fire the game up, a stylish series of images accompanied by some funky text set the scene and explain what has happened to cause this war, from back in 1400, through to the games setting of 2011.
A Briefing at the start of each mission provides objectives, a local area map and intelligence reports such as what level of enemy have been seen in the area ranging from light infantry through to helicopter gunships and tanks. After a short load you are on the battlefield. You will notice straight away the limited HUD, you are not given a map and all the usual goodies, just a good old fashioned compass. This limited HUD sets the tone for the rest of the game, and that is realism. Unlike other shooters were the enemy can take a whole clip of bullets before falling, in Operation Flashpoint, one shot is enough to fell an enemy, and the same can be said about you. Pop your head up at the wrong time and its back to the previous checkout, this really makes you plan each move and be more strategic as the thought of dying any second is always hanging above you.
There is also a great sense of achievement when you do kill an enemy, this has been lost in other recent games. Another aspect of the reoccurring realism is the healing system, if you take a bullet in the leg, you will have a limited period to use your medical pack to patch up the wound, before you bleed to death. Depending on where you are hit, your abilities will be affected e.g if shot in the leg, you will not be able to sprint and if shot in the arm, your aiming accuracy will decrease.
Visuals
The visuals in Operation Flashpoint are not quite up to the standard set by modern shooters such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honour. There are some low res textures which let the game down, such as the grass and trees. The character models are of better quality with lifelike movement and looks. The lighting may not be outstanding, but it is satisfactory, with some nice explosions and gunfire.
Sound
While the graphics can be faulted, the sound can not. From the tension filled music in the game menus, through to the bullets whizzing past your head in the heat of the battle, this is top notch stuff. Birds chirp in the jungle, explosions rumble in the distance and you can hear each individual bullet casing bounce on the floor as it is ejected from your gun.
Summary
While not recommended for the casual gamer, anybody looking for a difficult and authentic shooter that is truly rewarding should definitely pick up Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.