Developer: Codemasters Action Studio
Publisher: Codemasters
Release Date: Out Now
Players/Online features: 1, 2-4 system link & online co-op
Words By:
Operation Flashpoint: Red River is the sequel to the 2009 game Dragon Rising. A tactical first person shooter with squad commands, we loved it for its attention to detail and gritty realism and hated it for its clunky controls, less than amazing graphics and lack of vehicular action. In Operation Flashpoint: Red River, you play as Sgt. Kirby, squad leader of Outlaw-2 Bravo, a US Marine Corps fireteam. As squad leader you also take command of Cpl. Balletto, the squad's auto-rifleman; Cpl. Taylor, the squad's Grenadier and Cpl. Soto, the squad’s sniper. Commands are issued by holding ‘RB’ and selecting preset, situation-sensitive commands displayed in a typical “wheel” configuration.
The fictional conflict is set in 2013 during a “hunt the terrorists” retaliatory action in a country called Tajikistan after an insurgent attack on U.S. forces based to the south in Afghanistan. The missions soon fall into a predictable pattern; clear areas so Alpha and Delta squads can take all the credit, then get berated by your gobshite staff sergeant before joining up with a convoy of Humvees or an Evac chopper and get driven/flown to the next hot spot. Even with the convoy for transport, the game has a LOT of slogging, yomping, tabbing or humping (moving on foot), and as an infantryman even when there’s a vehicle available you are frequently expected to walk (or run). There are a few opportunities to actually drive a Humvee, but no tanks, no APCs and no chopper flying. This is in complete contrast to the original Operation Flashpoint, in which you could drive (or fly) just about any vehicle you came across, and God only knows why the designers went in this direction, as it was the thing that gave Operation Flashpoint its own unique identity at the time. Even more unfortunately the level designers soon decide you’ve had enough of being the hunter/vanquisher and resort to the type of Alamo, ‘last stand’ sequences that Dragon Rising and most Call of Duty games have far too many of.
One of these, titled “The Wrong Way” has to be the most painful, protracted and embarrassing retreat since Dunkirk. I must admit that I very nearly gave up on the solo campaign a couple of times during this mission, and it’s only the fifth one in. In direct contrast the next mission, a night time one which needs to be played entirely with the (very realistic) night vision mode and a sniper rifle equipped with a thermal scope seemed to last for hours and hours, and I honestly can’t remember ever being so relieved to finish a level-the intensity of this eye-straining mission matched and maybe even surpassed anything that Call of Duty, Medal of Honor and all supply.
You’re commanded, trained and umm... encouraged by the loudmouth Staff Sgt. Knox. I know these guys have a job to do but at one point he had me wanting to “do a Private Pyle” (seen Full Metal Jacket?), and if you’re anything like me this stereotypically macho bullshit artist will soon have you longing for a return to the original Flashpoint’s vehicles and free-roaming gameplay-sadly this never happens and you’re expected to complete rigid mission requirements and objectives without straying too far off the beaten path, despite the maps appearing to be absolutely bloody huge-you don’t even use vehicles as much as in Dragon Rising. Red River is closer in terms of gameplay to the original Ghost Recon game that that of the original Operation Flashpoint, but it’s entirely possible that this may attract some fans of Ubisoft’s game that long for a return of that style of gameplay.
Other modern combat gadgets, air strikes, ammo for sniper weapons and suchlike are also in painfully short supply meaning that shootouts frequently feel more like a Western than modern combat. There’s no cover mode but you can crouch or go prone, and low walls have to be ‘vaulted’ over by pressing ‘A’ when the on-screen prompt is visible. This would be fine if these movements worked with any sort of consistency or fluidity, but they don’t and dying because you can’t hop over a 3ft high wall or dive to the ground quickly enough soon get tiresome. You’ll also regularly be infuriated by the fact that your super-fit U.S. Marine can’t hop over anything higher than a 4 foot wall...
On the good side, Red River certainly looks a lot nicer than Dragon Rising, and has smoother movement and more accurate aiming too. The weapons and soldier’s uniforms are lavished with detail and the game sounds amazing-it may not be up there with Bad Company 2 but the way the gunfire echoes around the valley walls is extremely atmospheric, and all weapons sound authentic.
As the fireteam leader you’re a Rifleman by default, but can change to either Auto-rifleman, Grenadier or Scout. Each class levels individually and can be customised with additional weapon add-ons that unlock as you progress. You also upgrade your character’s basic attributes from combat awareness to aiming accuracy to reload speed, sprint ability and even improve medic skills. Missions can be replayed if you want to improve your score/XP on them, but playing the solo game through again for added XP or to level other classes isn’t a thing I’ll be doing though, I didn’t enjoy the campaign enough for that.
The game seems to be aimed at four players playing co-operatively as not only is it a lot more fun, but the squad AI is extremely inconsistent when attacking, and dumb as dishwater when ordered to suppress the enemy, retreat, flank or hold fire. If left alone and just ordered to follow you they’re just as likely to pick off an enemy several hundred yards away that you weren’t even aware of, as ignore an enemy shooting you in the arse from 20 feet away! It’s this ridiculous inconsistency that will soon have you laughing maniacally when they die (they do miraculously respawn at the next checkpoint) or looking for online co-op help, because at times they get killed far too easily and you’ll get killed watching out for them and trying to rescue them when they’re downed. The way Kirby (your character) voices his commands are also extremely unconvincing, there’s rarely any sense of drama or tension reflected in his voice and the voice acting as a whole leaves a bit to be desired.
Happily when teamed up with 2 or 3 other human players the game really starts to shine; loadouts can be made more tactically apt for the missions and 2 decent players communicating will be a lot more effective than one careful, patient and tactically-minded player trying to command the 3 AI squad member retards.
Other than the story campaign you can also play 4 other co-op modes; Last Stand (just what it sounds like), CSAR (Combat Search And Rescue downed pilots), Rolling Thunder (protect convoy) and Combat Sweep (basically, a terrorist hunt). These add a huge amount of potential gameplay to the Red River package and all XP gained goes towards the same character profile, so by playing the multiplayer game you improve your solo campaign equipment and attributes, and vice-versa.
Try as it might (and try it does) to supply a realistic, gritty simulation of what a modern infantryman has to live through Red River comes as another disappointing sequel to the original Operation Flashpoint, it just isn’t enough “fun” for me to recommend it to you. Flawed as it was the original Operation Flashpoint gave you a uniquely massive military sandbox to play in, and Red River just doesn’t do that. The lack of vehicular action and the story’s insistence that the enemy has both more manpower and firepower than the U.S. Marine Corps hard to believe and swallow. This might seem flippant, but if you’re that desperate to get shouted at by a driven, psychotic lunatic and sent to some godforsaken country to get shot at whilst constantly being dumped on by your commanding officers and fellow squads, then I suggest you join the Army for real, that’ll definitely be more fun.
Best Bits
- A gritty, unforgiving shooter. - Multiplayer system link and online squad play excellent. - The best-looking Op. Flashpoint yet.
Worst Bits
- Squad AI is hugely inconsistent, and will get you killed. - Missions don’t vary enough. - Those impassable 4ft walls! - Where are all the vehicles and hi-tech gadgets?
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
