War—real war—is definitely not fun. War in video games sure can be, as evidenced by such games as Call of Duty, but the real thing is absolutely no joke. There are no power-ups, there are no shields and death can come quicker than the blink of an eye. People who’ve been in real war will probably acknowledge this. It’s not like “Rambo,” where spraying bullets everywhere and watching things blow-up is some kind of dance with death. Rather, they will tell you, it’s mostly about keeping your head down and staying alive, and taking out the other guy when you get your carefully planned-out chance.
Operation Flashpoint, a series that began on the PC back in 1991, has always tried to re-create that real feeling of war, as well as faithfully depict the real tactics and equipment that is an integral part of the modern-warfare fight. The original game developed a huge cult following of gamers who appreciate simulation over typical video game clichés, and many of those gamers have been waiting for this game, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, for a long time. While it doesn’t have a numeral “2” next to the name, it is, for all intents and purposes, the real sequel to that game.
Some of the real hardcore fans beg to differ. After a number of expansions to the original title that contained enough content to be considered full sequels, the developer (Bohemia Interactive) cut its ties with publisher Codemasters and struck out on its own. Cutting ties with the publisher also meant cutting ties with the name “Operation Flashpoint,” so Bohemia titled its subsequent game ARMA, which many longtime fans consider the true sequel.
However you choose to look at it, we are now still confronted with Codemasters’ Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, and the internal development team working on it has done everything in its power to create the same kind of exacting infantry simulator, this time more specifically for the consoles. It’s not the first time Operation Flashpoint has been on a console, but the less said about 2005’s Operation Flashpoint: Elite for the Xbox, the better. So we’ll just consider Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising the reboot for the series.
The action in Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is far different from the kind of shooter action you’ve seen in other console video games. It’s more faithful to reality than other “simulators,” such as Ghost Recon or Rainbow Six. Bullets and other projectiles behave as they would in real life, dropping due to gravity over distance. Bodies don’t have health bars; a single shot can kill you if it’s in the right place, and wounds to different parts of the body will affect the specific things those body parts do. Get shot in the leg, run slower; get shot in the arm, have trouble aiming. Reloading is slow, too, as it would be in the real world.
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising does its simulation really well. It’s a challenge, but the kind of challenge a lot of gamers—including this one—really enjoy. Having to think about what you’re doing instead of just running and gunning is an appealing alternative to most of the shooters out there. But the other big consideration of the game you’ll have to take into account is tactics. This isn’t just about running from cover to cover, but rather getting your four-man squad from place to place without getting killed and while successfully and efficiently executing your mission.
This is the first place Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising starts to break down. You’re given control over all kinds of orders that a real-world squad commander would have at his disposal. Telling your troops where to go is only the beginning; you can define their rules of engagement, what kind of formations they attack in and much more. You’re given all of these commands through a radial menu that responds to where you are aiming at the moment. But the menus’ design leaves a lot lacking. It’s tough sometimes to figure out just what submenu holds the command you need at the moment, and it’s especially tough when you’re under fire.
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