Waddya Buyin’? Operation Flashpoint: Red River

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Portal 2 is the obvious new release to pick up this week. I loved Portal, and it appears that the sequel will be equally as excellent. The prospect of an early releases through collectively Potato Sacking is making me even more anxious for it. But I won’t be talking about the game here, because simply, it’s already been bought and paid for. There was never a question about me picking this up.

If circumstances were different, I’d probably be picking up Mortal Kombat as well. I’ve always enjoyed the over-the-top campiness of the franchise. This latest entry seems to have balanced that element with a solid fighting system. Sadly, I won’t be able to pop round to the stores to pick it up since we all know it’s been refused classification here in Australia. I’m not sure if it’s worth the risk of importing it, with Customs saying they’ll be vigilant against those who do.

There is one notable title that might slip under the radar with these two juggernauts in the room. What I’ve been reading and seeing so far has been intriguing. I must admit that I wasn’t looking too closely beforehand, but recent videos have piqued my interest. So I’ll most probably be picking up Operation Flashpoint: Red River sometime this week.

He who smelt it, dealt it.

Coming from a PC gaming background, those words “Operation Flashpoint” brings to mind specific connotations: Hardcore, unyielding tactical military shooter with immense scale and brutal realism. These connotations should equally excite and terrify. Purists may argue that the series has lost its way since the developers moved on (to make ArmA 1 and 2). But even so, you don’t wade into Operation Flashpoint looking for rocket jumps and kill streaks.

The previous game, Dragon Rising, was criticised for its lack of polish and overall bugginess. Red River looks set to address those shortcomings. The game is also looking to be more accessible to a broader audience, which gets a thumbs-up from me. Even so, fans shouldn’t be too worried that the game is going the CoD/Bad Company route, with Red River still holding true to its militaristic background.

Another day in God's country. Before we bomb the s*** out of it.

I’m also really excited by Red River’s multiplayer co-op modes. The lack of competitive multiplayer may be disappointing but there isn’t a really need for it given the many other games in this space. But the fact that entire campaign can be played cooperatively with up to 4 friends really sounds good to me.

So I’ll be picking up the 360 version myself, and I hope to see you all on the battlefield.

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