The Conflict series has by this point become
fairly reminiscent of the characters that it attempts to portray.
Slightly below-the-radar, somewhat shady in approach, but yet lethally
effective when push comes to shove. Previous titles (Desert Storm,
Vietnam, Global Storm) have all been met with a somewhat lukewarm
critical reception, yet have sold well enough to warrant four different
outings across a variety of platforms in the interim. Not bad for a
series that seemingly nobody has ever heard of.
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| Graphically Conflict fares averagely at best, with the PS3 a few notches below its 360 cousin |
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The usual copious amounts of blood are on offer |
Developer 'Pivotal' has certainly not rested on
its laurels however, with Denied Ops representing a shift away from the
strategy-heavy third-person approach of previous games, changing focus
to a purely first-person, dual-player mechanic. Whether or not that
particular design choice will alienate a fairly solid fanbase is yet to
be seen, and from our initial playtest, the jury is certainly still out
on whether Conflict will be able to hold its own against the glut of
co-op shooters to be released in 2008.
That's not to say that
there are no positive signs however. Gunplay throughout the two levels
we completed was solid and satisfying, with each of the main characters
performing different roles on the battlefield. One essentially acts as
a general purpose assault soldier, complete with a machine gun and
pistol, whilst the other hangs back with a sniper rifle to complete
long-range sightseeing and support fire. When playing in single-player
mode, tapping a button zooms the camera across the warzone into the
alternative players cranium, with your original character remaining in
place under AI control. Battlefield ahoy.
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| Destructible terrain plays a heavy part in combat |
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The two main protagonists in full effect |
There are also a number of fairly primitive squad controls that can
be issued if you want to stop soldier-hopping and play through as one
character. Whilst these are limited to commands like 'move here', 'stay
there' etc, the mechanic for delivering them is a context-sensitive
single button push, always managing to remain fairly fluid and swift in
the heat of battle. It is quite possible to set up an ambush or
flanking opportunity in this manner, providing some much-needed basic
strategy to the proceedings. The AI in place for both squad members and
enemies seems fairly accomplished at this stage, without being anything
to write home about.
Somewhat bizarrely, there are no weapon
pickups throughout the campaign, and unlimited ammunition for your
primary gun. In place of these FPS staples, each weapon has a number of
upgrades and add-ons which can be obtained instead, adding further
functionality that would normally be provided by another slot. There
isn't a great deal of fear in dying either, as the game now contains a
Gears of War style timed revival mechanic if either protagonist manages
to run into any hot lead. Lets face it, injecting a life-giving serum
into a friend is always fun, kids.
As for the setting and plot;
it's the usual special-forces deep-cover nonsense, stretching from the
now standard jungle levels, through to the Arctic wastelands and
beyond. Certainly nothing that hasn't been seen before, but let’s face
it, certain environmental settings just work for this type of title.
Speaking
of the environment, Denied Ops other potential ace in the sleeve comes
with a liberal use of destructible terrain and objects. Taking cover
behind a wooden object will more often than not result in showers of
splinters raining down around you within a matter of moments, and
aiming a shell at a wall will more often than not cause some form of
damage. Whilst this is not as effectively utilised as something like
Crysis' fully deformable buildings, or even the upcoming Battlefield:
Bad Company technology, it is a welcome addition nonetheless.
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| The downed helicopter is a part of the games first stage |
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Explosions are plentiful throughout |
So, the focus for Denied Ops is firmly on fun
then, at the expense of tactics and substance. Indeed, Pivotal have
even gone as far as saying that this is a shooter aimed purely at the
'casual' market, whatever that may be outside of the Wii. I'm not
convinced however that the design of the game really knows what it
wants to be at this stage. Is it fun with a friend? Sure, but probably
not to the extent that the developer intends. There are some good
moments to be found, and nothing stands out as particularly badly
implemented at this stage, but in a year that's chock-full of decent
looking co-op shooters, Denied Ops will have to do a lot to outgun the
competition. We look forward to getting our hands on a review copy in
the near future.
