by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze
Video Game Editor
The World War II shooter has become a genre
unto itself now that you have so many different franchises
to choose from. But at the same time, each one tries to find
its niche somehow with results that either hit or miss. Brothers
in Arms: Road to Hill 30 is impressive in this regard, since
it places typical FPS gameplay alongside the elements of a
tactical shooter.
It’s
World War II, and while hundreds of thousands of Allied troops
are setting sail across the English Channel for the D-Day
invasion, you are paratrooper Matt Baker and you’ve
been parachuted in behind enemy lines only hours before the
landings at Normandy. Your job is to link up with other members
of your squad and cause problems for German units who would
otherwise be trying to drive the Allies back into the sea.
Gearbox Software certainly did their homework.
The maps and battlefields are entirely based on photos and
journals taken by soldiers during the war, which gives this
game a level of authenticity unmatched by the competition.
The graphics also do a great job of bringing these old black
and white photos to new life (you can see plenty of photos
in the game after you start unlocking them) and troops on
both sides look and move with a great deal of fluidity.
The game mechanics take elements similar to
that of THQ’s Full Spectrum Warrior in that using cover
and ordering units to flank an enemy position are at the core
of the gameplay. Depending on what type of units you have
at your command, you can order the “Fire” team
to maintain suppressing fire on an enemy’s position,
while you order the “Assault” team to move to
a position where they can flank and kill them. This takes
some getting used to, and the Tutorial is a must before you
start a game.
You can also use a “Situation mode” where you
get an overview of your position, as well as that of the German
units. Since paratroopers studied their terrain very closely,
they had a general idea as to where everything was. Using
this feature can give you clues as to how to sneak up on the
Germans. However, while using it you’re still vulnerable
to attack, so better find some cover before you prompt it.
The multiplayer options are a little weak
offline (there’s no co-op play), but Xbox Live offers
a terrific game that is sure to be more than a little addictive.
You get matches based on mission objectives, like the one
where the American side tries to hold a key bridge, while
the German side tries to blow it up. The best part is, with
the Xbox Live headset you can communicate solely with your
squad, making coordination the key to winning the battle.
The options here are fairly expansive, so it will take a little
time to go through them all.
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 is unique
among the growing tree of WW II shooters, and that’s
really saying something. Its gameplay elements and overall
design are very impressive, not to mention more authentic
and realistic in terms of how small skirmishes in WW II would’ve
been fought. Make no mistake, this one will be a tough one
to beat in 2005.
|
