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| Graphically Conflict fares averagely at best, with the PS3 a few notches below its 360 cousin | 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 | 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 | 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.
