Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising E3 Preview

Without an ArmA II presence on the floor, Codemasters' shot at the much-loved franchise was the only dude-I-died-for-some-reason game available on the show floor. On the surface, this definitely looks like a spiffier version of Operation Flashpoint. It looks great, the AI seems to respond to your commands well, and everything seems rather dandy.

As you play a bit more, it becomes a little bit of something else. It’s lighter on the simulation elements, and the developer has gone onto say how death is a common occurrence, but that streamlining has been a priority. There’s still an adherence to realism; you can patch up your wounds, but you’ll still be affected by your most grievous injury - a damn bullet just went through you, after all - and a nice roll-out of those simulation elements still exist.

It’s just that they’re less damning. It didn’t feel as unforgiving as Operation Flashpoint, but with just a 15-minute demo with the game, it’s hard to get a real feel for how much of a pain/joy this game will be. It’s looking solid. The developer did make an emphasis on the 4-player co-op and that that’s the thing Dragon Rising is all about. The prospect of screaming out tactical updates through mics sound exciting.

When I asked about ArmA II as a direct competitor, he gave off an expected shrug, but gave off a certain admission that yes, ArmA II will be the more authentic experience. With ArmA II coming around the bend very soon, June 26^th soon, there might not be much of a reason to get Dragon Rising if Bohemia fires on all cylinders, but that’s still entirely up in the air. The military simulation market has never been this competitive (I mean, that must carry some weight), so I’m glad this game exists, and I look forward to playing it some more.