From the moment you play your first training mission, it won't take long for any gamer to realise that Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is not your average war game. Gone are the quick health injections and regenerating health systems. Codemasters have developed a game that prides itself on giving you a realistic take on war. No longer can you simply rush and crush your enemies, in order to try and be the hero.

Many war games normally focus on you, the main soldier, to pretty much eliminate all enemies and move on to the next checkpoint, where you are required to do the same thing over and over again. Whilst your troops sit back an pretend as if they are making an effort, you run right through the battlefield knowing that your health will regenerate once you have found cover. However, DR requires you to take a totally different approach; one where you cannot just stand still and shoot enemies whilst they fail to target you.

One bad tactical decision will cost you your life, and this is where DR shines as a fantastic game. It is rare to see games of this type to ever hit gaming consoles, so make the most out of this opportunity. It is for this reason alone, that many hardcore console gamers might fail to see the excellence that is Dragon Rising. Since we aren't used to first person shooters with actual realism, many console gamers will become frustrated after having played just a few missions. Continuously dying due to a lack of patience, as well as poor aim, will agitate many.

If you are looking for another Call of Duty, then look elsewhere. Dragon Rising takes a totally different approach to first person shooters. You will die after a few bullets, sometimes even one if you constantly present your face to the enemy. Once the enemy has caught you infiltrating their quarters, they will not hesitate in calling backup. Dragon Rising is what most war games should be like. With some patience and stealthy tactics, you will reach your checkpoints with less casualties and firefights. If you want to play something that will keep the mood tense throughout the whole ordeal, then Dragon Rising will certainly be one for you.

The game is based a few years from today. China and Russia are at war over oil, and good-old U.S.A joins the war, helping Russia to force out China. As an American soldier, you ordeal through 11 missions (these are long, so no need to worry about the game being short). These missions are varied too, so it's not always about clearing the path. Occasionally you might have to blow up something important, or you might need to complete an assassination.

The maps are average. I can think of many other war games that have consisted of much better battlegrounds. However, what matters most is what happens on it, and this is where DR succeeds. Fighting on the island of Skira is thoroughly enjoyable, but I can understand why many gamers will not like this. Since Dragon Rising is a realistic war game, you will have to take things slowly. Crawling through bushes and firing only when necessary, might not be in everyone's best interests. Many gamers prefer fast-paced action titles. If you are one of these people, then perhaps playing the demo would suit you best, before deciding on whether it is worth a purchase.

If you find that Dragon Rising is simple to complete, then I urge you to complete the game on Hardcore mode. Playing through the entire campaign without any HUD and checkpoints is very difficult. The fact that the developers have even added a mode like this suggests how realistic they wanted it to be. After all, you don't get a second chance at life, and completing the whole game without dying once would be a true achievement.

There is a medic who will help you on your way. You yourself, also have the ability to patch up any wounds. However, unlike other war games, simply healing yourself doesn't mean you can run perfectly, or aim like a marksman. Being shot in the leg will have side effects. Even after patching the wound to stop it from bleeding, you will run less faster and run out of stamina quicker. Aiming becomes difficult as you are wounded too. It's all part of the experience that makes Dragon Rising such a unique game.

The game requires a lot of patience, not only because you need to remain out of enemy sights, but also because you will die many times. Normally, us gamers throw our controllers on the floor or shout at the television screen, adding as many swear-words as possible in one sentence. However, when dying in Dragon Rising, you won't get as frustrated. If you perish, it is due to your lack of patience and ignorance on the battlefield. Learn from your mistakes and then once completed on normal difficulty, have a go at completing the game on hardcore.

Single player is great since your allies do actually listen to you most of the time, as long as you command them. When they fire, they actually kill enemies. There are plenty of commands to choose from (although every order requires you to bring up the command menu, which is a pain). However, playing co-operatively online is a different experience altogether. You can play with up to three other people, completing a four-man squadron. Playing with three friends is highly diverting since you will never get bored of the campaign. Completing the hardcore mode with three human players is the best feeling one can get on Dragon Rising.

After all that has been written, there are some flaws with DR that makes this game fall short of the 9 out of 10 category. Graphically, the game has a lot to improve on. There are plenty of other war games with better-detailed surroundings, with added variety. Although it is great that you can travel to any part that you can see, not every part of your surroundings is as detailed as can be. Being able to get into any vehicles that are around you is also a nice touch, although running enemies over isn't impressive since they glide on the floor. Also occasionally, checkpoints do not always work. So if you think you have completed a long run of events but have not yet come to a checkpoint, it could be since a glitch in the game has forgotten to save it.

DR also consists of an online multiplayer mode, which is a hit and miss. You can compete with 7 others. Despite the short number of players, the servers aren't particularly great, and there are definitely some latency issues. Sometimes you cannot use your weapon as intended, so despite having a sight or scope, you might not be able to use it. This happens rarely, and the game can be great online (although it certainly will not kick off as a highly competitive online title). It's not a bad way to kill time, but there are too many issues to make this a serious online game. Perhaps things may be different on the PC version.

In conclusion, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is a game that all true first person shooter fanatics should purchase. If you love a great campaign and have other friends who also own the game, then you won't find many console games that provide you with a level of realism, like DR. If you have gotten used to playing games that require a low amount of skill and realism, then this might not be something for you. Unfortunately, the occasional bugs both offline and online, is the reason why the game just about falls short of a potential candidate for Game of the Year.

ConsoleGaming Rating:

Graphics: 7.0
Gameplay: 8.0
Sound: 8.5
Lasting Appeal: 8.0

Overall: 8.0