WW II games

[PZ]

What do you guys think about:

• Brothers In Arms
• Call of Duty V - World at War
• Medal of Honor - Airborne

I have all of the above, and like them, but each has it's drawbacks.  Brothers In Arms is relatively new technology where you are able to direct your squad, but the drawback is that you are led down a path rather than the open world theme.  COD-WAW is even worse at directing you, but cool new variations on WWII - you get to play all over the world, from Russia to the south pacific.  Medal of Honor is good because it is more of the open world feel, but is older technology and graphics.  While I enjoyed playing all, none has held my attention like FC2.  Mostly, I remarked to myself "...is that it?" after completing the game.  This was true especially of COD-WAW.

[JRD]

Never played any of these games (!!!!)
I played Medal of Honour Spearhead and some older versions of the series. Good shooters, but too linear.
I was thinking abut getting Brothers in Arms soon, but now that Operation Flashpoint 2 is about to be on the shelves, think I'll wait a little longer.
I like WWII games and movies, like Band of Brothers and many similar games, and I surely love war games in general as well.
Open world games, either 1st or 3rd person view, where you can be an one-man army, or control a squad issuing orders are my favourite kind of games.
Ghost Recon 1 and OFP 1 are amongst my all time favourites FPS games, that's why I was thinking about BiA.
I play for the challenge, something that demands planning and fast thinking, not just running around shooting pointlessly. The story and characters always plays a major role in games for me. Which is something I miss a little bit in FC2, but it couldn't be perfect.... something must be left out to FC3 anyway!!
Other things I usually dislike in games are aliens (playing Crysis now!!). It is something that developers can't do well, in my opinion. They are ugly looking and have sumething like super powers, but in fact, it feels like playing against regular armys of enemies, only here devs can make it harder to kill them. I always prefer fighting against humans... It's kind of a real challenge to be put against something that matches you.
Although I must admit I also like shooting some zombies hahahahhahahahaha they were humans someday right???

[spaceboy]

Yeah, I haven't played those either.  There really are a lot of great games out now and coming out.  It's hard when a game like FC2 is so addicting to stop playing for awhile, but I love checking out these next gen games and what they can do nowadays, simply incredible.

Been having a really good time playing Killzone 2 lately (PS3 only), the single player game has a real gritty war feel.  I agree with jrderntl, I'm not huge fan of fighting aliens.  This game your technically fighting aliens, but they are essentially just "human" beings from another planet - kind of like Darth Vader bald milky heads under helmets...  The AI is outstanding and you cannot run and gun, you have to use cover and move strategically as they will flank you and flush you out with grenades.  The beginning is kind of like D-Day only you are storming another planet, not a beach.  Multiplayer is a lot of fun too.

I'll think I'll be popping FC2 back into the drive once I'm done with the campaign and keep KZ2 my multiplayer of choice for those 4 1/2 hr gaming sessions on Friday nights.  Oh yeah!

[PZ]

Both of you seem to be much like I am wen it comes to games - I too like reality more than the sometimes outrageous capabilities of the characters in some games. (Reminds me of Doom, and the old timer, Wolf 3D).

Brothers in Arms is staged in Holland - Operation Market Garden, and if you like Band of Brothers (series), then this one is similar.  The graphics are good, the sound track makes you feel like you are in a WWII movie.  You move through various scenarios, sometimes at night, sometimes in sunny daylight complete with vivid colors.  It is a bit linear like COD-WAW.  However, for WWII fans, I can recommend renting these to check them out - you'll finish the game before the rental period expires.

I'm looking forward to the games that you guys have recommended, but it is difficult to pry my fingers from the FC2 controller!

[Dweller_Benthos]

I cut my teeth on WWII games, well, Wolf3D to begin with back in the early 90s. Played pretty much all of them since that were 1st person. A couple that I skipped were the type like Brothers in Arms, where you control a squad, which isn't my cup of tea, I just want to run and gun and not worry about what the rest of them are doing. As far as that goes, it doesn't need to be open world either, I'm sure you get a more complete story with more linear game, like Half Life.

I still have to try Call of Duty 5, I skipped 4 because it was modern and that doesn't appeal to me as much as the WWII games do. Medal of Honor Airborne was fun, at least you could sort of control where you landed to make the game a little different, but as for playing it twice, i didn't bother once I had all the weapons upgraded and all the landing zones completed.

Speaking of, the new Wolfenstein is due later this year I guess, I had heard it was going to be sort of open world, but no confirmation on that yet. Looks cool from the screen pics and I will of course be playing it unless the reviews come in super bad. From what I hear so far it's going to have added paranormal powers, sort of like Prey, which was also really good I thought. Sorta like Doom or Quake, but with a Native American slant that was pretty cool with the spirit world you could enter to get different places and do things that you can't in the "real" world. That's what they are adding to the new Wolf, some weird parallel dimension where you can stop time (wow haven't seen THAT before) and a bunch of other things I guess.

[spaceboy]

Upcoming WWII game from the Battlefield franchise:  http://www.battlefield1943.com/

This will be download only for PS3, PC, and Xbox avail this summer I think.  The only Battlefield game I played was last years Bad Company and absolutely loved it, the destructible environments were simply incredible, and the choice of many vehicles gives so many ways to play.  Check out the trailer and info on the link above regarding 1943.  It appears to be online multiplayer only. 

This one will be a must buy for me.  So the question is twofold:  1) Can you imagine a squad created with FC2maps members (we'd own the Pacific theatre), and 2) would my 3 yr old Dell be able to handle the game?  I play on PS3 now so I have no idea if the specs of my PC are up to date at all, and except for pzrzao you guys are all on PC.

[PZ]

Truly spaceboy, the experienced FC2 members of our site are a force to contend with; mature gamers that are cold-blooded planners with the skills to execute missions thoughtfully - potential is endless ...

[spaceboy]

Of course, the icing on the cake would be a Co-op campaign mode in FC3 (assuming there will be one).  could you imagine if FC2 had an online co-op and you and a friend could go into these missions with 2 people.  There are so many possibilities.  Have one create a diversion on one side, while the other picks off mercs with a sniper from the other.  etc. etc. etc.  With full voice communication, that would be really wicked.

[PZ]

Man, your post really sparked interesting wishes for cooperative play in FC3:

• one or more guys set up in a sniping position
• perhaps a skilled driver waiting with a vehicle filled with assault guys
• another with a 6P9 sneaking into an area with the sniper covering his back...
• someone waiting to create diversions...
  

[JRD]

- 4 guys in 2 jeeps... one drives, the other shoots. One grenade, one .50 cal.
- 4 guys in silent weapons and IEDs.....

[spaceboy]

Great descriptions, I can picture it now. 

See, I can really get into online multiplayer gaming, but it often becomes running and gunning. Granted I've never tried to join a Clan, but I've never seen much planning.  Still a blast, but just different.  If you have co-op against good AI mercs (instead of online humans who often run and gun) you could really plan and approach in different ways.

Then in an FC2 open world environment, we could all pile into the jeeps and head back to Mike's for a virtual pint, fight over Michelle, and generally cause havoc around town.  Take on the Pala mercs from all four corners...

Edit/Add  How about those poor SOBs in their datsuns on the roads that want to take you on?  One guy driving, the other manning the gun, or just shooting their ak-47 out the back of the jeep.

[PZ]

cool.... even cooler if Ubi were to code fear into the AI so that they'd run away when they saw our overwhelming forces...

Wouldn't it also be cool if we could set up matches between groups of the members on our site - all of the people we've "met" so far, and regularly contribute to the postings seem like a great bunch of people that I'd enjoy gaming online with!

[JRD]

And since none of us play FC2 MP, I assume none of us is using the editor to create maps or missions so far!!

[PZ]

Correct on my part jrderntl, although I'd love to.  I don't do MP mainly because my internet connection is through wireless EVDO which is not fast enough to do gaming.

I love creating maps though; I recall creating level maps for the original Wolf3D decades ago

[spaceboy]

My 8 yr old son made a few maps in FC2 for fun, but the editor in PS3 isn't as easy I'm sure as a mouse on PC.  I don't let him PLAY FC2 but I thought he'd enjoy makings forests, streams, and driving around in his creations. (He did and he also enjoyed using the flamethrower a bit too much :-[ ).  Now I've moved him to creating levels on Little Big Planet (much more age appropriate).

I tried creating maps long ago on Duke Nukem's Build program but my grand ideas were never realized.  I'd rather play I guess.  There were discs you could buy of like 500 user created Duke levels.

[Dweller_Benthos]

Duke Nukem's build engine was a royal PITA to map for, still it was better than the old DEU (Doom Editing Utility) no mouse support in that one, as I recall. No, wait, now I remember, it had mouse support, but was only top-down 2D, no 3D preview of what you were doing. When Duke Build came out and you could actually preview what you were doing - wow! then to make a mirror, you had to build an area on the other side of the exact same size to "hold" the reflection. Anything under water was actually a space warp to another area of the map. heh, good times.

I also did maps & mods for Wolf3D ages ago, the wolfsnd and wolfed or something like that, at least had mouse support. Then there was Blake Stone, Corridor 7, etc etc etc.....

[spearhead_22]

What do you guys think about:

• Brothers In Arms
• Call of Duty V - World at War
• Medal of Honor - Airborne

I have all of the above, and like them, but each has it's drawbacks.  Brothers In Arms is relatively new technology where you are able to direct your squad, but the drawback is that you are led down a path rather than the open world theme.  COD-WAW is even worse at directing you, but cool new variations on WWII - you get to play all over the world, from Russia to the south pacific.  Medal of Honor is good because it is more of the open world feel, but is older technology and graphics.  While I enjoyed playing all, none has held my attention like FC2.  Mostly, I remarked to myself "...is that it?" after completing the game.  This was true especially of COD-WAW.

Brothers in Arms:
I've played only the first version, i.e, Road to Hill 30, found it ok but yes, a bit difficult to handle the squad control. Haven't tried out BiA:Earned in Blood and BiA: Hell's Highway.

CoD5 - WaW:
I am playing this one and have so far liked it immensely. I like CoD4 a lot, but it was set in the modern times. WaW is set in the WW II and I am loving it...specially the sniper missions...kinda reminded me of the movie "Enemy at the Gates." Looking forward to complete the main game so that I can unlock the Nazi Zombies mission in the Co-op mode.

Medal of Honor - Airborne:
Haven't played this version. Did play MoH: Allied Assault as well as MoH: Pacific Assault though. I hope Airborne is far more better that it's previous versions.

Oh, btw...have you played Company of Heroes. I've checked out the graphics as well as gameplay and I think it's a very good strategy game.

[PZ]

I love WWII genre - one of my favorites - Medal of Honor: Airborne is the most "open world" of the games I listed, but the graphics engine is kind of old now - nothing at all like what you get in COD5.  I've not heard of Company of Heroes, but it sounds intriguing.

By the way, are there any other open world "sand box" style games as good as FC2 out there?  One of the things I like most about WWII games and FC2 is that the weapons are a bit more down to earth (not plasma guns, etc) and the characters are more like people (rather than zombies and other assorted alien types)

[spearhead_22]

Another open world game (non WW II), I have played would be, S.T.A.L.K.E.R : Shadow of Chernobyl. There are around 7 different endgame results depending upon how you've played throughout the game. You have the option to join either of the two factions there or play as an individual.

The new version of the game is S.T.A.L.K.E.R : Clear Sky....which I haven't played yet. The graphics are awesome though.

[Dweller_Benthos]

Always meant to pick up the Stalker games, just never got around to it.

[PZ]

Thanks for the recommendations - they are always more pertinent when they come from people that know how you like to game.

[RedRaven]

has any one played any of the Company of Heroes franchise ?
Are they any good ?
cheers

[nexor]

I know these games are kinda old but a huge bargain I couldn't resist   ;D

The Medal Of Honor 10th Anniversary Bundle, Allied Assault with Spearhead and Breakthrough Expansion Packs   Pacific Assault and Airborne 
Included is a soundtrack cd of 14 MOH tracks composed by Michael Giacchino.
I got the bundle for R150.00, They are all "new" . Usually a new game would be around R350.00

So i'm gonna be busy for a while       :-D

[PZ]

Excellent!  Be sure to post your impressions; I dearly love the WWII games, but people seem to have lost interest in them in favor of modern warfare so the developers don't seem to be doing much.

[fragger]

Just wondering PZ and nexor, have either of you ever played Call of Duty 2? If you like a classic WWII shooter with more emphasis on combat and less on flashy scripting, you might enjoy it. Of all the CoD WWII titles, this one is my fave. Nothing super-duper or fancy - just straight out gutsy action, and lots of it. Good array of missions (Russian, British and American), very rich sound environments, both foreground and ambient (I love all the yelling that goes on from both sides, Allied and German, much of which is not scripted) and the action just doesn't let up in any of them. It's pretty linear of course, as all CoDs are, but quite exciting, and a couple of the missions are actually rather non-linear - only a couple of them, mind. I found that the CoD games that came after this one became more heavily scripted and less action-based, with the player spending way too much time in "along for the ride" mode. But with CoD 2 they struck a really good balance of everything. It's also very authentic and well-researched, the devs did their homework for it.

I have Cod 5 (World At War) but it didn't grab me as much as #2 despite being a more graphically sophisticated WWII affair. Can't really say why, it just felt sort of uninvolving.

CoD 2 is also an older game of course, but still loads of fun and I still love to play it from time to time. As a matter of fact I was playing it just last night and having a rollicking good time with it :-() :-X