Originally Posted by
Lume
Looking for a review of Arma II free from someone who has played it?
Okay. First of all, ArmA II is
not for someone looking for an average shoot em up game like Call of Duty or Bad Company. You simply can't just run in guns blazing, and not always because you will get killed if you do. The game scale is
massive. Mile long maps. You will find most of your time traveling and setting things up for your team, rather than actual combat.
That out of that way, ArmA II is an excellent game. I'll try to keep this short.
Strategy is everything in this game, and it really shows through. There is a heavy emphasis on communication, and there are radio channels for almost everything (Vehicle, Direct, Command, Global, Side, etc). You can expect to have myriad of voices playing into your speakers every 5 minutes, and it really adds to the experience. If you work well with your team, you'll find the game fun and profitable, but if you try to be a lone wolf you may often find yourself trudging through a forest for literal hours. Not to mention lack of backup or medical support.
You will find yourself traveling a lot. There is no fast travel in ArmA. You have to
get there. Usually you can find some vehicular transport or you can call your buddies on the radio for a lift to the newest objective. That probably sounds appalling, but it's worth it. And a break from the action is good every once in a while, considering how stressful combat in ArmA II can be.
Which is my next point. Combat. There is too much to say about this. Usually you will find yourself fighting on foot, particularly while you are learning, and not savvy with aircraft or tank controls. And infantry combat is a little more than exciting. One bullet will kill you, maybe two. Discretion and strategy are everything, and you will often find yourself cowering behind a wall, looking for an opportunity to find your shooter. The combat adds to the large scale atmosphere, and you can find yourself telling your teammates where an enemy is, asking a helicopter to get rid of a sniper, asking for ammo, warning your teammates of an approaching tank, and much more. There is a constant air of risk and excitement in a combat zone, and you will love every bit. Be warned: bullet physics are existent, and in much more depth. For instance, a bullet will go slightly below your sight cross hair due to the bore being a little lower than the sight.
The game is ridiculously immersive. From shooting down helicopters, dragging your wounded teammate to cover, risking your life to revive downed players, lazing targets for air strikes, sneaking around a town with your squad, watching an enemy lance from a sniper perch waiting for the right moment, throwing smoke to move to a safer location, running away from a wall of enemy soldiers as you watch most of your team get mowed down... You will love every bit. Even the boring parts have something to appreciate.
The only problems are the occasional bug and the gargantuan amount of interface hotkeys. You have a button for your compass, your watch, your map, your GPS, turning your headlights on/off, saluting, sitting down to rest, journal/diary, and more. It can be intimidating to newer players, but you'll get the hang of it eventually.
In closing, ArmA II is a hardcore war simulator, and it shows. You will either find yourself extremely bored, or in love.
Last edited by Thorn; Jul 16, 2011 at 02:02 AM.