OPERATION FLASHPOINT: COLD WAR CRISIS
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The Counter-Strike killer is nigh...

By WILLIAM BARKER

Codemasters has a lot planned for the short-term future, with projects like Prisoner of War generating a lot of industry buzz. But this next title is set to give even the most notorious of games a run for their money. Halo, Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2 better watch out, because the Cold War Crisis is approaching.

Don't rush out and build a bunker (unless you really love bunkers) that is, because it's not actually the Cold War's return, per se.

From Codemasters and Bohemia Interactive Studio comes Operation Flashpoint, a first-person shooter that many are pinning hopes of celebrity upon. And rightly so, the game is in tip-top form at present and the tentative release date is June 2001, giving the developers a little more time to iron out the bugs and optimise code.

There are four main areas of gaming invloved with this impressive new title. The Mercenary mode takes players through single-player missions where one must complete objectives for each individual mission. Think of this as an instant-action mode. Next up is the Career Soldier option, which is essentially the meat of the offline game. Here you must work your way through the militaristic hierarchy of NATO, starting at a lowly grunt. The Intelligence Operative mode is fundamentally a mission editor - you set up cool scenarios and then jump into the game to see if you can pass your own test.

The last mode, Seasoned Veteran, is where most will get their jollies. This is the online multiplayer aspect, where gamers will go head to head with complete strangers as they scout villages, cross rivers, hide in forrests and comandeer jeeps.

There will be classes of players, too. You may start your first game wanting to be a sniper operative, or perhaps part of a tank crew. There is a theme of tactical squad-based combat, but you can go solo if you wish. The game could be likened to a Delta Force, Rogue Spear and even Counter-Strike. One thing is for sure, the Cold War never looked this good.

Codemasters is really pushing the phrase "total freedom of action". They want the public to know that players can shoot anything, go anywhere and, interestingly, drive anything. There will be more than 30 vehicles that anyone can take advantage of, such as the M1A1 Abrams tank, the AH-1 Cobra Attack helicopter and even jet-planes, such as the A-10 Thunderbolt.

Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis will be out before Team Fortress 2 and is looking like twice the game that Sierra's absurdly overdue title will be. Can Codemasters pull this one off? We think so.