Conflict: Desert Storm II - Back to Baghdad

"There is NO conflict - this is the best tactical shooter there is!"

Conflict: Desert Storm II is an excellent example of how sequels should be made. It improves a great deal on the original, and SCi have obviously taken note of gamer feedback because all the major irritating flaws from the first game have been fixed. It also gives the game a fantastic level of polish that was missing from the very average, workmanlike presentation of the original.

For those unfamiliar, C:DSII is a tactical squad-based shooter puts you in control of a four man fire-team of special forces, either the 22nd SAS (UK) or Delta Force (USA). Using realistic weaponry and commands, your task is to strike deep within enemy territory on sensitive targets like SCUD missile launchers, radar and SAM equipment, and oil refineries.
The game was created in the UK and with the full co-operation of Cameron Spence, an ex-SAS soldier who acted as SCi's military consultant. The game takes some liberties with history, but one episode in particular is based on battle which came to be known as Victor-2. Performed by the SAS, the assault on the Victor-2 communications site was the most successful single engagement by special forces in the first Gulf War. For those of us in the UK, it's particularly refreshing to see our squaddies get the spotlight, complete with authentic slang and regional accents.

The gameplay mostly revolves around low-level infantry tactics. Whilst in control of any one of your four team members (team leader, sniper, machinegunner and a combat engineer), you must issue simple commands to the rest of your team and co-ordinate their efforts to defeat the enemy. As well as basic follow / stop commands you can direct each soldier to move to a particular position and which way to face, so you can for example send your machine gun and sniper to a commanding position to cover you as you attack the enemy directly, then you can call them to catch up when you take an enemy position. This is the basis of all infantry operations and is satisfyingly recreated here.

As soon as you start, you can see the improvements. The previously bland menus have been made to look and sound like a military computer interface, most missions are introduced with detailed CG cutscenes, and the mission briefings have been changed from boring, green stillshots of your objectives to comprehensive surveillance satellite videos reminiscent of those seen in the movie Black Hawk Down. The mission briefings are particularly impressive, zooming in to show battles in progress, troops and vehicles moving around and even in-bound friendly forces. They really give the impression that you're a part of something bigger and ongoing.

When the gameplay begins, the first level throws you straight into the thick of the action in an exciting way. Friendly gunships attack enemy armour and suppress troop positions as you attack in your team's jeep, guns blazing. These kind of set-pieces occur in most levels and add real depth to the missions. These set-pieces include enemy mortar attacks (which can be averted by having your sniper kill the Forward Observation Officer - a nice touch), friendly gunship and troop support and objectives which change mid-mission to reflect the change in the battlefield.

Your men supply constant radio chatter, which is of far better quality than that of the original. They also talk far more, supplying relevant comment on the situation and occasionally celebrating their kills (''Nah ya don't!!!'') This, combined with better voice acting, gives the characters far more depth.

The graphics are great this time around, with far more detailed models and textures, improved draw distance, and some great visual effects like haze and more realistic sandstorms. The environments are also far more detailed and convincing, especially the urban areas. There's a lot more lighting effects this time around too, as many of your missions take place at night or inside buildings.

One major improvement worth noting is in the inventory system. One of my major gripes with the first game was that there was no 'hot-key' system for important items like medikits, hand grenades and LAWs. This time, you can quickly jump to grenades, medikits and weapons by pressing pre-set buttons whilst in the inventory, meaning that you'll never again be left searching frantically for your LAW whilst a T-62 bears down on you. There's also an option in the menu to restart the mission, which is handy since it saves reloading if it all goes wrong.

There's some nice little additions to the weapons, like the White Phosphorous grenades. The official line on these is that they are 'smoke grenades', but in reality (and the game) they are extremely effective at clearing enemy positions, although anti-personnel use is technically illegal under the Geneva Convention. The SAS and Delta Forces have relevant weapons too, although the only real difference is the sniper rifles (the SAS use their Accuracy International L96a1, Delta us the H&K PSG1).

The AI is leaps and bounds ahead of the first, demonstrating realistic soldier behaviour like zig-zagging when running, effective use of cover, and teamwork. Another notable point on your foes is the rag-doll physics engine, which makes them topple and crumple realistically according to where they were hit, whether they were standing or running, etc.

Other than that, the play dynamics are basically the same as the first, only slicker, more fun and more rounded out. The missions and objectives are varied and interesting, and although there's only ten missions this time around, it's by no means a short game, with some of the huge missions taking an hour or more to complete. If you enjoy it once you'll definitely want to play it again too, so there's a good lifespan to this game.

VERDICT -

This game oozes style, and the gameplay is extremely intense and engaging. It requires a lot of thought and on-the-fly, improvisational planning, so for this reason I'd recommend this game more to military, strategy and tactics enthusiasts rather than those looking for a quick blast. But don't get the wrong impression, this game is extremely action packed and there is never a dull moment. The graphics and sound are superb, the difficulty is challenging, and the missions are superb fun. I highly recommend this game to newcomers, and fans of the original will love this game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/09/03