Those familiar with my reviews know that they aren't serious in nature. From Solitaire to SkiFree, my reviews often are humorous in nature in an attempt to lighten the mood of an otherwise fairly serious practice: The reviewing of games. This review, however, is going to be serious in nature, and on going.
'Serious' because this is a game that I've been waiting a while for, and because it's a rather niche game. Not everyone is going to enjoy the simulation-type gameplay, and I've already read a few reviews and previews where the person writing started off by saying it wasn't their type of game, or by comparing it to Call of Duty. Both big mistakes. So I'm making it serious so that those genuinely interested can at least can a fair understanding of the game.
And 'on going', because I'll admit I've only completed three missions so far, as well as have yet to try the multiplayer. I will be updating this review once I've got further in the game, as well as tried the multiplayer. I feel as though I've played (And died) enough to get the ball rolling, however, and make this 'review' actually useful.
And so, let's begin!
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Reviewed for Xbox 360
True sequel, or not true sequel...does it even matter?
For those unfamiliar with the Operation Flashpoint series, this game is actually the second made. The first came out in 2001 and filled a military simulation hole that was, at the time, largely unfulfilled. One hit kills (And deaths), long range infantry combat, massive open battlefield, squad control, and a gritty realism that left many gamers too frusterated to give the game it's fair shot. But for the rest of us, it was awesome. No rambo-style game play here. You followed orders, you moved slow, you used real tactics, and you got a small taste of what war is. Not Hollywood-style run and gun, but a shockingly different and difficult style of shooter.
Now, 8 years later, the company that made the original has since moved on to make ArmA and ArmA 2. Two similar, hyper-realistic military shooters for the same crowd who fell in love with the true original. Codemasters picked up the Flashpoint license, and this is raised the ire of some of the hard-core fans. Calling it 'not a true sequel' and 'dumbed down', some aren't even giving the game the time of day. And this, I think, is a mistake. Indeed, Dragon Rising isn't as 'complex' as ArmA 1 or 2, but I will say that this is the most realistic shooter to grace multiplatforms, and I think it does the Flashpoint brand proud. Not a true sequel? Maybe. But if you're a fan of the series, and the unofficial sequels of Arma, then you should give this at least a fair shot.
Move out! And keep moving! And then die.
Let me make 2 things clear about Dragon Rising: You run a lot, and you'll die a lot.
If you're looking for a military style shooter to tide you over until Modern Warfare 2 comes out, then you're looking at the wrong game. Not that this isn't a military shooter, but the two games are so extremely different, that I wouldn't even consider them part of the same genre. If you want run-and-gun action, go play something else. Seriously, stop reading. This game is slow paced, methodical, and unforgiving. Call of Duty is fast-paced, twitch style gameplay with recharging health. Call of Duty, compared with Dragon Rising, is more akin to Unreal Tournament. I'm not saying one game is better than the other, but just that they are extremely different. You cannot compare them. It would be like comparing Gears of War to Scribblenauts. Two totally different games.
The Look, Sound, and Controls of War
Let's start with the graphics quickly, since they will be the first thing you see. The textures aren't the highest resolution around, but when you consider the draw distance (30 km) on this massive island, you start to understand that not everything is going to be super crisp and clear if you want to maintain decent frame-rates. On the whole, however, I'd say the game looks excellent. The draw distance is indeed excellent, the guns look fantastic, soldier models look and animate well (With a few exceptions), explosions are pretty (With a few exceptions...I'll be getting to these exceptions in a minute, no worries), and vehicles also look excellent. Is it the best looking game around? No. But the graphics won't break immersion (Least ways, they haven't yet for me).
Sound I'll only touch briefly on, since you cannot say anything really bad about it. Ambient sounds, gun sounds, vehicle sounds, ricochets, bullets hitting around you...it all sounds amazing. And I'm just using the speakers on my TV. Had I a surround sound system, I'm sure I could go on about it. There are a few exceptions, but I'll explain those later, as stated.
The controls are your standard FPS fare. I personally didn't adjust the sensitivity, and found it works just fine as is. Everything is easy to find and get used to. The slight exception would be item select, with the squad command being a greater exception. Again, the next section has all the gripes. Speaking of which...
Glitches, complaints, and controlling your squad
The first thing I did when I got the game was install it to my 360 hard-drive. I've heard this helps load times quite a bit, and so I did that first. I did not play the game with it not installed. I've heard some say it's a must-do, So I didn't risk it. Feel free to comment if you're playing without it installed and are noticing anything different then what I'm saying here.
Keeping in mind my quasi-limited time playing the single player, I have encountered only 1 glitch thus far. During a mid-mission update from my CO (Commanding Officer), the sound cut out of his speaking, and I missed what he said for an objective. So I have since turned on subtitles. It hasn't happened again, but I'm ready in case it does. The subtitles aren't too intrusive, and I like being able to read them (Since I can read far faster then they can speak) but it does hinder the immersion a bit.
The biggest gripe I've heard across all reviews is squad control and AI. Squad control is done by holding the right bumper (On the 360) to bring on a command radial, and then using the D-Pad to navigate through menus to get your squad to do what you want. The most obvious choices are usually available by pressing up or down on the D-pad as soon as you hold the button (Move there, follow me, enter vehicle, assault house, engage enemy, etc). So basic commands are easy and quick to do. The deeper you want it, however, the more complicated it can be.
Ordering your men to 'fire at will', for example, requires you to press 'left, up, up' on the D-pad. This eventually becomes easier as you remember where orders are, but initially when you're reading the menus, it can get a little frustrating. Especially when under fire. This is doubly frustrating when you realize that you cannot move when the command radial is up. It's easy to simply let go of the bumper if you need to, but allowing for movement would have been a good idea.
Thankfully, memorizing the commands hasn't proven a daunting task thus far, and the menus move instantly. Which means you'll be ordering as fast as your thumbs can move, rather then waiting for the menus to 'move' or 'load'. Harder at first, but it gets easier.
The AI is a bit iffy on your squad as well. They followed my orders to the T, which means they were on 'hold fire' so that they wouldn't shoot (We were being stealthy). Well an enemy patrol spotted us and opened fire. I fired back and kept firing and then realized my men were holding very true to their orders, even when getting pegged in the chest. C'mon guys! You don't need to hear it from me to defend yourselves! But, apparently, they do. Formations and getting cover are also a bit iffy. Formations not so much, actually, as they will stick to it. This means, though, that they will be sitting out in the open when getting shot at times, and choosing to remain in formation rather then get into cover. So it's a goo idea, when engaging, to order your men to move to cover (Right bumper and up on the D-pad, remember!).
Enemy AI isn't perfect, but it's certainly passable. A few brain-farts here and there, but nothing game breaking.
They'll find you, fix you, and flank you.
The checkpoint system can be a bit annoying at times as well. One mission had me blowing up a missile truck. When I did, however, I was under fire from a gunship and a squad of enemy soldier. Not too great, right? Well I blow it up in the midst of this fire-fight, and then what happens? Checkpoint! I continue the mission, get a little further, and take a round from a soldier in the bushes. I'm dead. Ok, no problem! Reload to last checkpoint..."WE'RE UNDER FIRE! GET DOWN! ENEMY GUNSHIP!" What?? Augh! After dying in that situation 4 times, I managed to get my squad out unscathed, but it certainly was frustrating at the time.
As I said earlier, the animations are great. My only gripe about them is when entering vehicles, you don't actually 'enter' the vehicle. You just press 'A' and you teleport inside and into a seat. Same with your squad. You order them to enter, they'll approach and BAAM! They are suddenly and instantly inside. No opening doors, no clamoring inside. It's totally binary. In or out. A little annoying, but not really game breaking.
Final Thoughts...For Now
As I said, I'll be updating this review once I've tried more of the multiplayer features such as CO-OP (I'm Baby Tea on XBL if anyone wants to play sometime) and the VS modes. But, from what I've play so far, I'm very happy with what the game is: A realistic, slower paced approach to the military shooter that'll excite you for the tension of moving through the trees toward your objective as well as for the gun battles. This isn't Call of Duty or GRAW 2. This is Operation Flashpoint, and I love it. It looks great, it sounds great, it plays great, and I can't wait to get back to playing again tonight.
--BT
UPDATE 1: Singeplayer, How I Love Thee...
I have yet to try the multiplayer, mostly because my evening have been far to busy with 'real life' stuff to really give it the time it deserves. I have, however, been able to play 3 of the single missions (That are separate from the campaign), as well as 3 more missions of the actual campaign. So let me post some affirmations and clarifications here, now that I've had more time to run around the battlefield with my AI squad.
I love this game. I'll say that now and quickly because it isn't perfect, but man is it a blast. One of my recent missions involved rescuing a downed helicopter pilot, and it's been my favourite so far. From rescuing 'echo team' at the beginning, to taking down a patrol of PLA soldiers, to clearing an AA site, to fighting my way into the town where the pilot is holed up, to fighting my way out to get to extraction...that 45 to 1 hour long missions was just awesome. My squad performed well (Even if I didn't), it was tense, and it was awesome.
Downsides? Sure there are. Two come to mind that I found were a bit annoying, the second one nearly costing me a mission. First is in a mission where I had to take an airfield with other squads. It started out great, and stayed great up until the very end. An enemy helicopter came into view, and I was ordered to shoot it down with an AA gun...that I had to find. No indicators of where it would be. As I was frantically looking for this AA gun that's somewhere, my sqaud got lit up by incoming APCs. We won, but I failed that secondary objective (Never shot it down). That annoyed me.
Secondly, in the mission I just completed this morning, there was a fantastic stealth mission. Everything was going amazing. My squad was in tight formation, we were avoiding patrols like pros, and I took down the lone sentry with an epic, silenced, single shot to the back of his skull. Good night! The problem was that I had to wait for a diversion from another squad to lure a ton of enemies out of this fuel depot I was in. So I waited...and waited...and waited. Finally after about, seriously, 8 minutes, I get radio confirmation that things are going well! That they'll pull the guys from the base! Great! So I wait on this hill watching all the enemies...nobody moves. Nobody changes patrol patterns. Nothing. So, being the impatient guy I am (Or was at that time, at least), I just go in and get the mission done. Of course, all the enemies are still there, so my whole squad gets killed except for me. Now I'm playing on 'Normal' right now to make sure I get a feel for the game, so my squad was 'healed' when I got the next checkpoint, but if I was playing on any other difficulty, my squad would be dead men, and I probably would to. That annoyed me.
I've also noticed two clipping glitches so far. Enemies half-way between walls. It's very rare (Only twice in all the fire-fights I've been in?), but it has happened. Certainly not a deal breaker due to it's rarity, but it's something to keep an eye out for.
Beyond those three gripes, I love this game. And I still enjoyed both those 'bad' missions very very much. I'm for sure getting used to the squad commands (Flanking and formation changes), and I can't get enough. It's just awesome. The next, and last, update I do will encompass the multiplayer (Both Co-op and and VS modes). I'm pretty excited.
Multiplayer: Peer hosting, silence, and hilarity.
I decided to skip my Krav Maga class last night, since my wife would be out of the house and it would give me a full evening to dive into the Multiplayer of this game I've been enjoying since it's release. I tried every game mode, though admittedly spent more time in the co-op games then the adversarial ones. I had good experiences, bad ones, and now I'll be sharing them all with you in this final update for this review.
Lag. It's a word that can frustrate the most seasoned of online gamers, and it'll annoy you here. Why? Because there are no dedicated servers. It's all peer hosting. Meaning if I start a game, it's being hosted by my connection. And if I have a 'not the greatest' connection, then everyone else will lag out, or complain and leave. Same goes for me with roles reversed. The upside is that lag is only really noticeable when you're driving a vehicle, which I hate doing anyways (Makes me fee less in control). The trick is finding someone close to you, and the lag meter updates frequently enough when you're in the game lobby to let you know what type of game you're getting into lag-wise.
I'm going to say something that seems a little weird, but here me out: This game is like Left 4 Dead. No, there are no zombies or 'hordes' or 'AI Directors' or whatever. But, there is something that both games absolutely need if the multiplayer is not going to be hair rippingly frustrating: communication. You can't play 'infiltration' and assault an enemy base when you're all running around doing your own thing. You can't. Everyone will die, and the game will be over. Especially if the other team is even half-working together. It makes that much of a difference. Talk to people! Coordinate attacks! set up an ambush! ANYTHING! Just don't run around in circles or charge head-long into the enemy base! You'll die, and we'll all lose. This goes double for Co-op. Why double? Because the enemy AI always works together! So if we aren't, we're dead. I played a co-op match where it was all silent, and it was terrible. I'm trying to stick with my team and kill guys but they'll run off without telling me, and one guy got shot and bled out and we had no idea (Hardcore mode) since he never said anything.
Talk or die, people! Talk or die!
But there are great moments here too. I left that Co-op match and joined another. Good ping, and everyone was talking. It was a great group. Well, mostly great. The 'team leader' (Host) was some obvious 13 or 14 year old kid (The immature, annoying kind), but the other two guys were funny, good guys who were great to play with. They were calling out enemies, providing back up, cracking jokes, and everything else you'd expect from a good co-op experience. It was a good time. I'm sad to say I've yet to have that in an adversarial match, but I'm sure now that it's just because I haven't found the right people to play with (Feel free to add me on XBL, by the way. My gamertag is in my profile).
So finally I can come to a conclusion, after trying everything! And here it is:
The single player is a blast, the multiplayer isn't perfect, but gimme some 'normal' players and the co-op mode and you've got a real winner. I'll be playing this game for some time, and look forward to see how this community fleshes out, especially after Modern Warfare 2's release. Hopefully it'll be like the GRAW 2 community: A bunch of guys who love the game and are looking to have fun.
Sign me up.
--BT
'Serious' because this is a game that I've been waiting a while for, and because it's a rather niche game. Not everyone is going to enjoy the simulation-type gameplay, and I've already read a few reviews and previews where the person writing started off by saying it wasn't their type of game, or by comparing it to Call of Duty. Both big mistakes. So I'm making it serious so that those genuinely interested can at least can a fair understanding of the game.
And 'on going', because I'll admit I've only completed three missions so far, as well as have yet to try the multiplayer. I will be updating this review once I've got further in the game, as well as tried the multiplayer. I feel as though I've played (And died) enough to get the ball rolling, however, and make this 'review' actually useful.
And so, let's begin!
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Reviewed for Xbox 360
True sequel, or not true sequel...does it even matter?
For those unfamiliar with the Operation Flashpoint series, this game is actually the second made. The first came out in 2001 and filled a military simulation hole that was, at the time, largely unfulfilled. One hit kills (And deaths), long range infantry combat, massive open battlefield, squad control, and a gritty realism that left many gamers too frusterated to give the game it's fair shot. But for the rest of us, it was awesome. No rambo-style game play here. You followed orders, you moved slow, you used real tactics, and you got a small taste of what war is. Not Hollywood-style run and gun, but a shockingly different and difficult style of shooter.
Now, 8 years later, the company that made the original has since moved on to make ArmA and ArmA 2. Two similar, hyper-realistic military shooters for the same crowd who fell in love with the true original. Codemasters picked up the Flashpoint license, and this is raised the ire of some of the hard-core fans. Calling it 'not a true sequel' and 'dumbed down', some aren't even giving the game the time of day. And this, I think, is a mistake. Indeed, Dragon Rising isn't as 'complex' as ArmA 1 or 2, but I will say that this is the most realistic shooter to grace multiplatforms, and I think it does the Flashpoint brand proud. Not a true sequel? Maybe. But if you're a fan of the series, and the unofficial sequels of Arma, then you should give this at least a fair shot.
Move out! And keep moving! And then die.
Let me make 2 things clear about Dragon Rising: You run a lot, and you'll die a lot.
If you're looking for a military style shooter to tide you over until Modern Warfare 2 comes out, then you're looking at the wrong game. Not that this isn't a military shooter, but the two games are so extremely different, that I wouldn't even consider them part of the same genre. If you want run-and-gun action, go play something else. Seriously, stop reading. This game is slow paced, methodical, and unforgiving. Call of Duty is fast-paced, twitch style gameplay with recharging health. Call of Duty, compared with Dragon Rising, is more akin to Unreal Tournament. I'm not saying one game is better than the other, but just that they are extremely different. You cannot compare them. It would be like comparing Gears of War to Scribblenauts. Two totally different games.
The Look, Sound, and Controls of War
Let's start with the graphics quickly, since they will be the first thing you see. The textures aren't the highest resolution around, but when you consider the draw distance (30 km) on this massive island, you start to understand that not everything is going to be super crisp and clear if you want to maintain decent frame-rates. On the whole, however, I'd say the game looks excellent. The draw distance is indeed excellent, the guns look fantastic, soldier models look and animate well (With a few exceptions), explosions are pretty (With a few exceptions...I'll be getting to these exceptions in a minute, no worries), and vehicles also look excellent. Is it the best looking game around? No. But the graphics won't break immersion (Least ways, they haven't yet for me).
Sound I'll only touch briefly on, since you cannot say anything really bad about it. Ambient sounds, gun sounds, vehicle sounds, ricochets, bullets hitting around you...it all sounds amazing. And I'm just using the speakers on my TV. Had I a surround sound system, I'm sure I could go on about it. There are a few exceptions, but I'll explain those later, as stated.
The controls are your standard FPS fare. I personally didn't adjust the sensitivity, and found it works just fine as is. Everything is easy to find and get used to. The slight exception would be item select, with the squad command being a greater exception. Again, the next section has all the gripes. Speaking of which...
Glitches, complaints, and controlling your squad
The first thing I did when I got the game was install it to my 360 hard-drive. I've heard this helps load times quite a bit, and so I did that first. I did not play the game with it not installed. I've heard some say it's a must-do, So I didn't risk it. Feel free to comment if you're playing without it installed and are noticing anything different then what I'm saying here.
Keeping in mind my quasi-limited time playing the single player, I have encountered only 1 glitch thus far. During a mid-mission update from my CO (Commanding Officer), the sound cut out of his speaking, and I missed what he said for an objective. So I have since turned on subtitles. It hasn't happened again, but I'm ready in case it does. The subtitles aren't too intrusive, and I like being able to read them (Since I can read far faster then they can speak) but it does hinder the immersion a bit.
The biggest gripe I've heard across all reviews is squad control and AI. Squad control is done by holding the right bumper (On the 360) to bring on a command radial, and then using the D-Pad to navigate through menus to get your squad to do what you want. The most obvious choices are usually available by pressing up or down on the D-pad as soon as you hold the button (Move there, follow me, enter vehicle, assault house, engage enemy, etc). So basic commands are easy and quick to do. The deeper you want it, however, the more complicated it can be.
Ordering your men to 'fire at will', for example, requires you to press 'left, up, up' on the D-pad. This eventually becomes easier as you remember where orders are, but initially when you're reading the menus, it can get a little frustrating. Especially when under fire. This is doubly frustrating when you realize that you cannot move when the command radial is up. It's easy to simply let go of the bumper if you need to, but allowing for movement would have been a good idea.
Thankfully, memorizing the commands hasn't proven a daunting task thus far, and the menus move instantly. Which means you'll be ordering as fast as your thumbs can move, rather then waiting for the menus to 'move' or 'load'. Harder at first, but it gets easier.
The AI is a bit iffy on your squad as well. They followed my orders to the T, which means they were on 'hold fire' so that they wouldn't shoot (We were being stealthy). Well an enemy patrol spotted us and opened fire. I fired back and kept firing and then realized my men were holding very true to their orders, even when getting pegged in the chest. C'mon guys! You don't need to hear it from me to defend yourselves! But, apparently, they do. Formations and getting cover are also a bit iffy. Formations not so much, actually, as they will stick to it. This means, though, that they will be sitting out in the open when getting shot at times, and choosing to remain in formation rather then get into cover. So it's a goo idea, when engaging, to order your men to move to cover (Right bumper and up on the D-pad, remember!).
Enemy AI isn't perfect, but it's certainly passable. A few brain-farts here and there, but nothing game breaking.
They'll find you, fix you, and flank you.
The checkpoint system can be a bit annoying at times as well. One mission had me blowing up a missile truck. When I did, however, I was under fire from a gunship and a squad of enemy soldier. Not too great, right? Well I blow it up in the midst of this fire-fight, and then what happens? Checkpoint! I continue the mission, get a little further, and take a round from a soldier in the bushes. I'm dead. Ok, no problem! Reload to last checkpoint..."WE'RE UNDER FIRE! GET DOWN! ENEMY GUNSHIP!" What?? Augh! After dying in that situation 4 times, I managed to get my squad out unscathed, but it certainly was frustrating at the time.
As I said earlier, the animations are great. My only gripe about them is when entering vehicles, you don't actually 'enter' the vehicle. You just press 'A' and you teleport inside and into a seat. Same with your squad. You order them to enter, they'll approach and BAAM! They are suddenly and instantly inside. No opening doors, no clamoring inside. It's totally binary. In or out. A little annoying, but not really game breaking.
Final Thoughts...For Now
As I said, I'll be updating this review once I've tried more of the multiplayer features such as CO-OP (I'm Baby Tea on XBL if anyone wants to play sometime) and the VS modes. But, from what I've play so far, I'm very happy with what the game is: A realistic, slower paced approach to the military shooter that'll excite you for the tension of moving through the trees toward your objective as well as for the gun battles. This isn't Call of Duty or GRAW 2. This is Operation Flashpoint, and I love it. It looks great, it sounds great, it plays great, and I can't wait to get back to playing again tonight.
--BT
UPDATE 1: Singeplayer, How I Love Thee...
I have yet to try the multiplayer, mostly because my evening have been far to busy with 'real life' stuff to really give it the time it deserves. I have, however, been able to play 3 of the single missions (That are separate from the campaign), as well as 3 more missions of the actual campaign. So let me post some affirmations and clarifications here, now that I've had more time to run around the battlefield with my AI squad.
I love this game. I'll say that now and quickly because it isn't perfect, but man is it a blast. One of my recent missions involved rescuing a downed helicopter pilot, and it's been my favourite so far. From rescuing 'echo team' at the beginning, to taking down a patrol of PLA soldiers, to clearing an AA site, to fighting my way into the town where the pilot is holed up, to fighting my way out to get to extraction...that 45 to 1 hour long missions was just awesome. My squad performed well (Even if I didn't), it was tense, and it was awesome.
Downsides? Sure there are. Two come to mind that I found were a bit annoying, the second one nearly costing me a mission. First is in a mission where I had to take an airfield with other squads. It started out great, and stayed great up until the very end. An enemy helicopter came into view, and I was ordered to shoot it down with an AA gun...that I had to find. No indicators of where it would be. As I was frantically looking for this AA gun that's somewhere, my sqaud got lit up by incoming APCs. We won, but I failed that secondary objective (Never shot it down). That annoyed me.
Secondly, in the mission I just completed this morning, there was a fantastic stealth mission. Everything was going amazing. My squad was in tight formation, we were avoiding patrols like pros, and I took down the lone sentry with an epic, silenced, single shot to the back of his skull. Good night! The problem was that I had to wait for a diversion from another squad to lure a ton of enemies out of this fuel depot I was in. So I waited...and waited...and waited. Finally after about, seriously, 8 minutes, I get radio confirmation that things are going well! That they'll pull the guys from the base! Great! So I wait on this hill watching all the enemies...nobody moves. Nobody changes patrol patterns. Nothing. So, being the impatient guy I am (Or was at that time, at least), I just go in and get the mission done. Of course, all the enemies are still there, so my whole squad gets killed except for me. Now I'm playing on 'Normal' right now to make sure I get a feel for the game, so my squad was 'healed' when I got the next checkpoint, but if I was playing on any other difficulty, my squad would be dead men, and I probably would to. That annoyed me.
I've also noticed two clipping glitches so far. Enemies half-way between walls. It's very rare (Only twice in all the fire-fights I've been in?), but it has happened. Certainly not a deal breaker due to it's rarity, but it's something to keep an eye out for.
Beyond those three gripes, I love this game. And I still enjoyed both those 'bad' missions very very much. I'm for sure getting used to the squad commands (Flanking and formation changes), and I can't get enough. It's just awesome. The next, and last, update I do will encompass the multiplayer (Both Co-op and and VS modes). I'm pretty excited.
Multiplayer: Peer hosting, silence, and hilarity.
I decided to skip my Krav Maga class last night, since my wife would be out of the house and it would give me a full evening to dive into the Multiplayer of this game I've been enjoying since it's release. I tried every game mode, though admittedly spent more time in the co-op games then the adversarial ones. I had good experiences, bad ones, and now I'll be sharing them all with you in this final update for this review.
Lag. It's a word that can frustrate the most seasoned of online gamers, and it'll annoy you here. Why? Because there are no dedicated servers. It's all peer hosting. Meaning if I start a game, it's being hosted by my connection. And if I have a 'not the greatest' connection, then everyone else will lag out, or complain and leave. Same goes for me with roles reversed. The upside is that lag is only really noticeable when you're driving a vehicle, which I hate doing anyways (Makes me fee less in control). The trick is finding someone close to you, and the lag meter updates frequently enough when you're in the game lobby to let you know what type of game you're getting into lag-wise.
I'm going to say something that seems a little weird, but here me out: This game is like Left 4 Dead. No, there are no zombies or 'hordes' or 'AI Directors' or whatever. But, there is something that both games absolutely need if the multiplayer is not going to be hair rippingly frustrating: communication. You can't play 'infiltration' and assault an enemy base when you're all running around doing your own thing. You can't. Everyone will die, and the game will be over. Especially if the other team is even half-working together. It makes that much of a difference. Talk to people! Coordinate attacks! set up an ambush! ANYTHING! Just don't run around in circles or charge head-long into the enemy base! You'll die, and we'll all lose. This goes double for Co-op. Why double? Because the enemy AI always works together! So if we aren't, we're dead. I played a co-op match where it was all silent, and it was terrible. I'm trying to stick with my team and kill guys but they'll run off without telling me, and one guy got shot and bled out and we had no idea (Hardcore mode) since he never said anything.
Talk or die, people! Talk or die!
But there are great moments here too. I left that Co-op match and joined another. Good ping, and everyone was talking. It was a great group. Well, mostly great. The 'team leader' (Host) was some obvious 13 or 14 year old kid (The immature, annoying kind), but the other two guys were funny, good guys who were great to play with. They were calling out enemies, providing back up, cracking jokes, and everything else you'd expect from a good co-op experience. It was a good time. I'm sad to say I've yet to have that in an adversarial match, but I'm sure now that it's just because I haven't found the right people to play with (Feel free to add me on XBL, by the way. My gamertag is in my profile).
So finally I can come to a conclusion, after trying everything! And here it is:
The single player is a blast, the multiplayer isn't perfect, but gimme some 'normal' players and the co-op mode and you've got a real winner. I'll be playing this game for some time, and look forward to see how this community fleshes out, especially after Modern Warfare 2's release. Hopefully it'll be like the GRAW 2 community: A bunch of guys who love the game and are looking to have fun.
Sign me up.
--BT
R?particularly for things like deaths and so on. The other positive that comes to mind is the radial menus used in the interface; I've always liked radial menus. While those two things are positive, there are a few solid reasons why it gets a no-go for me in the multiplayer gaming department. 
