Operation Flashpoint: Red River

Red River may not be as hardcore as its predecessors, while still being not nearly as "cool" and "mass market compatible" as the CoDs and MoHs out there, but it's still is a pretty good game. Especially, if you manage to grab yourself three friends for some intense Coop-Multiplayer-Action.

Whack-a-mole warfare done right with terrific weapon handling, but the missions keep you on too short a leash. [July 2011, p.66]

We think it's better than Dragon Rising, and the fact they've taken the "less is more" approach and focused on a couple of key features has been to their credit. It's got some good moments in it, but playing with friends is key and we question the longevity of this title, so the post-release DLC better be good and regular.

Red River greatly improves Dragon Rising, with a few tweaks in the gameplay, better combat and better management of the orders we can give to our squad. But due to a few visual issues and several problems with the AI, this game doesn't reach the level of ARMA. The co-op modes are the best of the game.

Neither Flashpoint nor as bad as some say. It is fairly entertaining but surprisingly unambitious milsim light. [May 2011]

Codemasters couldn't deliver a decent military simulation, so it just created a gane that's meant to be funny and entertaining. Don't expect an alternative to games like ARMA, but it's still a good game, just not a very good one.

It is better than Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, so those who liked that one will like this new installment. But those unconvinced by the previous game won't change their opinion with this new entry, as it improves on it, but doesn't evolve or change much.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River is at its best when you play the cooperative mode. The gameplay is realistic and you really have to work together if you want to survive. When you play the game alone there isn't much fun to be had, partly due to the weak AI.

It's merely capable, with occasional flashpoints of brilliance.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River manages to establish the franchise between the traditional adrenaline-based Call of Duties and the simulation-based gameplay from the Armed Assault series. It´s at its best as a co-op tactical shooter, and could have gained even more ground on its rivals with better visuals, a slightly improved AI and more variation in the level design.

It's a real shame that Codemasters hasn't created a more involving set of missions with Red River, its campaign sagging at both ends of its entertaining middle, and while their attempt at streamlining the experience lessens the series' frustrations, the core game will still prove too delicate for many players.

Red River is not a rival to modern high-budget, high-tech blockbusters. It looks worse than Modern Warfare 2 or Black Ops, and you can't destroy the environment like in Battlefield: Bad Company. But, compared to its overly serious predecessor, this game is a real gift.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River features realistic and challenging missions but is often hampered by poor AI and other frustrations.

Operation Flashpoint turns out to be a quite acceptable first person shooter, that requires a lot of tactics. Unfortunately the game shows the same problems as its predecessor Dragon Rising: bad AI and boring repetitive missions.

Operation Flashpoint's efforts to deliver a tactical-based FPS experience are admirable. Unfortunately, the poor AI prevents the game from succeeding, leaving the cooperative multiplayer as its one saving grace.

Nothing has changed. The second time Codemasters's Operation Flashpoint is a average military action game with some nice moments but also has annoying bugs. [Issue#204]

Instead of shoring up Dragon Rising's shortcomings and improving the Operation Flashpoint experience, this sequel stubbornly clings to the quest for realism while ignoring the technical issues plaguing both games. [June 2011, p.90]

It's quite realistic, yes, but it's also full of bugs, sloppy visuals and crippled AI. [June 2011, p.81]

Operation Flashpoint: Red River was supposed to interest new, less experienced players but they will be repelled by low damage resistance and non-regenerating health. War simulation lovers on the other hand won't find any alternative for their favorite games even if they acknowledge some simplifications. The result is a mediocre game that plays well only with other real players - but only those who value cooperation more than competition.

If you are into shooters, then there are definitely better titles than this one. Operation Flashpoint: Red River suffers from slow pacing and too much time not even taking part in firefights. It deals more with having you playing Nurse Nightingale healing yourself and your team than a death-dealing marine. If that sounds like your idea of a good time, then go nuts.

The idea of an open-ended, multi-squad, strategic, cooperative shooter is incredible, and during those short bursts when Red River comes together-especially when playing with friends-there are few games like it. But there are so many issues, both large and small, that you'll have to overlook a lot of flaws in order to enjoy it.

Perhaps the console kiddies might think this is tactical compared to Call of Duty, but no PC gamer will find this satisfying. [July 2011, p.69]

Red River takes all the things the Flashpoint name is associated with – creative, emergent destruction and go-anywhere realism – and lets them wash away. It tries to be a bombastic shooter, but dodgy AI, a warren of bugs and an unpleasant tone mean the few gulps of fun you could draw from its waters are to be taken in multiplayer only.