Operation Flashpoint: Red River

 PC
User Score
4.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 115 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 115
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 115
  3. Negative: 54 out of 115
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  1. PC-Gamer-Fan
    Apr 26, 2011
    8
    Never played the other OpFlash games or BF/Arma series so cannot say how it compares to them. All I can say is that its a pretty solid squad based game which is highly playable in SP with 3AI squad mates but as with most games there are some very minor AI path glitches you just repeat the command again or move slightly or wait for the AI to sort itself out (which is does at all times). ItsNever played the other OpFlash games or BF/Arma series so cannot say how it compares to them. All I can say is that its a pretty solid squad based game which is highly playable in SP with 3AI squad mates but as with most games there are some very minor AI path glitches you just repeat the command again or move slightly or wait for the AI to sort itself out (which is does at all times). Its designed more around 3 Co-OP squad mates than SP anyway & all the MP is Co-Op based you just start a match & invite friends or let randoms join you decide how & can select plenty of other MP options to kick/host private matches etc etc.

    As a game this plays like a cross between: Ghost Recon & Rainbow Six Vegas but set in the Afghanistan hills/villages. No QTE's whatsoever in this game anywhere for once you the player get to chose what you do gameplay wise but there are set objectives for each mission & some need doing within a reasonable time limit (the ingame pace is slow/careful most of the time anyway). If you stray too far away from the mission area you get warned by text & the screen starts to distort giving you enough time to return otherwise you fail the mission. In each of the 10 Campaign missions you get a bunch of sub goals to achieve before it will be complete. Some missions take well over an hour to complete as well its all about squad tactics & the right weapon at the right time if you go in all guns blazing thats not always the best way to do this so unlike most recent games you actually have to use your brain a lot!!

    I would say it has at least twice the gameplay of Crysis2+CODBlack Ops combined!!! (not hard I know!! LOL).

    Ignore most mainstream reviews as well they were not paying attention especially all the BS about controls not working at all or units not responding duh that's because in some missions you cannot just call in air/ground support strikes from copters/planes/tanks/AA guns until you get the radio messages to say so its not like you have unlimited strike calls only in some missions & only when the time is right like you knocked out the ground AA so the jets can launch missiles etc etc. This is a game you have to pay attention in to hear the audio messages as it does not guide you on rails or hold your hand much (although it does generate ingame markers to the next objective).

    The gfx are reasonable. It uses the EGO engine again and is DX9 only. Plenty of graphical options to adjust (2 pages worth) but its very well made so runs a constant 60FPS @ 1920x1200 with max everything including x8MSAA. For some reason it only supports Trilinear x8AF & as with most recent PC games there are several low res console textures but they are not that noticeable & no worse than other recent games. The big thing about the gfx are the size of the battle field its absolutely massive (not quite Fallout3 but bigger than any other PC FPS I can think of) & there is zero ingame loading (even the between missions loading is minimal anyway).

    Audio is passable & the ingame troop banter is full of swear words especially Sgt Knox (played by the actor Al Matthews who played the squad sgt in the movie Aliens in 1986!!! he is also quite funny & well OTT. The tone of the game is Team America vs Insurgents!

    Controls are pretty flawless. Keyboard + Mouse are fully configurable it also supports both the wired/wireless X360 controller. There was a day 1 patch (takes less than 2 mins to update/download) which fixes some very minor issues.

    There are several menus for customising your character class & other game aspects like ingame menus/positions etc etc. If you play it on hardcore you get no ingame onscreen menus at all so need a good memory for all the commands but will struggle to survive unless you have 3 decent human Co-Op players. It obviously uses GFWL for LIVE achievements/Co-Op but thats pretty seamless nowadays just make sure your using an online profile & your good to go for Co-Op.

    Not the best game ever made by far but also not the worse & pretty solid & bugs/glitches are very very low & unusually for a 2011 PC game you have to think for yourself & not just hit a single button to progress! I would give it 7.5/10 overall if it had ultra high res textures then perhaps a little more but you do not notice the low res ones that much anyway.    … Expand
  2. StigHunter
    Jun 15, 2011
    10
    I specifically signed up on metacritic just to submit this review. Red River is a significant improvement over Dragon Rising. I even reinstalled DR just to be sure. I DO miss the editor, but even that was not great in DR compared to ARMA 2. The movement and control of your people is much more accurate and just feels better then in DR where I feel like I'm walking around in mud. TheI specifically signed up on metacritic just to submit this review. Red River is a significant improvement over Dragon Rising. I even reinstalled DR just to be sure. I DO miss the editor, but even that was not great in DR compared to ARMA 2. The movement and control of your people is much more accurate and just feels better then in DR where I feel like I'm walking around in mud. The re-playability is terrific and makes you want to try the different soldier classes just to be able to unlock more weapon options. The tracer ricochet effects are well done as are the echo effects of the guns firing. There are some annoyances however such as: you can't skip the long ingress or egress of the missions where you have to listen to Knox rambling about his 10 rules to live by while riding in the back of your transport, be it a chopper or truck. You CAN skip the campaign intro movies however. Another issue and perhaps the biggest in the game (yes even after the latest patch) is the trouble of your AI constantly walking in front of you while you are engaging the enemy. I wish the dev's would/could make it so that if you are aiming, the squad AI wouldn't move in front of you. They HAVE fixed the issue with your squad AI not taking cover when being attacked. At least it's significantly better then before the patch! I find the best option when playing with AI controlled squad-mates is to just tell them to hold position at a nearby wall or structure. That seems to keep them safe'ish and out of your way! The scenic vistas are well done as is the heat effect coming from the ground. Really makes it feel more believable. I even like the banter between the different company's: Alpha, Bravo (you), and Charlie. The real focus of the game is the multiplayer, in which case you don't have to worry about the issues I mentioned regarding the AI. If you want to take a break from the fairly lengthy campaign missions there are a number of Fire Team Engagements for you to test your skills in both single and multiplayer. Sometimes it's a nice change, and the missions for the most part are much shorter, but you can still level up you character! Almost every time I play the game I see something new that impresses me. You'll see enemies come to the aid of others who are down but not dead, and you're own squad mates will actually USE a grenade launcher if so equipped to take out a vehicle or whatnot. It's really quite impressive when you see them switch to their secondary weapon to clear a building if it's more appropriate. There are still some issues that need to be addressed, but for someone who likes an FPS with a modern combat focus this is a great option.… Expand
  3. SuperDarkDuck
    Apr 26, 2011
    9
    I personally think that operation flashpoint: Red River got a amazing campaign part. I was very captured by the way it was set up, and the co-op when you play with friends or persons you do not know is great fun. And now that you have some levels to build on your character makes you wanna play the same missions over and over.
    But I must disagree with CM taking out the mission editor, which    I personally think that operation flashpoint: Red River got a amazing campaign part. I was very captured by the way it was set up, and the co-op when you play with friends or persons you do not know is great fun. And now that you have some levels to build on your character makes you wanna play the same missions over and over.
    But I must disagree with CM taking out the mission editor, which one of the greatest parts of the game. I surely hope that they will make some DLC for that, or maybe a expansion pack that contains more maps and more campaign options.
    All in all a good game that lacks the part of the players being able to create own material.    … Expand
  4. Achtung
    Apr 29, 2011
    8
    If you are looking for a tactical shooter it is a good game. it is not as hardcore as Arma 2. The story is a realistic could be scenario. It is not a roller coaster ride like COD. The game has a skillpoint system which i think doesn't fit in a realistic shooter. For example, in the beginning your fieteams sniper doesn't hit anything, wich is a bit strange for a trained US marine sniper.If you are looking for a tactical shooter it is a good game. it is not as hardcore as Arma 2. The story is a realistic could be scenario. It is not a roller coaster ride like COD. The game has a skillpoint system which i think doesn't fit in a realistic shooter. For example, in the beginning your fieteams sniper doesn't hit anything, wich is a bit strange for a trained US marine sniper.
    Funny comments from your in game staff sergeant.    … Expand
  5. CCWashout
    Jun 18, 2011
    8
    I have been playing FPSs since the earliest titles (Wolfenstein 3D) and don't restrict myself to one franchise or game type in the genre, playing everything from COD, BF style titles to Arma2. When I saw Red RIver and its feature set (I also know its heritage and don't care for the BIS vs. CM partisan attitudes) I thought this might be the title I was looking for i.e the expansive gameI have been playing FPSs since the earliest titles (Wolfenstein 3D) and don't restrict myself to one franchise or game type in the genre, playing everything from COD, BF style titles to Arma2. When I saw Red RIver and its feature set (I also know its heritage and don't care for the BIS vs. CM partisan attitudes) I thought this might be the title I was looking for i.e the expansive game areas and tactical gameplay of Arma 2, combined with the fluid movement/animations of COD/BF type titles, all wrapped up in co-op multiplayer that I can enjoy with mates. Red River delivers this and is squarley aimed at co-op multiplayer, to the point where single player is good (but not great) and PvP is absent altogether....a brave move really and one that suits me just fine. It also concentrates on the infantry and doesn't spread itself too thin by trying to make every entity player controllable with the inevitable loss of fidelity that squeezing you into a helicopter one minute and tank the next brings with it....this is a godo thing in my book, as I have other titles that fulfill those other needs.

    So from and infantry perspective, the weapons are well modelled with tactical and open bolt reloads and there's a player progression, which opens up attachments and expanded primary and secondary choices.....this is also a good thing as it gives some objectives to aim for a extends replayability.

    AI is as passable as most other titles out there (there are a few annoyances), but as mentioned before co-op multi-play is where this title's at and to appreciate Red River properly you really need some online buddies to go into action with to get the best experience.

    Graphically things look pretty good, with some good effects (heat haze is one of them) - not as good as say Frostbite2 or CryEngine3, but better than most engines out there currently.

    There are a few downsides, which are by no means showstoppers, but do affect enjoyment or replayability and they are: 1. Despite the vistas you see promising vast expanses such as those seen in Arma2, the actual gameplay areas are limited, so what you see is not quite what you can explore (or use for flanking). They're not tiny, but they are not as arge as the view suggests.

    2. The campaign is a little short and there are not enough FTE missions "out of the box" i.e. it needs more content.

    3. The dialogue could do a with a bit of toning down and maybe switching "transmit mode" off on Sgt Knox once in a while and inject a bit of humour to go along with the bombast.

    Conclusion: a worthwhile and pretty unique title amongst FPSs, which could carve itself a niche in the market, provided the baseline product keeps its current focus, gets new content and refines what it has in the future.    … Expand
  6. Calum
    Sep 8, 2011
    10
    Not being a fan of the previous incarnations I have been pleasantly surprised by this title. The shooting is realistic, the enviroments are vast and the interactions between you and your team are priceless. The interface can take a little getting used to but I have to say that this is the most fun I have had with a game all year and that includes Shogun 2, Deus Ex and all the other bigNot being a fan of the previous incarnations I have been pleasantly surprised by this title. The shooting is realistic, the enviroments are vast and the interactions between you and your team are priceless. The interface can take a little getting used to but I have to say that this is the most fun I have had with a game all year and that includes Shogun 2, Deus Ex and all the other big titles. Get this game, unless you are racist and get offended easily by marine-speak.… Expand
  7. Kakaput
    Jun 1, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Simply the best single player or coop game I have ever played. I am genuinely angry at how underrated this game is.
    To understand what makes this such a fantastic game first we have to look at what is wrong with FPS games today. Due to limited space I shall focus on the market leader Call of Duty. Cod 4 was unarguably a masterpiece but every Cod since has simply been a re-branded multiplayer, new maps, new weapons and prettier. And an ever weaker campaign; lots of explosions, ships sinking, buildings collapsing; dynamic events which should spice up game play, but in practice force you to follow a much more linear path through the battlefield. These melodramatic, poorly written, repetitive scenes suck time and money from more important things like game play. Granted call of duty have had a few good game ideas like zombies and spec ops aswell as tank missions but these just compete for space. Why not make some slightly original games out of these. The last good tank game I played was from the 90s.
    If only there was a game like the much more understated (yes I admit a nuclear bomb goes off in your face at one point,) Cod 4. A shooter that is fun because you enjoy shooting things and being the SAS not because you sink a fleet, crash a train, watch chemical weapons used on kids, visit just about every capital city you'd ever want to, blow up a castle and whatever. It's too much!
    Red River gives you 10 missions each lasting a good hour to get to know your character and environment, a small war where you can understand whats going on and feel like you're making a difference. Crucially unlike Cod you actually feel threatened by your enemy, not because you really believe they just gassed most of Europe and have a lot of ships for you to blow up. But because getting shot is actually sorta serious. One shot can and does kill, even if it doesn't you can't just hide behind a wall you have to take time to heal yourself, and while your doing that the enemy is closing in, fast. And when they get close they are really dangerous. So much so that you find yourself avoiding close combat except when you have no choice. You slowly, carefully inch round corners not daring to breathe and when eventually you come to a corner with an enemy behind. That fraction of a second in which you must take them down is infinitely more satisfying or more frustrating even than the multiplayer on Cod 4, yes it wasn't another player but it took you 10 minutes to get here not 10 seconds after your 10th respawn this match.
    And dying really does matter not just because of fewer checkpoints or limited lives in some game modes but because it counts! Just to tell you how s*** you are! The shame when I reached 200 deaths, the statistic floating across the loading screen infront of my friends and family.
    The other complaints I have about the Cod campaigns now are length and linearity. Linearity means all playthroughs are the same diminishing replay value meaning you get less time enjoying the game.
    While not a true sandbox Flashpoint has huge open maps. Which allow you to plan, flank, snipe, and use your team how you want. In other words you engage your brain rather than just pointing shooting and following.
    Moving swiftly on; playtime; it took me around 50 hours to fully level up my classes, I now have well over 100 hours play time. Point is I still haven't got bored. Now if you only play through it once how long will it take. A sensible time to complete the campaign and side missions would be no less than 15 hours. Additionally if you want to get gold medals on everything it will take you at least the better part of 50 hours.
    So why are there so many bad reviews? There are five reasons for this.
    Firstly as an FPS a lot of players who try it enjoy Cod or the ridiculous dragon rising and their expectation is for the game to be like those so they are naturally disappointed.
    Secondly the difficulty. You cannot throw yourself around you have to learn a new play style and it is quite easy to come off Cod and find it hard at first.
    Thirdly something that annoys me; un skippable and rather lengthy briefs obviously intended to build tension but they get boring.
    Fourth vehicular game play; there are several rather annoying issues with the transport vehicles in the game however these only make up a small fraction of game play and are rarely mission essential.
    Finally glitches. There are quite a few; mostly AI getting stuck. However the reason this is annoying is unlike in other games where they might show you the way or open a door the AI in flash point are useful in a firefight.
    Other than the issues mentioned previously I feel the game would benefit from more intelligent enemies and yet more maps and missions.
    Despite my criticisms this is the most fun game I own and that is all a game is for, that is why it is so far ahead of the overly self important Cod, and it is steadily gaining a cult following.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 25
  3. Negative: 2 out of 25
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 20, 2011
    78
    Neither Flashpoint nor as bad as some say. It is fairly entertaining but surprisingly unambitious milsim light. [May 2011]
  2. GamingExcellence
    Jul 7, 2011
    50
    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.
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  3. Gamer.no
    Jun 23, 2011
    70
    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.
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