Three Great Things About 1C 2011

The next installment in the Men of War series takes us out of World War II and into the jungles of Vietnam. Using history as the backdrop, this series mixes real-time strategy with contemporary conflicts. The game's sharp visuals compliment the refined gameplay mechanics, making Men of War: Vietnam a PC game to look for.

1. Seen from the Russian's Point of View: Now here's something you don't see very often. Instead of giving us the standard American retelling of the Vietnam War, Men of War: Vietnam comes at the conflict from an entirely new point of view. This change of perspective should be enough to make the Vietnam War fresh again. Even when the emotions are painful, it's always nice to see historical events retold in other perspectives. I look forward to seeing how this affects the game's narrative.

2. It's Not World War II: As goofy as it sounds, I was relieved to see the new Men of War game is not set in World War II. A few years ago I would have called it WWII fatigue, but these days it feels more like mutual loathing. Finally this series can tackle something new, giving me hope that one of these days the Men of War franchise will appeal to me.

3. It Saves Frequently: Men of War: Vietnam saves a lot. It's constantly saving. Every minute or two a bar would pop up, stop the action to save the game. This is great news for those of us afraid of losing our progress. If all of a sudden your house catches on fire and the only thing you save is your computer, you should be able to start right up where you left off. When you find a new place to live, that is. And seriously, if the thing you save is your computer and not your family, then you need to think about your priorities.

On the Other Hand: Have I mentioned that Russians like their games hard? I'm talking about a grueling difficulty that seems almost unfair by American standards. Men of War: Vietnam is no exception, it straddles the line between "there's no possible way" and "you've got to be kidding me." Even on the easiest difficulty, Men of War is like a strong punch in the face. I constantly felt overwhelmed and unprepared, no matter which scenario I tried. Fans of the series will have no issue rolling right into this new game, but I worry that Men of War: Vietnam won't be accessible to anybody else.

The sequel to Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, Heroes of Stalingrad (an infinitely better name, I might add) made a strong showing at the 1C event. This World War II first-person shooter features a brand new first-person cover mechanic, first-person collision detection and more guns than I could count. This event was the first time Tripwire Interactive had shown off the single-player campaign to the press.

1. It Does Not Feel like Call of Duty: Although it may look a bit like Call of Duty from the screen shots, the truth is that Red Orchestra 2 felt nothing like Activision's wildly popular franchise. That's a good thing. With so many other shooters trying to be the next Call of Duty, it was refreshing to play one that felt so different. The gameplay here feels foreign. Not in a way that is bad, but rather one that takes a little getting used to. The result may mean that it's not as accessible, but I suspect hardcore fans of first-person shooters will enjoy Tripwire Interactive's take on the war genre.

2. Switch Between Characters When You Die: It turns out Ghost of Moscow: Death to Spies was not the only game that had players switching between characters. Like most first-person shooters, you can die a bunch of times in Red Orchestra 2's single player campaign. But what sets this game apart from the crowd is that players get zapped into a completely different soldier on the field. That means that you might die with an assault rifle and then spawn with a sniper. While a little jarring at first, I was intrigued by the concept. This could be the type of thing that keeps things fresh in an especially difficult firefight.

3. Realistic Tank Simulation: Believe it or not, one of this game's biggest selling points was the tank mechanics. While a lot of World War II games give you the option of driving a tank, Heroes of Stalingrad adds some much-needed reality. You aren't alone in your tank; you'll be working with a group of talented soldiers who each have a different job. This is the first game to truly simulate what it's like to be in one of these metal beasts. You'll interact with a full A.I. crew, working together in order to win. But don't get too cocky, because any one of these computer-controlled characters can die. The result is unlike anything I've seen before, adding a unique twist to an otherwise standard gameplay mechanic.

On the Other Hand: It's hard to get excited about a World War II-themed first-person shooter, no matter how good it is. Yes, I was impressed by the tank simulation and how different the controls felt, but it didn't take long to realize that this is yet another in a long line of WWII games. The developers promise a non-linear campaign and unique levels, but I didn't see any of that in the short time I had with the game. Perhaps that will change when I sit down and play Red Orchestra 2 from start to finish.