Home » Articles » Screenshots Feature

Armed Assault

	Author: Chris Abele Article Type: Screenshots Feature Publication Date: 12/4/2005 Developer: Bohemia Interactive Studios Related Categories: First Person Shooter, Tactical, Present Day / Near Future, Simulation

Introduction

Bohemia Interactive's landmark title Operation Flashpoint carries an almost cult-like status just four years after its release.  While mainstream gamers may think Battlefield 1942 was the original open-environment, fly or drive anything military shooter, it was Flashpoint that really introduced the idea to millions of gamers in the summer of 2001.  Personally, I have fond memories of jumping into my own custom missions and flying around one of the game's huge islands in my helo, practicing touch-n-go landings on the highly detailed landscape.  Thanks to the game's tremendous detail and huge fanbase, the game has survived as a hardcore alternative to the better-known Battlefield series.

A few years after the game's release, gamers will be interested to know the latest details of the game's first sequel, Armed Assault.  The company offered new details and screenshots this week, as well as confirming the game's scheduled release date for the first half of 2006.  The team is actively looking for a publisher, as many of its ties with Codemasters have evaporated.

As we explained in our E3 preview this summer, Armed Assault isn't a full-blown sequel (that's also in the works), but rather a significantly updated semi-sequel.  Like Flashpoint, players take the role of an infantry grunt in an modern day conflict, not only commanding a small squad of soldiers, but also driving and piloting a variety of interesting vehicles.  The Czech developers have also promised that this will be the "ultimate military simulation," a claim that's backed up by the original game's use to train real soldiers from such armies as the USMC and Australian Defense Forces. 

Armed Assault will feature a mixture of updated and brand new features for the Flashpoint series.  They include 200 square kilometers of terrain (that's larger than all previous games combined), many new DirectX 9.0 graphical updates (including High Dynamic Range rendering), brand new soldier models and animations, more densely populated terrain objects, dynamic weather and effects from tides, ambient wildlife, more fully developed buildings (fans of the original will enjoy that), and updated controls and interface elements.  Plus, the multiplayer and custom modding features that the original game such a hit will make a huge return in Armed Assault.  These include +60 player multiplayer battles, full cooperative play support as well as built-in scenario editor, various modding functionality, scripting functions, and more.

For more on Armed Assault, check out the game's official web site. 

Screenshots

About the Author

Chris Abele is The Wargamer's Director of Content, managing the entire publication process, from news stories to feature articles.  Originally a flight sim nut, Chris has turned to war and military gaming and now plays the odd mixture of squad-level wargames and first-person shooters, in search of the perfect hybrid.  Chris is currently playing Full Spectrum Warrior, Brothers in Arms, and SWAT 4.  When not managing his various responsibilities with The Wargamer, Chris works as a corporate financial analyst while pursuing his MBA from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.