This is the most realistic and innovative gaming experience. And it's fun too!
User Rating: 9.4 | Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 XBOX
War is hell. We’ve heard this adage with just about every war-themed film or documentary release, but the truth is most of us will never experience the ravages first-hand, God willing. For many of us, these horrible conflicts are nothing more than stories we read; movies we watch. But in fact war is drama we don’t need to fabricate because it has been all too real; just ask those that have taken part. Perhaps no other war in history touched so many lives than the events of World War II. It was a time that ushered in many changes across the world, especially for the art of war. While tanks, machine guns, and other technological weapons of destruction had been used during the first World War, they didn’t show their true destructive power until the second worldwide conflict. This is one of the reasons that more than fifty-two million people lost their lives during both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II. The invasion of Normandy alone saw nearly 30,000 US troops killed and 106,000 wounded or missing. War is hell…indeed. So why would we want to relive the trying times of WWII in a videogame? The answer might be different for every gamer. Some folks are history buffs, other people simply like to shoot things. As for me…I like to think of it as a tribute to those men and women that died so that I can enjoy the life I have today. The problem is the majority of WWII-themed games have been more arcade like than an actual representation of how things actually were during that time. To that end I can honestly say that Ubisoft’s latest release, Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 is a TRUE tribute and the best WWII game to date. GAMEPLAY: Brothers in Arms is based on the real-life happenings of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during an eight day period of the Normandy invasion of 1944; particularly those revolving around squad leader, Sgt. Matt Baker. While preparing for their drop during D-Day, an artillery shell hits the plane, requiring the 101st to evacuate immediately. This causes the Baker and his paratroopers to be scattered all across the French countryside. Now he must not only attempt to reunite with his squad, but assist the Allied forces in eliminating the German military threat. It should be noted that the soldiers found in the game are fictional representations of the real “Screaming Eagles”. This game feels special right from the very beginning. There is a sense of storytelling that no other war-themed game has managed to achieve. When coupled with the incredible accuracy of the events, locations, tactics, and weapons, Brothers in Arms raises the bar for WWII games from here on out. If you don’t get chills from the opening scene, then check your pulse. The virtual photo album of the 101st with the gripping score playing in the background had me feeling as if I was sitting down to watch a 3 hour war epic rather than play a videogame. This realism of Brothers in Arms means that this is not a game for the kiddies. The dialogue and the very graphic depictions of war are something that only mature gamers should experience. Ubisoft and Gearbox Software didn’t pull any punches in Brothers in Arms and it is a better game for it. The single-player campaign is spread across 20 missions that follow the eight day span from June 6 – June 14, 1944. The first few missions serve for little else than an in-game tutorial to the controls and command system, but the action picks up fairly quickly afterward. There is no co-op mode for Brothers in Arms, but honestly, it would have detracted from the overall impact of the campaign. This is something that you wouldn’t want to experience in split-screen, and it would have also taken away from the strong story. The campaign does use an auto-save feature that allows you to continue progress from the last save point. Chapters can also be accessed and replayed after they’ve been completed. The game has three available difficulty levels from the get-go (easy, normal, and difficult), with an “authentic” mode becoming accessible after beating the entire single-player campaign. Authentic mode uses no save points and a few on-screen indicators are also disabled (though these can also be manually turned off in the options menu in any mode). Gameplay Brothers in Arms is based on the real-life happenings of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during an eight day period of the Normandy invasion of 1944; particularly those revolving around squad leader, Sgt. Matt Baker. While preparing for their drop during D-Day, an artillery shell hits the plane, requiring the 101st to evacuate immediately. This causes the Baker and his paratroopers to be scattered all across the French countryside. Now he must not only attempt to reunite with his squad, but assist the Allied forces in eliminating the German military threat. It should be noted that the soldiers found in the game are fictional representations of the real “Screaming Eagles”. This game feels special right from the very beginning. There is a sense of storytelling that no other war-themed game has managed to achieve. When coupled with the incredible accuracy of the events, locations, tactics, and weapons, Brothers in Arms raises the bar for WWII games from here on out. If you don’t get chills from the opening scene, then check your pulse. The virtual photo album of the 101st with the gripping score playing in the background had me feeling as if I was sitting down to watch a 3 hour war epic rather than play a videogame. This realism of Brothers in Arms means that this is not a game for the kiddies. The dialogue and the very graphic depictions of war are something that only mature gamers should experience. Ubisoft and Gearbox Software didn’t pull any punches in Brothers in Arms and it is a better game for it. The single-player campaign is spread across 20 missions that follow the eight day span from June 6 – June 14, 1944. The first few missions serve for little else than an in-game tutorial to the controls and command system, but the action picks up fairly quickly afterward. There is no co-op mode for Brothers in Arms, but honestly, it would have detracted from the overall impact of the campaign. This is something that you wouldn’t want to experience in split-screen, and it would have also taken away from the strong story. The campaign does use an auto-save feature that allows you to continue progress from the last save point. Chapters can also be accessed and replayed after they’ve been completed. The game has three available difficulty levels from the get-go (easy, normal, and difficult), with an “authentic” mode becoming accessible after beating the entire single-player campaign. Authentic mode uses no save points and a few on-screen indicators are also disabled (though these can also be manually turned off in the options menu in any mode). The command ring is used for additional commands, such as ordering suppressing fire or rushing an enemy’s position. These too are easily executed with the use of the left and right triggers (right trigger is used to rush) and the left stick. The ring will automatically change to a targeting reticle to accommodate these commands. Eventually Baker will be put in charge of up to two different teams simultaneously and most command them accordingly. This is a game that you’ll rely heavily on flanking maneuvers and the like. One team is better suited to suppress (fire team) while the other lighter squad (assault team) is designed to flank. There are even missions in which you’ll have the opportunity to command a tank unit. The White buttons is used to toggle between teams with commands being issued as previously stated. The D-pad can be used to order a team to fall in or take cover. While holding the White button performs the same orders, I found the use of the D-pad much easier to navigate in the heat of battleThough I’ve never actually fired ANY of the weapons found in Brothers in Arms, the controls feel so realistic it’s scary. It’s amazing how you’ll grow so fond of the M1 Garand rifle and its maximum effective range of 1,300 feet. Targeting changes dramatically from one gun to the next and the zoom feature adds to the authentic feel. This is one game where kills don’t feel cheap and there is a definite sense of accomplishment when taking down a squad of Krauts. Being that the reload and pick up functions are mapped to the same button, you will find a few frustrating moments when you’ll accidentally reload instead of grabbing a needed weapon. Grenade tossing is a lot more difficult (and probably more realistic) than other FPS and takes some practice. I still despise the use of the Black button for nearly any action, but it actually isn’t too bad in this game. Though I’ve never actually fired ANY of the weapons found in Brothers in Arms, the controls feel so realistic it’s scary. It’s amazing how you’ll grow so fond of the M1 Garand rifle and its maximum effective range of 1,300 feet. Targeting changes dramatically from one gun to the next and the zoom feature adds to the authentic feel. This is one game where kills don’t feel cheap and there is a definite sense of accomplishment when taking down a squad of Krauts. Being that the reload and pick up functions are mapped to the same button, you will find a few frustrating moments when you’ll accidentally reload instead of grabbing a needed weapon. Grenade tossing is a lot more difficult (and probably more realistic) than other FPS and takes some practice. I still despise the use of the Black button for nearly any action, but it actually isn’t too bad in this game. Overall Gameplay Impressions: There is certainly no shortage of WWII shooters on the market, but none have come even close to capturing the feel that Brothers in Arms portrays. Yes, most of my thoughts are based on what I assume being a soldier during that time would be like. That being said, the eight day journey that you’ll experience might not be as flashy as a Call of Duty: Finest Hour or Medal of Honor: Rising Sun, but it is far more realistic and satisfying. There are a lot less scripted events and the AI uses real flanking maneuvers and battlefield tactics rather than mindlessly charging at you like drones. The command system is easy to learn and effective in use. I absolutely love the feel of the controls, especially related to the difference of each weapon; the M1 Carbine and the M1918 Browning feel completely different, as they should. The missions are varied enough to not feel like the same ol’, same ol’ each time out. The tanks tend to be a little too powerful at times, but they are hulking masses of steel after all. There is plenty to keep you busy after completing the 20 mission single-player campaign. Not only is the Authentic mode waitin’ for ya, but so is a host of unlockables that include real war documents, photographs, cheats, and behind-the-scenes items. Expect around 10-15 hours on the normal difficulty level the first time through. I really enjoyed the multiplayer mode and its objective based format. Yes, is a max of 4 human players and AI bots are used for squad mates, but so what. I’ve played enough CTF and Assault matches to make me puke and this mode is a nice change of pace. The real test will be to see how these modes hold up after a few months of play. Let’s hope that Gearbox delivers on their promise of additional downloadable maps. Still, Brothers in Arms is not a perfect game. With a heavy emphasis on the story, your squad mates won’t perish until the plot deems necessary. Rather, soldiers are “incapacitated” and then healed at the start of the following mission. This notion makes you a bit more reckless when issuing orders because you know fallen mates will be revived later on. Eventually your men will fall, but this takes away slightly from the realism factor. There are also issues related to framerate and tip you off as to when enemies will be spawned. While the AI is very strong overall, they still make a few boneheaded errors in judgment at times, even with specific orders. The auto-save causes the typical stutter, but it isn’t too much of a problem. In any case, these minor gripes are nothing in comparison to the overall experience. If you are a WWII history buff and/or a FPS gamer then get ready to drop $50 pronto. Texas-based developer, Gearbox Software, was determined to make Brothers in Arms the most realistic WWII game to date. In order to achieve this, the team painstakingly studied aerial reconnaissance imagery, photos, documents and journals from the period. It’s amazing to see exactly how accurate the environments are when comparing photos and in-game stills side-by-side. Buildings, crossroads, farmland, you name it; you’ll experience it as the 101st did back in 1944. The environments did need to be tailored to fit the game’s objectives, but there more room to move than in most FPS games. The game has a rough, nearly sepia tone-like look to it that matches its focus. The weapon zoom view has to be one of best in any FPS due to the depth of field focus that is used. Soldier models are extremely detailed and can even be categorized as eerily realistic. Their eyes will follow your movements and they just have a very organic appearance. Animations are fluid as well, aside from the few anomalies that you’ll experience. There’s nothing like seeing the Sgt. Hassay gliding along the ground like a Star Wars landspeeder. The framerate can be an issue at times, primarily during enemy spawn areas and auto-save points. It will also drop during big-time explosions, but don’t worry about a cheap kill as a result. Audio Audio production can make or break a game, but thankfully it is the cherry on top for Brothers in Arms. The voice acting is very good overall, with a few occasional over-dramatic moments. The dialogue is edgy with plenty of slang and obscenities to keep with the realistic presentation. The in-game cut-scenes is where you’ll find the best of the best, with lines getting a bit more repetitive while in the field. The sound effects have an attention to detail matches every other aspect of the game. Each gun and every weapon sound as they do in a real-world setting. Mortar shells rock hit with heart-pounding intensity and MG nests cast a deadly purr. Dolby 5.1 support helps with in-game tactics as you can easily distinguish enemy locations from their gunfire and chatter. The motion picture-like score completes the package with varying compositions that portray the in-game events. The Bottom Line With all of the talk of upcoming releases like Splinter Cell Chaos Theory and DOOM 3, it is little surprise that Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 slipped under the radar. That is, until today. Brothers in Arms is now the measuring stick for all war-themed FPS titles thanks to its amazing accuracy, fantastic storytelling, and dead-on presentation. Even with its flaws, there is no denying that this is an FPS that hardcore gamers have been waiting for. The genre has felt somewhat stale over the past year, but Gearbox proves that not all WWII games are created equal. The multiplayer mode is a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill deathmatch and CTF modes we’ve become accustomed to, but still not for everyone. The single-player campaign is riveting from beginning to end. Ubisoft has yet another prized jewel to add to their collection. 
