Improves on the original in every way, and draws new fans into the series by having more relaxed realism options.
The combat in this game is fast paced, but realistic. There are minimal hud elements, like no crosshairs for instance. Weapon aiming is quite unique, too. Weapons don't shoot in the center of the screen, but rather the weapon moves with the mouse until you get closer to the edge of the screen, when your camera will shift. For anyone who's played the Arma series, the aiming is similar to that.
Weapon and bullet physics are also very realistic. Firing SMGs in more than 4-5 round bursts will make it impossible to hit a target further than 40-50 meters away. The game also features a full ballistics simulation. Bullet drop and travel time must be taken into account when shooting.
The game features HUGE maps with up to 64 players. The vehicles in the game feature full 3d-modeled interiors, where players must realistically navigate the inside of the vehicle to move to each position. No more instantly teleporting from the driver seat to the machine gunner seat, for instance. Vehicles also feature realistic damage models. You can take out a tank's engine by hitting it with an armor piercing round, or even kill the gunner with a well placed shot to the gunner's seat, rendering the tank useless until another player takes over the position.
The graphics and sound design are all top notch in this game. The performance was a little shaky in the beta, but in just two weeks time they have greatly improved framerates and reduced lag.
Red Orchestra 2 is a must have for anyone who is a fan of first person shooters who want a more authentic experience than mainstream shooters will give you. It is a game that game developers should take notes on when designing games in the future. Tripwire Interactive put a lot of hard work with limited resources into this game, and the result is something extraordinary.