About ten out of ten gamers is tired of the World Vs. Nazi theme, but 2008 has two more that are sure to wake everyone up. Just when you thought World War II video games had lost their appeal, Gearbox was there to draw you back in.
Developers will never be able to change the feel of the setting if they are striving for realism, but technology will improve constantly. Since 1984 gamers have been shooting Nazis in some form or fashion; that has not changed, but the tools used to create it have. Back in the ’80s, developers expected gamers to know that the gray pixel blocks were the bad guys and the floating, yellow, 1×1 pixel was a bullet. Nowadays, war games in particular, present a sense of virtual reality, in which the player is deeply immersed. This realism is what distinguishes Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway from past WWII creations.
When you think “war game” you generally imagine rushing through fields and buildings, spraying lead in every direction. This is not the case with the Brother in Arms series, however. Gearbox Software wants the player to make tactical decisions through the control of a squad. Do not think of your squad mates as static characters; they are tools, ready to use at your disposal. Match your tactics to your style, whether that is stealth, evasive maneuvers, or guns blazing.
Mastering the tactics aspect of the game will partially rely on the player’s knowledge and implementation of destructable cover. Depending on a wooden fence to provide sufficient cover is like bringing safety-scissors to a knife fight. Once a player has hunkered down, it will soon be time to move. Make sure to be aware of the surroundings, because fragments of the thought-to-be protective sandbags are now raining upon the battlefield. Use the destructable cover as an advantage; if the enemy is not exposed, you will be soon. It would be a shame for the main character to exemplify Gearbox’s realistic gore engine.
If you were wondering why Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway received an ‘M’ rating, you could read a vague analysis from the ESRB, or you could watch the video below. The theme of this post is “Hellish Realism,” and when it comes to war, nothing is more real. No more will enemies explode, only fall to the ground like five ton slabs of lead. If a soldier barely dives away from a grenade explosion, they might lose a leg. If a more unfortunate soldier meets a tank face to face, do not expect him to die in one piece. One might suggest that this is stretching the boundaries too far, but the main focus is realism.
So there you have it, Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway is pushing the envelope when it comes to realistic gameplay. Yes, you will be venturing back to the 1940s, but with good reason. Hell’s Highway will be shipping out on September 23, so start studying Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.
Tags: Ubisoft, Gearbox Software, Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway, Realism, Gore Engine, World War II
