Join Chris Watters in this review of Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.

Realism creates a great sense of tension; Good variety of weapons and vehicles; Long; challenging missions; Entertaining multiplayer modes

AI makes notable blunders; Assorted bugs and hitches

Realistically simulating a modern military operation is no easy task. Every element, from the top-level command communication down to the way you reload your gun must be accurately tuned to create a believably engaging experience.

Realism creates a great sense of tension; Good variety of weapons and vehicles; Long; challenging missions; Entertaining multiplayer modes

AI makes notable blunders; Assorted bugs and hitches

With the original series creators working on Armed Assault, Codemasters picks up the reins of the Operation Flashpoint franchise with Dragon Rising, but will its console debut have crossover success or will it remain a niche hit?

Realistic; Satisfying Combat; Four-Player Co-Op Campaign; Extremely Challenging On Higher Difficulties

Only Eleven Missions; Useless AI squadmates; which also plagues console multiplayer; Frustrating Checkpoint System

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising puts aside the modern conveniences of the shooter genre, but isn't able to propel it forward and can't recapture its former glory.

...Call of Duty 4 was too easy; ...The words "military sim" make you smile; ..

...Call of Duty 4 was perfect in every way; ...Realism has no place in video games; ..

It's been years since Operation Flashpoint first cooked up a Cold War Crisis in 2001, but now the franchise is back on track with its first true sequel, Dragon Rising. It's looking to take the tactical sim to the next level, upgrading its Cold War tech with new weapons, new tactics, and a new...

One bad tactical decision will cost you your life, and this is where DR shines as a fantastic game. It is rare to see games of this type to ever hit gaming consoles, so make the most out of this opportunity.

Many PC gamers swear by (and most definitely at) the Operation Flashpoint name. This harsh, tactical first-person-shooter is also making a full appearance on consoles too for a change. It's comparable in nature with the excellent Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, but based in the very near future.

If you have an internet connection, a PlayStation Network account, and a microphone, you have all you need to drop into the battle with your friends. Multiplayer isn't as grueling as the campaign since human intellect is still superior to computer A.I.

The realistically brutal simulation; The wide array of weapons; The long missions and large maps

The grinding difficulty at some points; The initially unwieldy controls; The abnormal learning curve

Ultimately, I think Codemasters has got a lot of great ideas and gameplay elements in OFDR, but it just needed more time. There are too many rough edges here to make this easy to recommend to everyone.

Stand back people, this is one battle not for the weakened hearted If you're used to the Hollywood cinematics used in the likes of games such as Call of Duty and games where your bullet sponging armoury is your greatest ally then this game isn't for you.

Challenging and entertaining campaign lasting a lengthy 9 hours at least; Realism being its intent purpose makes OFP:DR intense and rewarding; Realistic and varied weapon load outs

Cumbersome teammate and enemy AI; Outdated Graphics for today's standard; Glitches and bugs within the game