Close Combat: First to Fight Impressions?

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:12 am

This game is at stores today for the Xbox, and I'm wondering if the lack of any reviews indicates a sub-par title.

Anyone heard anything??

marino · Post by **marino** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:22 am

2.8 from oxm

- Bad visuals including poor lighting, "wonky physics", clipping issues, and tiny levels
- No voice commands
- Horrible voice acting
- Repetitive levels

And then there's their biggest complaint...Horrible AI from your squadmates.
- They run out into oncoming fire
- They can't eliminate a single person, who will oftentimes, take all three of them down
- The enemies can take bullet after bullet

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:22 am

I read that OXM gave it a 2.8 out of 10....no joke.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:30 am

OXM gave this game a review of 2.8 out of 10. I find it hard to believe that this game is that bad, and initial feedback from gaming forums is better than that.

No one is calling this game the second coming of Ghost Recon, but initial gamer feedback indicates it's pretty solid. The simulation skill level, with one-shot, one-kill gameplay, intrigues me.

The Close Combat message board is full of praise from users, but that's to be expected from a fanboy, game-specific forum.

I'm interested in renting this game, as I'm a sucker for realistic military games.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:32 am

I would consider the source, OXM. Not exactly the most reputable rag.

Plus the AI comments indicate to me that the reviewer was trying to use Halo or Unreal tactics with this game. And as for squadmates running directly into enemy fire, I thought this game had tactical commands for squadmates, similar to Full Spectrum Warrior and Brothers in Arms? If so, then isn't the reviewer sending his squadmates into the buzzsaw of enemy fire?

This game may not be the sh*t. But I doubt it's as bad as OXM says. Maybe OXM is right -- who knows?

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:33 am

2.8 out of 10???

Did OXM have a recent build??

I *had* heard that early versions of the game had problems...

Yeah, I was interested in the game based on hands-on reports and it's promise, and I'm a sucker for one shot kills too...

But that extremely low score does give me some pause.

marino · Post by **marino** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:52 pm

Been reading some impressions from ign and the game site.So far all have been saying that the oxm reviewer must have been on crack.

Maybe I will give it a rent.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:30 am

Some first impressions from gamers:

General -- http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmes ... c=20295332

General -- http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmes ... c=20286934

Multiplayer -- http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmes ... c=20287586

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:38 am

Zeppo will appreciate this comment from one of the above threads:

>>>if you loved ghost recon 1... you'll love this game. because it has the pacing of gr1, in terms of your character's movement speed and just the speed of the gameplay... slow build ups, and ginormous-intense firefights. Also I played on authentic on FSW... and loved it. I loved FSW unlike a lot of people. this game feels like a first-person FSW as other people have said. Take that for what it is.

As for ghost recon 2... these two games are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. They have virtually nothing in common except guns and military factions.<<<

This game is intriguing the hell out of me. I must rent it.

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:45 am

IGN gave it an 8. OXM must have had an early build. Very strange, though.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:23 am

Did anyone else grab this? I'd like to try some multiplayer on Live.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:41 am

webdanzer wrote:Did anyone else grab this? I'd like to try some multiplayer on Live.

Did you, Web? If so, can you please give any detailed single-player impressions?

I haven't bought this game. But I'm still very curious about it. None of the Mom and Pop video stores around here have it for rent yet. The nearest Blockbuster is 20 minutes away, and I'm not a member. And I'm not that curious to become a member.

I hope my local video store, 1 mile away, gets it soon. It probably will, as the owner has more than 1,000 videogames for rent between the PSX, PS2, DC, N64, Gamecube, Genesis and Xbox.

Take care,
PK

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:22 am

webdanzer wrote:Did anyone else grab this? I'd like to try some multiplayer on Live.

I'm hoping the lack of comment on the single-player side of things doesn't mean that it sucks and you want to see if Live will save the title.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:33 am

Heh. Nope, I haven't played enough to give any detailed impressions yet.

So far seems solid, but nothing super special. It's definitely not a 2.8. I don't know WTF that dude was on.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:55 pm

Finally rented this game tonight. Put about an hour into the offline mode.

Fellas, this game is getting a seriously bad rap. It's a very solid, very fun game. It blends bits and pieces of a bunch of games right off the top of my head: The original Ghost Recon and GRIT, Full Spectrum Warrior, Rainbow Six 3 and a touch of Brothers in Arms.

Some highlights:

-- You have to be deliberate as all hell in your movement. I've read many comments at other forums about how slow the movement is. That's bullsh*t, obviously written by someone who was weaned on Halo and Unreal. The movement is very slow in this game, but not sluggish. It's deliberate, realistic.

-- Lots of one-shot, one-kill moments, both for the enemies and my fire team and I.

-- Tons of command options for you as the fire team leader. Call in airstrikes, call in mortar support, takedown rooms behind doors, takedown rooms after a frag toss, command your fire team as a unit, command individual members of your fire team, move your team or individual soldiers to exact spots using the aiming reticle, order suppression fire from the unit or individual soldiers, order covering fire from the unit or individual soldiers.

-- You can pick up weapons of enemies. They're mostly using AK-47s in the early scenarios, so I don't know why you'd want to pick up the weapons, but you can. You also can use machine guns and heavy mounted guns on rooftops and tanks, or order a member of your fire team to do both.

-- This is a multi-dimensional game, for sure. You can climb ladders to second and third floors, go to rooftops, etc. And enemies are in all of these places, so you're constantly on guard. One time, an insurgent nailed me with one shot from the derrick of a f*cking high-rise crane about 100 meters away! I never saw him because I never thought to look that high.

-- There are first aid kits spread out around the scenarios, but I think you can only use them on your squadmates. I didn't find any way to use them on yourself, and when you're dead, the scenario is over. Maybe I need to look at the manual more closely.

-- The enemies didn't seem to spawn in the same spot every time, or if they did, they appeared in those spots at differing times unless it was a machine gun nest, etc.

-- I played on the Marine skill level, one step from the bottom, and the AI still wasn't too bad. I was killed fairly often, and I imagine that the top two levels are a b*tch.

EDIT: Now that I know I can use first aid on myself, I'll probably live longer and need to ramp up the difficulty.

-- There are a ton of places to hide and take cover in the early maps. The game is somewhat linear in that you have to head toward one spot to take out enemies, but there are different ways to approach the objective, much like Brothers in Arms.

Some lowlights:

-- I did see one of my squadmates set up with a gun through a wall in a tight passageway once. It only was one guy and only happened once.

-- Some of the alleys are so tight that your guys can get stuck walking in place if you try to cram four guys in there.

-- The situational recognition of my squadmates was a bit lacking at times. Once I took cover across the street behind a car to shoot at a machine gun nest. My squadmates were on the corner directly across from me but didn't help me fire. But as soon as I inched them forward about 6 inches, they let it rip. Minor niggle.

-- The constant wail of a siren in the first scenario nearly drove me insane.

I haven't even touched this game online, but I really am eager to try this on XBL. So far I'm very impressed with the single-player game.

I'm not saying this is a must purchase. But it definitely has the original Ghost Recon meets Full Spectrum Warrior vibe going for it, and it's DEFINITELY worth a rent.

The OXM reviewer who gave this game a rating of 2.8 either was a Halo addict or seriously tripping on acid when he wrote the review.

Feel free to ask any questions, and I'll try to answer them as best I can.

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:16 pm

You can use the first aid on yourself with the white button.

Nice impressions.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:21 pm

webdanzer wrote:You can use the first aid on yourself with the white button.

Nice impressions.

Thanks for the first aid tip, Web! Have you tried this game online yet? Still have it? Want to give it a whirl on XBL?

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:26 pm

pk500 wrote:
webdanzer wrote:You can use the first aid on yourself with the white button.

Nice impressions.
Thanks for the first aid tip, Web! Have you tried this game online yet? Still have it? Want to give it a whirl on XBL?

Take care,
PK

Yeah, I bought it, and I defintely want to give it a shot online. Tomorrow night?

We're probably in the same place single player. I would have played it more, but Jade Empire arrived. I do think enemies spawn in the same places, but they do react differently under fire.

I'm not sure if you know this either, but you can run by double tapping the left analog. You can't shoot while running. I actually like the movement in this game except for the clunky leans.

I don't like that you have to be staring at a target and exposing yourself to fire to call in a mortar strike, gunship, etc. That's silly.

I'd rate it a solid 7ish title. That 2.8 really does it a huge injustice. The title averages like a 68% on game rankings because of it, when all other reviews are in the 80% and up.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:39 pm

Web:

Yeah, I might be able to get in some play tomorrow night. Let me know what time works for you.

webdanzer wrote:I'm not sure if you know this either, but you can run by double tapping the left analog. You can't shoot while running. I actually like the movement in this game except for the clunky leans.

Yep. Aware of that, but I'm still having a hard time mastering the running controls.

webdanzer wrote:I don't like that you have to be staring at a target and exposing yourself to fire to call in a mortar strike, gunship, etc. That's silly.

Agreed. You should be able to sight the target once, return to cover and call in the strike. Oh, well, the game isn't perfect. It's not a big deal at the Marine level, but it might be the difference between life and a frustrating death at the top skill levels. I suppose using suppression fire from your squadmates while sighting the target and calling in an air strike would be one workaround.

webdanzer wrote:I'd rate it a solid 7ish title. That 2.8 really does it a huge injustice. The title averages like a 68% on game rankings because of it, when all other reviews are in the 80% and up.

Agreed. I've only played an hour, so I feel silly even giving it a number score. But if forced to give a score after an hour of only offline play, I give it an 8.5.

I just love how tactical, slow and deliberate this game is. You're not running around nearly as fast as any other tactical online shooter I've played. The pace of this game sometimes even makes Ghost Recon 2 seem like Halo, which is a good thing in my book. Love the pace -- feels so realistic and adds to the suspense as you're looking in all directions, wondering from where that next shot will come.

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:45 pm

Say, 10:15 Eastern tomorrow?

I agree with you on the game's strengths. I love that you really have to look *everywhere* for the enemy. (At least the first time through a level) I don't use the run while advancing, but it has saved my ass after said ass came under unexpected fire.

And setting your SAW gunner to supress or even cover works wonders.

I started on Marine level too, and found myself a bit surprised at how often I bought it when I first started.

Another drawback for folks bothered by this...the game (at least so far) is *very* linear. You're pretty much led down pathways to each objective.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:49 pm

webdanzer wrote:Say, 10:15 Eastern tomorrow?

I agree with you on the game's strengths. I love that you really have to look *everywhere* for the enemy. (At least the first time through a level) I don't use the run while advancing, but it has saved my ass after said ass came under unexpected fire.

And setting your SAW gunner to supress or even cover works wonders.

I started on Marine level too, and found myself a bit surprised at how often I bought it when I first started.

Another drawback for folks bothered by this...the game (at least so far) is *very* linear. You're pretty much led down pathways to each objective.

Let me get back to you tomorrow on whether I can play. I'll send you a PM or post in this thread, if that's cool.

You're right about the linearity. But the levels are filled with corners and alleys and rooms behind doors, so the suspense is definitely there. You're not just forced down one wide road to the objective. And man, I love clearing rooms with a Take Down!

A Frag followed by Take Down is even better.

Plus the shots come from so many different angles and spots that the tension that creates offsets the linearity somewhat.

Again, this game isn't the greatest tactical military shooter ever. But it's way better than many people are describing it, and it's a very worth rental at least if you have any interest in Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six 3, Full Spectrum Warrior and/or Brothers in Arms.

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:51 pm

pk500 wrote:Again, this game isn't the greatest tactical military shooter ever. But it's way better than many people are describing it, and it's a very worth rental at least if you have any interest in Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six 3, Full Spectrum Warrior and/or Brothers in Arms.

Agreed.

Sure, just let me know here about tomorrow night. Maybe one or two more guys will have rented or purchased by then.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:14 am

Web:

Let's fire away at 10:15 p.m. tonight, man. I'll start a room and invite you.

Sound cool? Looking forward to it!

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:31 am

webdanzer wrote:I don't like that you have to be staring at a target and exposing yourself to fire to call in a mortar strike, gunship, etc. That's silly.

Web:

I played more last night, until 2 a.m., in fact! I used a diversion-suppression tactic to call in a successful mortar strike against an armored personnel carrier without a single shot fired at me.

I sent two members of my squad to an adjacent street corner to lay down suppression fire on the armor while I snuck into an adjacent building, targeted the armor and called in the mortar strike. Then I just ducked down and waited about 15 seconds for the barbecue.

It was b*tchin!

Take care,
PK