Some of the old problems mentioned in previous reviews seem to have been cleaned up, especially the addition of red and green "firing lines" to denote who is the attacker and who is defending. After a few games I was able to sit back and watch 10-minute increments of simultaneous movement/fighting with zero delay and follow the action just fine. The little puffs of smoke to denote hits are admittedly low key, but are quite functional. Given the more serious nature of this game system I wouldn’t want or expect ostentatious fireworks or 3d explosions. Some of the problems of the past are still there, such as the lack of replayability because of the low map count (4) and relatively few scenarios to choose from. I should also mention the lack of infantry on the battlefield, for those who aren’t familiar with this game. The developers have recently added some mechanized infantry units which can disembark and fight on foot – although this is a compromise solution. Whether infantry should be modeled in this game is a subject of some debate.
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My biggest problem with this game was not the AI however; I was very disappointed with the terrain modeling. Despite having a rich and colorful map, this really means nothing if the map doesn’t readily convey the information a commander needs to make decisions about where he will attack, where he will defend, or just what is the best route to get from point A to point B. The scale of this game is at that critical mid point between large scale (in map terms) tactical (Combat Mission) where you can literally stand on a hilltop to see what your units can see, and smaller scale operational where you are given a map of an entire region (where hills and valleys are not your concern). Here, hills and valleys ARE your concern, but you lack the ability to stand on the hilltop as a local commander presumably would be apt to do.
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| Flashpoint offers many interesting options, such as the use of mines. |
This clearly shows how difficult it can be to get a LOS on a unit. The shaded squares are regions the source unit can "see." |
In a perfect world I would have liked to have seen this map draped over a digital elevation model, giving it the "look" of topography, while at the same time allowing the user to move from point to point and get a clear field of vision (user-selectable exaggeration of elevation would also be helpful). As an alternate option, it would have been nice to have a hotkey to overlay a topographic map to give you a better feel for the lay of the land (if the map represents a real place, a topo map should exist for it). Instead, we are left with the final option – which is a watered down number scale of 1-10 representing elevation for each square. This makes for some complicated and time consuming Line-of-Sight Analysis which requires you to click on each square to determine which other squares it can see. This is conceptually difficult for most people (myself included) to do in a recreational environment. The net result is that you cannot look at the map and intuitively know where the valleys and hills are located. This was a missed opportunity for something really special. I understand the whole mapping system is being revamped for the next version.
Graphics (18/20):
I found the graphics of this game very user friendly and inviting. The map is excellent as noted above, the units are well defined and crisp, and the menus and interface are clear and easy to read. If you are expecting a RTS game with whiz-bang appeal you can forget about it. This is as it should be.
Sound (9/10):
Simple, clear, functional. As is common with games which you play for hours at a sitting I turned off all sounds and listened to my music instead. The explosions, radio chatter, and moving units were quite good given the type of game but can get tiring a few hours down the road.
Documentation (10/10):
The manual is included in PDF format, and clocks in at 106 pages. I admit to not always reading the entire manuals for games, but in this case I was pleasantly surprised at the readability of the manual (and yes, I made it through all of it!). There are several other PDF’s included as supplements covering the entire list of platforms in the game, the fictitious OOB of all units involved in this game, a tutorial, and a few others. Overall a rich diversity of good reference material.
Armchair General Score: 84%
Pros: Inviting graphics, unit presentation, and interface. Easy to play as a beginner, but enough tweaking options to scale realism to almost painful levels. Continued developer support.
Cons: AI can be disappointing. Replayability is hurt by low map count and lack of scenarios. Lack of portability to other battlefields and eras of modern warfare. Disappointing elevation/terrain models.
Last word: Flashpoint Germany has definite flashes of brilliance, and on balance manages to overcome most of its flaws. It will appeal to gamers who want a taste of modern combat without the need to babysit each and every unit.
Flashpoint Germany website (be sure to grab the 1.10 patch).
Discuss Flashpoint Germany on the Armchair General forums.
