Conflict Vietnam (Xbox)

Both conflict 1 and 2 involved stealth, tactics and strategy to succeed. You were able to position your men on their own, lay down covering fire - advance, charge, hold a position, etc. In Conflict Vietnam you will not be able to do anything but shoot wildly at shadows in the murk. Charlie is an elite, relentless enemy - can kill with two shots... they never miss, and can absorb insane amounts of lead. Your team, on the other hand, are unskilled, cannot hit anything stationary, and possess poor weapons. As a result, leaving them by themselves is an act of suicide - position your man to cover an advance and he will be taken apart - order a man to cover a certain point - he will be taken apart. Your only hope as you progress is to throw every man you have at a single enemy - 'gung' ho style - in an attempt to kill them. Tactics will not play any part in the missions. And, due to the insane difficulty and elite VC, you will be using all your medical packs - even on the first mission!

Don't even think about changing weapons. The first two Conflcits were a real pain rifling through your inventory - Nam makes it harder due to the amount of kit you have. Why no-one made this task easier I will never know. Changing your kit will get you fragged.

Now, Conflict 1 & 2 featured excellent, realistic weapons. However, during your tour of Conflict Vietnam, you will be issued with unrealistic, pathetic weaponry that has all the effectiveness of a water-gun. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security - they may look good - but none has the power or potential to take out a single VC. I can see some of you nodding and smiling - make no mistake - these weapons cannot be improved - even with the skill bonuses the game has to offer.

I know one thing...I emptied two rounds with my assault rifle...full pack...nothing. There is nothing on this earth that could have lived. Not at that range.

Get used to that phrase - because you are going to be hearing it a lot during your campaign. The aiming system featured in Conflict is the worst I have ever seen - at long range your chances of missing a stationary target is 100% - at medium range your chances are reduced to a miss ratio of 75%. Oddly, at close range - and I mean within kissing distance - your chances of missing is increased to 90%. I have heard too many reports from the field of soldiers saying that no matter how many times they have fired upon Charlie at close quarters, their bullets seem to go through them. Add this with the poor weapons, lack of power and the unbalanced gameplay, and you've got a real mess on your hands.

And for all you idiots out there...do not attempt to fire on a moving target.

Now, I know what some of you have heard - the VC use trapdoors and tunnels to move around, are able to leap from tress and set up ambushes. This is just a myth! The VC actually use alien technology to move around. This is reflected in their ability to warp in and out of reality at will. Turn your back - anytime and anywhere - and there will be a VC behind - fragging you in the back. They can also use spawning machines to respawn countless reinforcements - so watch for that. I have had too many men KIA due to these anomalies.

This technology is also used by their vehicles. Level two, for example, will pit you against a tank. Yet this task is made even harder due to the fact that the tank has the ability to disappear and re-appear at will. You might be able to hear the tank...but try spotting it as it patrols the circular compound. I mean - there is only a few directions a tank can go round in a circle...yet try taking it out as it warps backwards and forwards.

Ok...this almost concludes your briefing. One more thing: there is a 'points system' that allows you to 'develop' your soldier as you progress through the missions. But, as the gameplay lacks any general balance - even for the veterans and elite out there - progression is at a snail's pace, and it is rendered useless. Perhaps its there for you to tinker with during R&R between missions. Do not believe for one minute that a score of 7 stars against your assault rifle skill means your man is competent with that weapon. Relying on that is a certain KIA.

I want to add that all the odds are stacked against you. You will laugh. You will cry. Expect to be frustrated. Expect to be angered.

I do not expect any of you to come back alive. Indeed, I do not expect you to keep this game for very long. For anyone still having doubts, I recommend you signing up to Conflict Desert Storm 1 or 2. Atleast there, you sniper will not look out of place and can be deployed effectively.

For those with more patience...or indeed...die-hard, hardcore fanatics, the field is yours...

Dismissed!