Delta Force - Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre (PC)

When BHD first appeared early last year its graphics and gameplay were exciting. But a year later and post 'Call of Duty' we expect more. There is no palpable advance, in fact it often feels as though this addition is weaker than the original (RHIBs particular unconvincing). Gameplay is repetetive with only a couple a standout missions. It passes the time on the first play-through, but I'm pretty sure I won't be making any return visits.

The original Black Hawk Down was a quantum leap forward for Novalogic and their Delta Force series. It was an exciting addition to the action military sim market. The real life setting and inspiration lent a tightness of plotting and action. Team Sabre in contrast is flaccid and unfocussed, and sets the DF series and their makers right back to square one. I guess the added maps should be useful for multiplayer.

A big letdown. I still play the original BHD, but this adds nothing. Hopefully this doesn't bode ill for Novalogic's forthcoming 'Joint Operations'.

Which brings us to 'Team Sabre'! To play this expansion you will need to have bought the original 'Black Hawk Down' game. The install process is easy and I was impressed with the way the new game integrates with the interface of the old game. Once installed, All your levels and options for both 'Black Hawk Down' and 'Team Sabre' are accessable from the one interface, which is a feature thats sadly lacking in a lot of other games with expansion packs that are out there! Again, the single player campaign is more of the same really! Same engine, same models, no nice new graphical eye candy.

The main single player campaigns difference is in the AI, Which have obviously been tweeked to TRY to rectify the problems of its older brother. Sadly it just doesnt work. Your enemies make up for their languid movement with sharp shooting skills that 'Jesse James' would have been proud of - which is totally unrealistic!! Your 'Bot' team mates don't bring much to the party either. They are more of a hindrance than a help! They get in the way when you are trying to avoid an attack, they dont respond to your commands all of the time (Issued from the simple in game menu system) and also have a 'suicidal' tendancy to go running straight toward the aforementioned sharp shooter enemy AI and get themselves killed! Which doesnt really make for an enjoyable single player experience.
There are some good points though. There are over 30 new multiplayer maps included, and this kind of justifies the purchase of the game to be honest. Black Hawk Downs mulitplayer is of the highest order and I would recommend the purchase of this (And the original if you dont already have it) just for the online element. There are always plenty servers up and players online and it has made for some of the best gaming time I have ever spent, even on a 56k modem.

So I totally advocate the purchase of this expansion (and its sibling) just for the heck of the online play and new maps.