I’ll not lie, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising was one realism level to far for me. From one shot kills to highly intricate tactical manoeuvres from AI, perhaps I’ve been a little too well treated by modern day shooters such as Modern Warfare and Medal of Honor that I’d forgotten what “demanding” really meant.
On release, Dragon Rising secularised its audience, even if it was a highly polished and outstanding FPS in its own right. Today, Codemasters have announced that its sequel, subtitled ‘Red River’, is currently in development and set for a 2011 release.
Taking place in the remote and hostile Tajikistan, Red River‘s campaign takes place over three distinct acts whilst being supported for up to four-player co-op in a ‘drop in/drop out’ system. Amongst its touted improvements, Codemasters are heralding that the sequel has set out to refine inventory selection and have also gone further in improving AI and squad commands. With many in admiration of what Dragon Rising gave players, although criticising its tricky control methods, Red River ought to be everything that DR was with “refinement” written all over it. Executive Producer- Adam Parsons, explains “we’re building on strengths whilst taking on board feedback, focussing on key areas and enhancements to further refine the Flashpoint experience”.
We can’t argue with Codemasters’ press release… “Operation Flahpoint: Red River will set a new standard for authentic and intense tactical combat when it arrives”. Sure to delight fans of the series, you won’t find a more hardcore game on consoles for some time to come.