Red Orchestra 2: The Gritty Side Of War
Forget what you think you know about World War II games - Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is set to shake your faith in the genre. We aren't treated to the feel good triumph we've become accustomed to thanks to Call of Duty and Medal of Honour - no my friends, Tripwire Interactive seem intent on creating a dark and gritty experience that encapsulates our darkest moment in history like no other game before it.
RO2 is a realistic World War II simulator; there are no crosshairs, gamers will have to contend with realistic and sometimes unpredictable recoil and one shot could be the end of you. It creates a frighteningly intense rush of adrenalin as you run throughout the war torn battlefields of Stalingrad.
It isn't a strictly infantry battle either - the game also features a number of tanks and vehicles that are at your disposal on the larger maps. Don't think these are a walk in the park either comrade; when driving a tank for instance you can only see through the tiny little window right in front of your eyes. There is no third person view, this is as real as it gets.
The environments themselves scream pain and suffering as you make your way through buildings that are barely standing to get to a good vantage point, all in the name of survival.
To put it simply, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is as real as it gets when it comes to World War II shooters, and part of its appeal is the fact it is depressingly dark and gritty. You are unlikely to find another game that provides an experience as deep as this one, so if you can deal with the hardcore nature of the mechanics we highly recommend it.
While you wait for our full preview due next week, we'd like to leave you with this disturbing look at what happens when you play with grenades.
By Stephen Heller