Ianus
Here's a
link to a PC review of the game from IGN. Similar reviews have been offered by other game sites for the X-Box version. That version came out a couple of weeks earlier.
I'll give you a quick (I'm still playing the game) thumbnail of what I have experienced so far.
a) Manual - Not bad. All through the game from the manual to the opening movie, etc. The developers try to hammer home the notion that the guys you have in your unit are real, and unique, and you want to take care of them. The manual does this by giving you back stories on all of them. Of course it also covers the nuts ad bolts of moving about, firing weapons, etc. It's not like a manual we had in the old days, but for the pockets sizes that are the norm now...it's decent.
b) Installation - I've already forgotten most of this, but it's all on one disk, and was trouble free from what I remember.
c) GUI - Once again pretty good. Things are laid out logically, and without much muss or fuss you are able to jump right in the game. Loading "Chapters" as they call the levels you progress, can take an unusually long time. This becomes more apparent and frustrating if you die a lot. Not that I do..no really!
d) Training Missions - They don't have any. What they do instead is to ease you into the game, and it's tactical control options gradually. It's done in such a way, that you hardly notice your learning new things. Would that high school have been like this.
e) Graphics/Sounds - Pretty darn nice for both. Graphics look very good, a step up from COD or MOH, but not quite (IMO) to the level of Half Life or Doom. Sounds are very well done. It's a pleasure to hear chatter from guys under fire that actually has some meaning to it, and not just be filler noise.
f) Icons - I've turn off all that I can. They allow for a bevy of icons which tell you if an enemy is suppressed, etc. I prefer to not have them on, as they just kill the immersion for me. The little blue circle that is displayed when you move your men about is to my knowledge unavoidable, as are the icons which display when you want to have your team fire on an enemy location. Other than those, I'm icon free. A compass does display in the lower left corner showing where your men are, and which direction your mission objective is. I'm thinking I might be able to eliminate that, but it has proven useful, and it's not to obtrusive. Your mileage may vary.
g) Gameplay - Love it! It's so nice to have a game where the guys on your side are more than just mindless automatons (like my boss at work). The AI team does a pretty good job of finding cover when necessary, suppressing the enemy, and calling out when a enemy soldier (or friendly) is down, or is moving. They aren't perfect, but it's a huge step forward from games like COD, and MOH.
The game is scripted, but the script isn't to heavy handed. I also don't get the sense while playing that I'm forced to move down a narrow path to complete the objective. An objective that in many games can only be completed in one way. You can't roam completely unfettered, but you have enough latitude to complete most objectives by more than one approach.
h) Multiplay - My experience was limited to a total of 5 minutes so far. I went online primarily to see the steps necessary to create, or join a game. I did end up joining the first 2 vs 2 game I came across. It was hosted by someone from Italy. I was delighted to find once the game started that I experienced zero lag/warping/stuttering. Smooth was how the gameplay could best be described. It remained that way during the 3 times I was killed in the 5 minutes I played. Yeah...I mostly suck.
i) Summation - So far, so good. If you live for ultra realism, you will find a lot of things not to like about this game, but then you will find lot's of things not to like about IL-2/FB/Aces/PF, Beverly Hillbilly's, Flinstones, etc. Overall for me it's a winner. And if I were to rate it on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being highest. I'd give it a 9.
This isn't one of those professional type reviews, but hope it helps a little. BTW, a demo is due out very soon!!
TD