A few years back, Talonsoft released a game named Hidden and Dangerous. It was a critical success, as it blended first and third person perspectives in a WWII setting. The missions were reminiscent of films such as “The Dirty Dozen” and “Force 10 from Navaronne” and allowed players to select the weapons they thought would best allow them to accomplish the mission.
While the game did spawn a mission pack and make the leap to a console platform, it was never as big a hit with the gaming public as it was with the critics. Still, the game enjoyed a loyal following and was an enjoyable if difficult playing experience.
While other titles such as Commandos behind enemy lines attempted to add to the strategic elements of a WWII game, until the recent Return to Castle Wolfenstein, few games have been able to blend cutting edge graphics, intense multiplay, with a gripping story in a WWII setting.
Buoyed by the surge in Hollywood WWII films such as “Pearl Harbor” “Saving Private Ryan”, and “Band of Brothers”, there is renewed interest in WWII themed games, and with Medal of Honor coming, it shows no signs of slowing down. Not one to be left out, the programmers at Infogrames and Fusion Interactive have jumped on the bandwagon with release of The Deadly Dozen.
The game challenges players to infiltrate German occupied territory and accomplish a variety of missions from kidnapping, stealing, and destroying. Further complicating matters is the fact that the squad is comprised of various misfits who have been declared unfit for military duty. The premise of the game is a direct copy of “The Dirty Dozen” and spans six nations of occupied Europe.
The gameplay is solid if unspectacular; as players have to select the operatives, weapons, and strategies they believe will best accomplish the missions. Missions include capturing the Enigma machine from a U-Boat, destroying a Rail gun, and some historical battles including the Battle of the Bulge. The graphics of the game are good and the detail is amazing down to the various uniforms and vehicles. There are a variety of vehicles that players can operate in game, and the goal based mission structure allows players freedom in how they approach their objectives. While this can be fun, there is nothing new here, and anyone who has played Hidden and Dangerous will find this game to be little more than a copy of the game and offering few reasons to play it. The action is fun, but in light of more modern and complex games, there is little to make this game come across as little more than a value title.
Game Title Rating ________________________________________
Concept
Not very original and lacking anything new 70
Gameplay
The missions are fun, but can be long and a bit tough. 80
Graphics
Though the graphics are dated, they do have detail and fit the mood of the game 70
Sound
Solid; the bullets and explosion sounds are in line with modern effects. 70
Technical
No real problems at all, a solid build. 80
Overall
Not very original, but as a value title, can be a fun distraction. 75
