Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising Critic Reviews

It is clear that despite being a slick, atmospheric and incredibly well-paced shooter, Dragon Rising will be doomed to obscurity outside of the series core fan base when Modern Warfare 2 drops next month. That said, this is definitely worth seeking out if you are serious about your shooters.

If you're looking for a more tactical war, this will satisfy, but it's not for everyone.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is an ultimate realistic shooter. For some this can be the reason to ignore this game. But for those who seek a good challenge, this is just the right shooter.

As real as it gets in the modern military shooter genre, Operation Flashpoint demands your mind be as sharp as your aim. Those seeking an FPS experience that's evolved passed Hollywood's version of war should definitely enlist, but anyone annoyed by one-shot deaths should probably stick to Call of Duty's frontlines.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising stands as a glowing example that not every shooter needs to be a constant action movie, providing an immersive and compelling experience that will leave you painting your face and crawling through your neighbour's garden.

The authenticity and attention to detail in Dragon Rising is to be applauded.

An intense, realistic, first person shooter that will bring gamers as close to war as they’ll ever want to experience. It’s been an Eight year wait for Dragon Rising, but man was it worth it.

At times it’s frustrating and you’ll die more than you’ll succeed, but when you actually do accomplish a mission, it’s all worth it.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising’s best assets are strategy and realism. It is not an easy game to play, as it requires time to be mastered, but the effort is definitely worth it if you’re after a real war simulator!

Operation Flashpoint 2 is a simulation, but it’s a simulation that is actually fun to play.

At its best, it's nerve-janglingly tense as you plot and then implement the next firefight – where decisions you make have very serious consequences. But be warned, it's not a game that gently welcomes those more used to running-and-gunning, and even for the hardcore, there are serious problems with awkward command menus for your squad and bland missions at the top of the list of minus points.

Maybe it lacks some innovation and graphics appeal, as if time had made expectations too great, but it is a very good first step for the series to continue.

More than anything, it's a game that, even after completion, we want to keep returning to again and again, adding different ingredients to the freeform formula and seeing what kind of explosions we can create. We can guarantee you won't have played an FPS quite like this on Xbox 360, but now that one's arrived, you certainly should.

Dragon Rising has become a very attractive and action packed shooter in a genre that's mostly associated with slow gameplay. This game could even be the missing link between hardcore and casual shooters. If you're looking for a lot of freedom, Dragon Rising isn’t that experience. Still, the game is a worthy successor of the first Operation Flashpoint.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is more accessible in comparison with his predecessor, but is still very hard. Succeeding gives a lot of satisfaction. Your teammates respond pretty well on your commands, but sometimes like to go their own way. On the visual side the game is awful and the missions don’t give you the chance to explore the big island.

At times it's frustrating and you'll die more than you'll succeed, but when you actually do accomplish a mission, it's all worth it.

Codemasters has succeeded in the difficult task to bring back to life a famous IP, looking forward to a multiplatform future, which has just started. If you are among those people from the 'old school', feel free to add half point to the final mark. If you aren't, and are looking for an easy game, just do the opposite and look for another game.

For shooter fans looking for that realistic experience, there's nothing else as authentic as Flashpoint currently available.

Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising is a realistic, slower paced approach to the military shooter than what most gamers are accustomed to.

Staunchly challenging, yet incredibly rewarding, Dragon Rising might deter some due to its unremitting devotion to realism, while upsetting others with its co$nsole-friendly tweaks.