America’s Army is a modern tactical shooter developed by the U.S. Army on the Unreal Engine 3. The game boasts some of the best graphics today using the latest technologies provided and the Unreal Engine. The setting of the game is set in a fictional middle-eastern area called the Odporzhia region. The battle generally takes place in a country called Czervania between the U.S. Army and the Nocza Militarni zo ta Ekspedi or (N.M.E).

I’ve personally been playing this game since day 1 as I generally enjoyed the unique gameplay that was introduced in the earlier versions of the America’s Army series, more specifically version 2.X. In the America’s Army series you will find Army-specific detailed weapons, soldiers and equipment. The game features a skinning system that allows you to view other players as friend vs foe. Each person on either team will see the opposition as the Nocza Militarni zo ta Ekspedi or (N.M.E). (A bug in the game will sometimes skin certain players as N.M.E’s) Using feedback from real-life current and veteran military experts they have tried to implement realistic settings and soldier behaviors. The game features standard issue military weapons. In order to be able to complete specific tasks or take on specific roles you must go through a simulation training in which you will learn particular techniques. Training includes, weapons familiarization, in which you will learn how to use the M14, M249, DMR, Grenades and their attachments/mods. A unique feature to the game is Medical Training. You must go through a simulation training course in which you learn how to heal your teammates depending on the type of injury. You must take the training courses to be able to use that experience on the field, otherwise you are given the basic knowledge and weapons and thrown out into battle. (Not recommended) The game additionally integrates voice communications through the Team Speak client. Grab a headset and communicate with your teammates, but be careful of friendly fire.

The multi-player part of the game is where the action is (At it’s current state can be frustrating with network coding issues). The game has generally small battle areas in which mostly close quarters combat takes place. Each team depending on the mission type will have a set number of roles assigned to it to accomplish the mission. Server hosting is costly compared to other games, but it can be assumed that the cost is to reflect the Free-to-play aspect of the game in which you can download and run the game at no cost to you. Server Admins (who pay for the server), like in other games, can specify particular details for the server, such as, map rotation, time limits, bans, roe (rules of engagement) limits, number of players, etc. The rules of engagement keep the game under general control, automatically removing players for ROE. This protects you from continually being slaughtered by an unruly teammate.

One of the best things about the game for me is that depending on where you play and how you play, the game can change. If you have confidence in your skill you can run and gun, if that isn’t working you take a much safer, slower approach. Communication is key. For example you may hear a sound in which you can tip your teammates off as to where the enemy is or might be. You learn the sounds that specific parts of a map make and are able to relay the location of the enemy. You may hear a splash and think or say “enemy in the bathroom”, a particular room in a map called Pipeline.

The important parts that make this game unique are:

• Medic System – You can pick up your injured enemies if you have the right training and knowledge.
• Training Simulation – You must train to gain the knowledge of using your abilities on the field of battle.
• Free to Play – Buy a server and make the rules or don’t and slaughter others in their own servers.

The Brutally Honest Profane Review

The game is pretty much utter crap when it comes down to it. The fact of the matter is that every game has bugs, with this one it’s currently overwhelming. If they could fix the sometimes intermittent lag-like-shit problems, numerous bugs, and add some decent content updates the game would be fucking elite. As with any online game you have to deal with fucktards, whether those be kids, hackers or just dumb ass people in general. I’m sorry, but I just don’t like most of you.

What The Fuck? Buglist:

• Large Capacity Server Problems – Servers with a higher number of people lag the most. Supposedly the game can handle 26 players. I call bullshit.
• Lag Introduced Bugs – With more lag you will see the below bugs more frequently.
• Rubber bullets – Sometimes you’ve wasted your entire clip on a person and they are slightly injured at most. It has been said that this may be a result of lag or it happens in specific areas of specific maps.
• Medic Bug – You can’t properly heal your teammate on occasion.
• Run Bug – You can’t stop running unless you slide.
• Fuck-this-gun Bug – Sometimes your gun jams and you simply cannot un-jam it.
• Screen Lag – In certain maps (Always Pipeline, all the time) I cannot turn without getting frame lag, in which every slight movement causes a “flipbook” type effect as if each second the screen pauses and a new movement is shown.
• Collusion Bugs – A lot of the time there are elements that you can see through, but can get a projectile through, be that bullets, grenades or flash. Things appear to bounce off of an invisible wall and may bounce back at you. Bushes can protect you from getting hit. (WTF?) Grenades and Flash bangs can still hurt you behind walls. For Grenades this would be okay if the walls were destructible. What’s the point of protection if it doesn’t protect you?
• Hit Detection Bugs – There appears to be something fucked up with the hit detection in the game, however it’s probably related to the lag issues.
• Midget Soul Bugs – Sometimes, although less frequently recently, you cannot kill certain people at certain times unless you shoot them from the waist/knees down.

If you’ve played the game in the past or play the current version it’s obvious to see that the game has some great potential. Devs and regulars often say that the previous version took years of development to get right. I thought this was the new age where technology advancement thrives. We certainly don’t see that in many of the games we play these days.

I talk a lot of shit about this game, but I play it almost daily. I recommend giving it a try or at least giving each new release a test, hoping for the best.

Homefront is a  first-person shooter set in the year 2027 after an economic meltdown. Abandoned by it’s former allies, the United States must defend, conquer and rebuild. The battle is in your neighborhood!

Weapons noted to be included:

• M4
• M16
• M110
• M200
• M249
• SCAR

Vehicles noted to be included:

• M1114 – Humvee
• M1A3 – Abrams Tank
• AH-64 – Apache Helicopter

The publisher THQ has been know to produce some Kick-ass games. The gameplay styles used by THQ are in-depth enough to entertain even the biggest nerds. We expect this game to be top notch and sell similar figures as those like Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Call of Duty Black Ops.

Or am I?  Here are the facts, as I have imagined them.  I am a life-long gamer, a competent writer, and, the older I get, a pretty picky bastard.  I have all the makings of a game critic, but lack only the experience.  Am I therefore, a noob?  What is a noob but a blank canvas of potential and willingness to learn?  A pain in the ass, you say?  Granted; but in this case, you won’t lose precious time or be forced to rage quit if I fall short of your expectations.  So, I suppose all I’m asking for is a little patience, if you can spare it, which you hopefully will not need at all.  In other words, don’t boot me just because my “score” is lower than yours… unless you’re a pussy.  Just know that your Ryu bullshit is the same as everyone else’s and I will fuck it in the ass with Rufus… pun intended.

So here we are.  Just you, me and 1 cubic shit-ton of games to choose from.  I will do my best to help you make a more informed decision, if you promise not to be a dick… ever… to anyone.  Deal?  Good.  That said, you can look forward to reviews for God of War: Ghost of Sparda and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, coming soon.  ’Til then, play on.

-Un