It’s been many years since Operation Flashpoint, nearly 15 years in fact.

On this very blog we’ve talked about the later title in the series named Dragon Rising but it’s time we gave the original the credit it deserves.

1001 No.92: Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis (2001)

Incredibly difficult; dodgy graphics; controls that were very hard to master; but an experience like no other. It’s not often you can call a game genre-defining – but you’d never have seen the likes of this before. It’s not a game – it’s a simulator.

The first that struck me back in 2001, as I charged down a hill with my comrades onto a Russian-held town, was the biggest sense of vulnerability you’ll ever feel in a game. I mean ever.

Forget Call of Duty – crouching behind a barrel to magically heal yourself – this is war. Shot in the leg? Well unless there’s a medic around you’ll be crawling to the next objective. Shot the head? Game over, hope you used your ONE AND ONLY SAVE POINT in a good place. Forget checkpoints too. Shot in the arm? Forget aiming at anything.

Not that you can hit anything most of the time anyway – realism is the name of the game, either that or you’ve been struck down by the infamous FADE copyright protection system. Enemies are specks in the distance most of the time, and you’ll be all too aware of your silhouette against the horizon unless you grab some cover asap.

Though you soon learn the hard way that crawling down a hill headfirst means… your head is the first place to take a hit.

And the vehicles! Tanks, planes, choppers, jeeps, all dangerously vulnerable and extremely tough to pilot. But when it works… my god, it’s fun – and has led to some of the most memorable moments in multiplayer gaming I’ve ever experienced.

It’s unbelievable as a game, really. And hard to imagine it could exist today. But of course, it does – while Codemasters split from the original team to make ever more increasingly disappointing Operation Flashpoint games, the original team got on with doing what they always did best – creating the most inaccessible but mind blowing games you’ve ever seen, in the series otherwise known as ARMA: Armed Assault.

The original is now renamed ARMA: Cold War Assault. But in our hearts (and minds) it’ll always be Op Flash.

If you never played it, better late than never – it’s free to grab it on steam right now, so do it

I came across this old review for Super Godzilla (on the Super Famicon) one of the most boring strategy games ever made, in an old Manga Mania magazine from 1994.

Here is the article in it’s entirety.

---

Super Godzilla Review

Japan’s No. 1 national hero stomps his way on the video game screen… but is it merely to take away Ultraman’s mantle as the worst Nintendo game ever?

It’s a hard life, being a Japanese live-action star. The Big G may be revered as a hero in his native country, but in the West he’s a figure of fun, ridicule and a late night slot on Channel 4. So just how does he shape up as a video game?

It’s bad-news-for-Tokyo time again as the three dragon-headed King Giddorah wreaks havoc downtown. Enter Godzilla, subtly controlled by radio waves, who must face the Giddorah. The screen display and mechanics are very reminiscent of an earlier Gundam game on the Nintendo. Split into two halves, you guide Godzilla via a map to the enemy in the lower half, whilst you’re shown the results of your actions on a sort of movie above. Come across an annoying building in your way and Godz just crashes through. Finally, after avoiding mines and missles, Godzilla reaches his objective and the real game begins. It’s also where things get a little confusing.

Up against Giddorah you have direct control over Godzilla, but it’s no use just punching the beastie out, you have to make use of the Dynamic Fighting Spirit^TM, represented by a pulsating bar just below the main screen. Edge your way slowly towards your enemy until you’re within striking distance, wait until his bar is low… and strike! Now back up fast until a little window opens up with a special attack allowing Godzilla to let loose with a tail attack, a headbutt or his patented fire breath.

Watch in horror as all your hard work barely scratches Giddorah. Gasp in astonishment as Giddorah closes in for the kill (which incidentally you can’t block) and promptly kills half of your energy in one fell swoop. And so it goes… for what seems like an eternity. After Giddorah, you can fight Mecha Godzilla, Biollante and other foes (old and new), but the tactics remain the same.

Maybe not quite as bad as Ultraman, but it’s a close call.

Scorecard

Graphics – 7/10

Well it certainly looks like Godzilla, and whether he’s topping up his energy at a nearby power plant or giving a swift uppercut to Mecha Godzilla in front of Mount Fuji, the pictures are well done.

Sound – 7/10

If you’re not used to a Godzilla soundtrack, it may seem odd – jolly and triumphant at the same time – which the game captures very well. Plus try out some great roar samples.

Presentation – 5/10

Rather basic with very few options and only a smart title screen to redeem it.

Overall – 5/10

You really do need to be a Godzilla fan to appreciate this one. The actual game isn’t strong enough to hold most people’s attention beyond the second monster.

Super Godzilla – Toho – Super Famicon (SNES) – 12 Mbit

It seems the past has officially come back to haunt us all.

ET The Extraterrestrial  rumored to be buried in the New Mexico desert was found yesterday by an American  documentary company. The game, once described as the worst game ever made, is thought to be one of the major factors responsible for the decline of Atari hence why they buried it in the desert.

For many years gamers have wondered if the Legend of E.T on the Atari 2600 was true. It now appears the answer is yes. Atari created a game so bad it had to be buried in the desert where it could no longer hurt us. Just like the UK sending Piers Morgan over to America – Atari hoped its suffering was over.

The discovery has divided the gaming community with many gamers wishing the game had stayed hidden deep beneath the sands for many years to come.

If you are unfamiliar with how bad this game really was then check out the video below – Just don’t blame us when your brain leaks out of your ears and you go blind!

There are only a handful of titles in history that have gone against the “norm”. Titles of such greatness they went from console to arcade and still kicked ass! One of these titles is none other that the almighty CHOPLIFTER!

1001 No.91: ‘CHOPLIFTER!’ (1982)

CHOPLIFTER! is so good it comes with its own explanation mark – that’s right the game is actually called CHOPLIFTER! It is a game title that suggests it should be shouted into the faces of those who dare question what greatness you are playing.

First released in 1982 on the Apple II machine it was later ported to a few other systems before making its historical jump to the arcades in 1985. I have been playing the 1987 ATARI 7800 version and despite a few graphical tweeks its gameplay is exactly the same as the original. It also sounds immense on the ATARI!

As with most retro games of this age (and on an ATARTI) it is the simplicity that makes the game. The premise of CHOPLIFTER! is as simply as it is great – bust guys out of PoW camps and return them to base. Standing in your way is a deadly army of tanks, jets and strange purple round things that resemble the enemy space ships from Defender. It all sounds easy enough but, unlike those girls from Essex, easy it aint! Time and time again your fully laden choppa of freedom will be shot down as it takes off.  Wiped from the skies by collisions with the Defender space ships or, just as you are about to land back at base, blown up by a sneaky jet! It is even possible to squash the prisoners while coming in to land! How very American!

CHOPLIFTER! is a game that will have you hooked for hours at a time. It will have you embroiled in the never ending battle to save more people then are killed (by you or the enemy) and you will love it!

Black vs white – it’s either the ultimate dichotomy of life, or just a massive race war.

But black and white is the essential element of Ikaruga, an incredible vertical shoot-em-up where the two create a fantastic game mechanic which still remains interesting so many years later.

1001 No.90: ‘Ikaruga’ (2001)

Vertical shoot-em-ups (like 1943, Aero Fighters, or a million other clones) are much the same – but Ikaruga introduces a unique aspect – enemies come in two shades, and you can flip your ship to either match them or oppose them. For example – you choose white, and white enemies power you up – but black ones are deadly. However, destroying your opposite colour yields bonuses – at a much greater risk.

Overall, an incredible game, developed by Treasure (the masters behind the awesome Gunstar Heroes) – but sadly now more of cult classic than a blockbuster. Like many of us, it was big in Japan, but took a long time to get to these shores. It was on Arcades over there, then on Dreamcast – but tragically never released in Europe on that system.

It’s been on Xbox Live Arcade relatively recently, but now listen up! Here’s your best chance to play the game you should have played almost 15 years ago. The ingenious system of Steam Greenlight has helped bring it to PC – grab it now and blast through one of the most fun (and most difficult) 2D shooters of all time.