The Wombat writes: Sometimes when the whole world seems to be going one way, it's fun to step out of line, turn around, and head straight back the other way. In the crowded FPS genre, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising (the long awaited sequel to 2001's Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis) does its best to do just that. With the gaming community reaching a fever pitch for the impending launch of Modern Warfare 2, Op Flash dares to replace your run and gun with crouch and crawl. It files in as a realistic simulation of war, giving you complete freedom over where and how you approach your objectives instead of funneling you from one scripted event to another. While this approach makes the game considerably less "cinematic" than its blockbuster competition, it does fill a niche that is rarely serviced on the console market. Because of its differences, Op Flash was never going to set the sales world on fire. What it did have was the potential to shake up the somewhat stagnant console FPS market in a good way. While some technical issues and unforgiving controls prevent the game from fulfilling its true potential, Codemasters has managed to create an engaging tactical shooter that will please its fans provided they know what they're getting into.
