All demos will be rated on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest. Five different points will be considered in the evaluation process:

Playability
Graphics and Sound
Computer Specs
Fun Factor
Overall

Testing system: PII 350, 128 RAM, Voodoo 3000 PCI, 256K DSL Internet

This game is boring, tedious, and downright idiotic. I'll cut the developers a slight break, since the title screen actually has a disclaimer on it, which mentions that the demo "does not represent quality of the full product." Okay, fine, but still... I've played shareware minesweeper rip-offs that were more fun and definitely more worth my time.

The overall idea behind this game is good, though: full immersion into the Cold War. It's a tactical combat action game, and maybe a higher-end system could take full advantage of what the developers tout, but the testing system used here did fulfill the minimum requirements stated. The idea of cruising around in a slew of different vehicles and engaging the enemy in a squad-based warfare scenario is enticing, but this demo falls well short of that.

For example, when it was my turn to "drive the Jeep" I accidentally ran into a tree at approximately 3 miles-per-hour. I was then informed by my commanding officer that the vehicle was rendered inoperable, and we'd have to walk from that point. What? I actually own a Jeep in real life, and I'll tell you right now that I've rammed a helluva lot of stuff in it - at some rather daunting speeds - and I've never had a problem.

The squad-based warfare doesn't work in this game. There's an attempt at constant communication between squad members, who try to point out enemies ("enemy soldier at 11 o'clock") and keep everyone in line ("Two, fall back into position") but the problem is everyone has a number and you have no idea who the hell is whom. It's constant radio chatter that might as well be Ethel Merman shouting out algebraic equations because the voices all sound the same.

The graphics are okay, and I like the openness of the gaming world, but the graphics are really not any better than Half Life - a game that is so very old now, so you think there would be some improvements. The screenshots are lifted from the developers web site, and while they look nice, the demo is much more herky-jerky stuff that will do nothing more than piss you off with its clipping issues and lack of detail. I got my ass shot off more than once by some dude who was way out there, and if I can't shoot him, then by God, how the hell can he shoot me?

This game is more like
a movie that you
don't star in.

See, you're more of a bystander who gets to watch everyone else in action.

Take these choppers, for example. They sure
look cool.

And these guys? You'll
have no idea what's
going on when they
start shouting out
positions and stuff.

Pfffffftttt... whatever.

In-game movie, no doubt.

Graphics / Sound: The graphics are just okay. These screenshots tell a completely different story than this demo we're dealing with. (I even tried the "demo optimization tips" listed on the Codemasters web site to improve performance, but the improvement was marginal.) The weapon sounds are great, and extremely accurate. I can tell the difference between an M-16 and an AK-47 being fired and it delights me that developers take the time to discern between the two. However, that constant radio chatter has got to stop!

Computer Specs: While the demo only calls for a PII 400 and a 16MB video card, you're going to want at least a 700MHz processor and a 32MB video card to run this game.

Fun Factor: The only fun I had was running the Jeep over the artillery guys who were waiting for a ride. Two seconds later, the screen went black and it said that I was arrested by the MP's, who must have been hidden in the back of the Jeep under some blankets, because I was hauling ass toward the Russian border with no intention of stopping for anything.

Overall: With a high-end system, it might be a different story, but this game has only two redeeming qualities: the weapons sound effects and the great screenshots that weren't in my version of the game.

TOTAL SCORE: 1.0