With looming question marks over the world's leaders on the issue of Iraq, it seems like another developer has yet again struck gold on capitalizing current events as a marketing engine. Early this year, with talks about Afghanistan and a possible re-entry into Somalia in tandem with the visceral Black Hawk Down cinematic piece, NovaLogic's PR department all but had its work cut it for them. While the Gulf War and Desert Storm won't need any explanation at all (we all know what happened there), this tactical first person shooter will be one of the first titles to take on the unforgiving barren deserts in and around the Arabian peninsula. Conflict: Desert Storm covers the covert operations carried out by allied forces as you take control of the British SAS and U.S. Delta Force on fifteen missions, most of which will put you deep behind enemy lines and ahead of the main fighting force. The actual missions performed over a decade ago, of course, are locked away in some vault and in the minds of the actual participants. However, Storm isn't going for a completely realistic feel. With its health bar indicators and easy-to-handle vehicular action (you will, for example, get to man Humvees), its emphasis is on the gameplay. And the fact that it will be released for the PC and major consoles is a testament to the relatively lax physics involved, even if it takes into account the gear used at the time. Note also the vantage point you get: it's a third person behind the back view, much like the original Spec Ops. In spite of this, Storm has enlisted real SAS help (by way of Cameron Spence, who actually was staged in the Gulf War theater) with the game but the end result is likely what happened with Soldier of Fortune; a hearty marketing endorsement and a few ideas on what to do with the gameplay involved. The actual missions are a mix-up of what we've come to expect about tactical first person shooters. Other than the context itself, assassinations, VIP rescues and sabotage aren't exactly 'top secret' objectives to avid fans of this genre anymore. A lot of missions will involve doing behind the scenes work, finding hidden missiles and painting targets to pave the way for the allied advance. Storm will give a whistle-stop tour of these as you battle in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments, seamlessly stitched together to operate during daytime and nighttime. Night vision, naturally, is a must. Perhaps the most important part of Storm is not the gear but its use of AI, both for friendly teammates and opponents. Utilizing four-man squads, the third person action shapes up to be similar to Hidden and Dangerous except Storm will feature more intuitive controls to allow you to setup withering crossfires and execute small-group tactics in order to bring your skill to bear against overwhelming numbers. Keeping your operatives alive will be crucial too, as you can improve their skills and via extension, their likelihood of survival in further missions. With the inclusion of multiplayer play, including co-operative play, Storm will let you and your buddies duke it out in dry deserts and busy urban locales. As the first title to tackle one of the most successful military campaigns in recent memory, Storm is a tantalizing title that will make it on the most wanted list of most first person shooter fans this fall. In all likelihood, you'll be storming Iraq sooner than anyone else as this title is slated for release later this month. Questions or comments about the upcoming release of Conflict: Desert Storm? Talk to us! [ E-Mail Fwiffo ][ Comment in our Forums ]

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