ARMIES of the world are trained differently. Let's face it. Soldiers from the US Marines, Delta Force and the Commandos would probably have a field day proving who is better.
In the world of video games, it's the equivalent of asking if the guys at Rainbow Six are better than the guys at Call Of Duty than the guys at Socom, and so it goes on.
But what is guaranteed is that any of those guys can probably wipe out the duo from Conflict: Denied Ops.
Yet another first-person shooting game, Denied Ops is the first of the Conflict series that strips away the squad-based tactical gameplay, and goes for the two-person tag team set-up. The end result is a game that is not different from the many FPS clones on the shelves.
You command two guys, namely machine-gun toting Lang and sniper Graves. Lang is African American and more about brawn, while Graves is Caucasian and faster on his feet.
Differences between both characters, whom you can opt to control at any time during the game, are clearly laid out and it is up to the player to decide which soldier is the best person for the job.
In Denied Ops, you cannot switch weapons, as is the norm in most FPS games.
Instead, you switch characters, and the game developers have made a big deal out of this. But how different is switching characters - Lang and Graves, each with a different weapon - than simply switching the weapons themselves? Duh.
What's also irritating is that in Campaign mode, you might be better off fighting solo.
Whenever you're under fire, your partner will not help you, unless you order him to.
Rather than waste time coordinating a flank, I'm better off taking down the enemy forces on my own.
The graphics, while pretty, are what I call the sunlight effect: While detailed, the reflection of the sun on everything gives buildings, vehicles and walls a bright, glowing effect.
If the action is indoors, it's as if the walls are doused with oil, such that everything has a shimmering look. Unreal.
Overall, Denied Ops is a generic military tour rather than tour de force.
The game plays like any decent FPS and its two-player co-op campaign is more fun than a solo effort, as you can now rely on your partner's skills.
