ARMA: Cold War Assault
- August 8, 2011
- Bohemia Interactive
- 6h median play time
Get on SteamArma: Cold War Assault, Bohemia Interactive's debut game published by Codemasters as Operation Flashpoint in 2001, became genre-defining combat military simulation PC game around the world and has won many international awards Over 2 million copies of Operation Flashpoint have been sold since its release. Storyline: The horrors of WWIII are imminent. There are clashes over the Malden Islands …
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Classic military simulator that offers a challenging and immersive experience.
- Strong mod support and mission editor allow for endless gameplay possibilities.
- Nostalgic value for long-time fans, with a compelling campaign and memorable moments.
- Graphics and controls are outdated, making it difficult for new players to enjoy.
- AI can be frustratingly accurate, leading to cheap deaths and a steep learning curve.
- Limited save options per mission can result in significant time loss upon failure.
- story268 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is set against a backdrop of a fictional Eastern European conflict, drawing parallels to real-world events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Players experience a variety of missions that emphasize strategic gameplay and non-linear objectives, allowing for creative problem-solving and immersion in a military simulator. While the narrative is engaging and offers memorable moments, some players find the execution frustrating due to bugs and challenging mission designs, which can detract from the overall experience.
“The campaign starts with you jumping on your motorcycle while the tanks roll in, and then you need to escape into the forest and set up a resistance unit, keeping only the weapons and vehicles your team can salvage from mission to mission.”
“You see, it is very in-depth with lore and has a very moving story that is extremely interesting and makes you want to continuously learn more.”
“The story takes place in the good old 80s, when there were real international tensions and warfare wasn’t a matter of electronics, laser targeting, and remote vehicles.”
“The campaign is notoriously difficult, the enemy AI is very punishing and most missions give you a lot of freedom into deciding on how you aim to complete your objective.”
“Some of the missions are quite tricky and may require multiple tries, which coupled with the limited saves per mission can get very frustrating.”
“Sadly, the main story is nothing to write home about as it's as full of clichés as Battlefield or Call of Duty would be today.”
- graphics145 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely criticized as outdated and poor, with many reviewers noting that they resemble visuals from the late 1990s or early 2000s. Despite this, some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and argue that the gameplay experience compensates for the lackluster visuals. Overall, while the graphics may deter some players, many emphasize that the game's engaging mechanics and content make it worth playing.
“Classic vintage game, not overcomplicated and has a nice balance between graphics, gameplay, simplicity, and skill required to enjoy the game.”
“The graphics are in the period that delightfully quaint style of very obviously scanned images with low resolution.”
“Even if the graphics may be dated, the gameplay and the detail that goes with the missions make up for it.”
“The graphics are really showing their age.”
“The graphics are so bad that you have to strain your eyes to spot tiny pixels in the distance.”
“The graphics are atrocious, but it doesn't matter because once you get into it, it's so immersive.”
- gameplay98 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is often described as clunky and dated, yet it remains engaging and immersive, particularly for fans of military simulations. While the controls can be convoluted and the AI may frustrate players, the depth of tactical gameplay and the ability to create custom missions are frequently praised. Overall, despite its age and graphical limitations, many players find the gameplay rewarding and timeless, especially for those willing to invest time in mastering its mechanics.
“The graphics might be dated now, but gameplay still holds surprisingly well.”
“Super fun, engaging, unique gameplay that cannot disappoint if you love military and realism.”
“For starters, the game does a horrible job teaching the player key components of gameplay before thrusting them into a firefight.”
“It's also important to note that the game has aged terribly in every way; movement is clunky, AI is incredibly stupid, graphics are terrible, and gameplay is extremely punishing with few checkpoints far apart.”
“The gameplay is very unforgiving, but rewards smart, tactical play.”
- stability17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous reports of significant bugs, glitches, and crashes that can disrupt gameplay and require restarts. While some players appreciate the nostalgic value and fun aspects despite these issues, many recommend caution, particularly with the Steam version, which is noted to freeze on high-end hardware. Overall, the game is described as an "awesome buggy mess," reflecting a lack of polish that can lead to frustrating experiences.
“Runs great on old PCs.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which is impressive for a game of this scale.”
“This game is buggy and stupid.”
“The handling of the tank, chopper, and plane are so buggy, messy, unintuitive, and frustrating.”
“I have literally lost count of how many times the game crashed or a mission objective did not trigger, which required me to restart the whole mission from scratch or completely restart the game.”
- optimization15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, particularly on modern hardware, leading to frequent crashes and performance problems. Players report that graphical settings require extensive trial-and-error to find a workable balance, and the engine's design can result in unplayable performance in certain situations. Overall, the lack of optimization for contemporary CPUs and GPUs detracts from the gaming experience.
“Finding that graphical/performance sweet spot is a matter of trial-and-error, which can be time-consuming.”
“Love this game for its unique atmosphere, great colors, well-suited sounds and OST, good gameplay optimization.”
“Default models are blocky with low resolution textures, allowing for better performance.”
“The biggest problem by far is its horrible optimization and technical performance on modern systems.”
“This game is not optimized well, and it looks like it wasn't ready to play whenever it released.”
“Probably better in fact because this game is horribly optimized for modern CPUs and GPUs.”
- music14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some praise the soundtrack as a standout feature, likening it to a memorable 1980s action movie score with orchestral and synth elements, others criticize it as goofy and lacking in impact compared to other action games. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for enhancing the game's atmosphere and character, particularly in relation to its Cold War theme.
“The soundtrack remains a masterpiece and the campaign is long and interesting all along.”
“Bad writing, bad graphics, bad controls, inaccurate tutorial, keybinds not working, awkward soundtrack... not worth paying for.”
“The music illustrates the Cold War very well and this game has a lot of character.”
“Composed by Ondřej Matejka, it is a combination of orchestral music and synths and feels like a 1980s action movie score.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding it amusing while others consider it annoying or flat. The absurdity of certain scenarios, like the exaggerated reactions of characters and the chaotic gameplay, can elicit laughter, especially when reflecting on the game's outdated technical aspects. Overall, while the humor may not resonate with everyone, it contributes to a nostalgic charm for some players.
“Best launched with the infamous hilarious satchel charges.”
“It's funny before people used to ask if 'will it run Crysis', we used to ask if you could run this game with draw distance cranked up without freezing the entire PC lol.”
“It is funny to shoot your own people though and watch them react.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game effectively captures the essence of the 1980s through period-accurate visuals, uniforms, and weaponry, creating a strong and immersive atmosphere. Players appreciate the combination of realistic gameplay, vibrant colors, and a fitting soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience despite some initial frustrations with enemy behavior. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its depth and authenticity, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“Since the game is set in 1985, it also faithfully replicates the atmosphere and feel of the 1980s with period-accurate uniforms, weaponry, and vehicles.”
“The atmosphere this game generates is impressive considering its age and the setting it's based on.”
“I love this game for its unique atmosphere, great colors, well-suited sounds and soundtrack, and good gameplay optimization.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion I expected from a game set in such a vibrant era.”
“Despite the game's attempts to recreate the 1980s, the overall atmosphere falls short, making it hard to feel truly engaged.”
“The environment feels lifeless, and the sound design does little to enhance the atmosphere, leaving it feeling hollow.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time to progress. Many feel that the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, equating it to a necessary evil rather than a rewarding challenge.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Seems like people equate repeating the same tedious movement as the price of failure somehow makes this a good game.”
“A good chunk were just tedious.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, noting that it remains engaging even after a decade, with varied gameplay experiences that keep it fresh. However, some mention that certain encounters can feel repetitive, as players may find themselves battling the same challenges rather than facing new enemies.
“Experience this gem which has maintained its replayability for over 10 years!”
“Experience this gem which did not lose replayability in over 10 years!”
“They are playable, but sometimes you have to fight them instead of the enemy.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling empowered and nostalgic as they engage in creative scenarios reminiscent of playing with toy soldiers. However, technical issues related to graphics settings can detract from the overall experience.
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features exceptional character design and voice acting, contributing to a unique progression system that enhances character development, setting it apart from many contemporary titles.
“God tier character design, voice acting, and gameplay.”
“The game progression and character development is rarely seen in games today.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is considered reasonable for its time, with some users finding the ad system and mouse controls somewhat outdated. Overall, players suggest that the game is enjoyable and recommend purchasing it during sales for better value.
