Close Combat: First to Fight

Action 2005 Windows 2K Games Military War Military FPS

Boots on the ground!

Not to be confused with the similarly titled Close Combat series of real-time strategy games, this is, in fact, a modern military shooter, more akin to Conflict: Vietnam or other similar titles. It's a pretty solid affair that provides most of what you want in a shooter, with lots of action, plenty of gunfire and some slick visuals. The game throws you into the boots of a tough squad leader who gets called into a nightmare scenario which takes you to Lebanon in order to deal with a local militant uprising. Most of the game is your fairly standard first-person shooter, but it does mix things up a bit by allowing you to call in mortar strikes and air strike at certain points. Another interesting element is the game's squad-based nature, as you're leading three other marines, which can be human- or AI-controlled. Another of the title's key features is the advanced AI, which means that all NPCs have their own psychology and thus react differently each time you play depending on what's going on at any time. It's elements like these which help make the game stand out a little, and for an intense bit of urban combat, you could do much worse than this. It's looking a little dated, and plays a tad sluggishly at times, but the sheer intensity and authenticity of the action make up for this. The visuals are decent enough, and there's an excellent range of weapons to try out, while the four-player mode is the way to go if you can gather some chums. All in all, an entertaining modern military shooter that is worth a look.

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