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Uniquely Accurate Eastern Front FPS

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 13 / 17
Date: April 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This was the first prize winner in Epig Games' "Make Something Unreal contest," last year.
Since then, "RO" has been vastly improved and has become a stand-alone game.

Originally a rifle squad simulator, Red Orchestra brings unparalelled realism to the FPS genre.
Parents, consider yourselves warned. I'd reccomend 18 years or older due to realistic gore and sociopolitical themes.

Matches takes place in historically accurate locations along the Eastern front of WWII, from the Ukraine to the Kaukasus to the many battles of Stalingrad. German and Soviet troops are featured along with historically accurate weapons and very realistic tanks. No, there are no Americans, nor battles in France.

Unlike other WWII FPS games, running and gunning or praying and spraying are useless. Caution and thought are much more suited tactics. Aiming is done entirely with ironsights, and friend-or-foe comes down to being able to tell the difference between uniforms, and sometimes accents.

RO utilizes UnrealEngine 2.5 and is updated using Valve's 'Steam' network.

Highly reccomended for history buffs and realism fans.

A side note: The official web page has been unavailable for weeks, and the level/script editor has not yet been released, warranting a 4.0 instead of 5.0 star rating.

Great fun for realism buffs - not for everyone

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: June 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'm not going to just repeat every point made by other people, so I'll make this brief.

Red Orchestra is as close as you can get to real combat without actually risking to get killed. If you know anything about real combat tactics, you will immediately feel like home - forget what you have learned from the generic arcade first person shooters: run'n'gun tactics will get you nowhere. Instead, you are going to have to rely on quick dives from cover to cover and well aimed shots to avoid the enemy getting you first.

There are no such things as healthpacks and ammunition indicators, not to mention crosshairs - you get ironsights. Instead you get possibly the most realistically modeled weapons ever in game. Bolts on the rifles have to be manually moved by additional mouseclick, leaving a round in the chamber of an autoloading gun will spare you the need of recocking the weapon upon reloading, machinegun barrels need to be changed to avoid overheating, grenades can be cooked for best effect when assaulting the enemy location and if you happen to run out of ammunition in intense situation, show the enemy the butt of your rifle or skewer their spleen with your bayonet.

The graphics are great - not next generation, but easily up to par with newest games, if you've got the hardware to run them. I might add the game is more CPU intensive than your average first person shooter due to advanced bullet physics and such, although running it with up to three year old computer should not be a problem of any sort.

The sound score is awesome, 'nuff said.

The armored combat is fun and improving by every patch, but leaves something to be desired too regarding realism, although it's more of a player base issue.

Anyway, if you expect RO to be an easy arcade shooter a'la Battlefield 2, you are going to be sorely disappointed, BUT if you want possibly the most realistic first person shooter experience available, you're going to love it.

Replaced BF2, eats up a ton of my time, not for everyone.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: June 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I used to play BF2, but when I upgraded my graphics card I could not longer play it and looked for more.

...then I stumbled onto this game thanks to Steam, and wow, I've put so much time into it. Nothing is cooler than rushing an enemy in a trench and bayonetting them, or trying to escape artillery as it explodes all around you. It's realistic and the tank combat is a blast! You feel like you're inside of a real tank instead of being in some fake BF2 tank that's controlled by a single person and and manuever on a dime.

However, this game isn't for everyone. If you prefer run-and-gun type games where you can fire your gun as you run and get headshots, or prefer Counter-Strike where you can scream "OMG PWNED N00BZ i hax U LAWL" then this game isn't for you. If you aren't a team player then this game isn't for you. However, if you appreciate a well-made realistic game about WW2 and you have the patience (you WILL die a lot until you get the hang of it, there's NO RADAR) you will have a blast!

There's no single player campaign, but I'm not sure what T.Pratt is talking about. The game doesn't mislead you into thinking there's some epic single-player campaign...only a practice mode. Perhaps he is more the impulse-buy type who doesn't research to see if a game is good or not? I knew exactly what this game was gonna be about and this was before it reached shelves, so maybe he should do some research.

And the person who said :People cheat: 1. you get a low weapon and they will get an semi auto with scope. When you get a sniper rifle (not many times) you'll get a bolt action with scope. 2. They hit your tank with one shot and your bullets bounce off their tank. 3. This game is so hack friendly. The characters move slow. I play it ever now and then if I want to drive a tank and shoot."

was completely making things up. I've never witnessed one bit of hacking in RO:O. It's protected by Valve's anti-cheat. There is also no semi auto with a scope, and the sniper rifle is a BOLT ACTION WITH A SCOPE IN ALL WW2 GAMES, DURR! The bouncing tank shells is realistic, because tanks have sloped armor and has to penetrate the armor. This person needs to play a little less Counter-Strike and learn a little bit more about history before he buys a realistic WW2 game.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars just because it's not for everyone, but the recent patches have rocked my world and made this game less buggy and more great!

best WWII shooter I have ever played!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: June 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is really the best WWII shooter I have ever played. TWI just released a super-content patch, and the tank combat is now better than ever. Game has a steep learning curve; but well worth it. Player base is a bit more mature, and team-oriented than in other games. I think most people see that as a good thing. :) I have over 210+ hours into the game so far, and show no signs of slowing! look for me in game as Sgt.Heinz.

RO:Ostfront, through a veterans eyes

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: June 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

First and foremost, if you're new to the game, it's HARD. To say RO has a "learning curve" is a bit of an understatement. Try scaling the face of a cliff wall and you have about the learning curve representation. For many this is to steep a requirement and the CS kiddies and BF2 junkies will quickly toss this one aside.

However, for those of you that persevere, learn patience and accuracy, and can work well in a team, there is a very rich and rewarding experience to be had in RO. No other game gives me such a satisfying visual treat and stimulation for succesfully dominating an opponent as RO does. The one shot one kill gameplay really adds a sense of urgency to your combat situation and firefights become extremely intense. To be victorious in one, with grenades, artillery and machine guns going off all around you, gives a true feeling of accomplishment.

To be fair the game is not without it's faults. The unreal engine has it's limitations and this game pushes those limits to their breaking points. While some people say the graphics are not up to par, I personally feel they are done quite well and the fact that it may not be the graphical counter part of a BF2 does not detract from game play in the slightest. Providing of course, you adjust the settings to match your hardware capabilities. Really, the in game visuals coupled with the superb sound effects create an extremely immersive environment. Once you sprint halfway across a field and dive prone into a trench to avoid the bullets and grenades whizzing over your head, what's coming on television later that night is the farthest thing from your mind. Trying to keep your avatars limbs intact becomes priority numero uno.

There are also some frustrating bugs that crop up from time to time, but what FPS out there has ever come out without some annoying killing spree ending bug. In any case the Devs are very passionate about this game and are constantly working to improve it and add new content. Lack of a single player campaign is only an issue if you don't like to play with other people or can't play online, do not buy this game if you want single player content.

So to sum up, here are some of the pros and cons:
Cons:
Steep learning curve
Some frustrating bugs
Not constant hair on fire action (game requires tactics, not Rambo's)
Graphical capabilities (only a con if you're expecting next gen visuals from an older graphics engine)
Realistic combat
No crosshairs (aiming is best done through the gun's iron sights, run n' gun is highly discouraged)

Pros:
Realistic combat
No crosshairs (trust me, once you get the hang of it, this is way more fun than having a crosshair pasted to your screen)
Superb gun models
Realistic and extremely well done battlefield sounds (gunshot, tank shells, artillery etc...)
Sense of accomplishment at becoming skilled in such a difficult tactical shooter
Active and helpful community of players and Dev's (community tends to be more mature than most other FPS')
In game VOIP (really necessary to get the full tactical team experience, if you don't have a mic, get one!)
Immersive gameplay

No single player campaign..

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: December 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'm giving Red Orchestra a bad review as it is just plainly false advertising. I don't have high speed internet and bought the game in a local store thinking by looking at the case it had a actual single player mode... it doesn't. It did say a internet connection was required to activate the game, it does not say if you have 56K you will be downloading for 4+ days just to get a glimpse of the game.

I usually buy games for the single player mode as I don't have a choice of getting broadband where we live, I guess I'll be more careful when it comes to these kinds of products.

The game, once I got to it, was pretty cool but gets boring fast in the practice mode, there is no campaigns etc for a single player. I'd give the gameplay a nice score say 4 stars, if you got broadband this would definately be a good game to purchase. But they need to describe the game and the hoops you need to jump through to play it more thoroughly on the packaging...

Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45: Bringing realistic FPSs to a new level.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: June 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have been playing First Person Shooters and simulators since the release of Unreal Tournament in 1999. I picked up RO at version 3.3 as a modification of Unreal Tournament 2004. It was briliantly realistic and accurate then, but now as a retail game, it simply blows me away. I am a WWII history buff. I am a rifle enthusiast, shooter, and know-it-all, if you will. I am also very knowledgeable on the topic of WWII era engineering. Red Orchestra has to be one of the most realistic and engrossing games ever. It is the first Eastern Front WWII game i've seen, and has one of the best communities ever. A note about the RO (acronym for Red Orchestra) community: "Though he be but small, he is fierce"- William Shakespear. RO's developers are just simple players that went a little farther than most, so they can relate to the players of RO more easily. Thus, they can tailor RO to the best ever because they have more support and researchers than just their staff. If you want a realistic game, a fun FPS, or just something to keep you from getting bored, Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 is most certainly the way to go.

Shines with Teamwork

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: June 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

All of my positive points have already been stated by others. I love the realism of this game, and love the challenge.

I believe the bad reviews stem from people only playing for an hour or less. The game can be frustrating at first, but once you get the hang of it, the rewards are unparallel.

So far this is my favorite game, ever. I've never had a better gaming experience than playing RO in an organized team.

Here are my complaints:

1) More people need to use voice communication and teamwork.
2) Bots for practice mode are pretty dismal. This really is a multiplayer game and that should be made clear.

So if you get this, pleease please please invest in a $10 headset with microphone.

Awesome

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: July 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I am a big fan of all the Battlefield series games and have put many hours into them. Moreover, their latest release of BF2 is great and seems tough to beat. However, Red Orchestra caught my eye and drew my curiosity, so I bought it. Admits all the negative talk about this piece, I have found that not much of it was true.

Furthermore, because I have played a lot of 1st person war games I almost instantly was able to become an above average player. All it took was adjusting my configured keys as I was use to in other games. Additionally, team play also is very attractive in this work. With the use of VOIP and of course quick communication keys you can use affective teamwork.

All and All R.O. is a great game. Like others it is as close to war as possible because of the lack of cheat elements like automatic cross hairs, instant health recovery, and bullet count gage. Despite this, in my opinion these and other cheats that are missing from R.O. do not make this a dull game. Just like in BF2, if you used the Iron Sites on your weapon, you'll feel at home here. In addition, a person can still shoot from the hip, I mean if you're shooting with a machine gun your bound to hit something. Also, speaking of hitting stuff, this game has a little gore. Just watch a fellow team mate get hit with a tank shell.

Nonetheless, although I get killed often as I have done in any other game, I and even you can still play like Rambo in R.O. The only thing that I see as being inferior to BF2 is maybe graphics and some other elements that set BF2 aside. But R.O. still provides players with great sound affects, detailed scenery, open field game play, and attractive environments. It even educates you about some of World War II.

In closing, I hope many people will try this game, not only because I believe you'll like it but because I need some more enemies I can light up with my machine gun.

Buy it if you have to steal the money

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is so addicting it almost led to divorce. Don't plan on bunnyhopping, 200 meter headshots from the hip, or any other arcade style crap in this game because it emphasizes strategic and tactical maneuvers both in tanks and infantry. It is also fun to play with the actual developers of the game online and give them feedback on their forum (try that with the "big guy" game companies).

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