The biggest issue with simulation games is they are so focused on the simulation aspect, that the fundamental key part of any FPS (or game in general) is missed: enjoyment.
Arma 3 is a significant improvement from its predecessor the engine is optimised fantastically. For an Alpha, this felt very polish and on release could only get better. The game stays true to the concept of all Arma games, realism and experience, from gameplay perspective it is very similar to Arma 2 and borrows its narrative structure heavily from Operation Arrowhead.
The gameplay is trial and error, in each mission you end up replaying until you find the optimal route that the level design wanted you to take, this is not to say you can just run in a kill everyone, but you die just as easily as the enemies do. Enemies spot you a lot faster than you can, it comes down to a stealth cowboy showdown, whoever gets spotted first is dead. Missions are non-linear, if you fail the mission or, as an example, destroy the area you are meant to infiltrate there are consequences. It is a nice touch, and makes the game more open ended, if you do not want to stealth through a mission you can just run in guns blazing, but at a price.
In the alpha there are four missions, they show off the different mechanics in the game and really make the demo seem more like a tech demo, the first is based on Infiltration, and this is showing off the A.I and the combat. Most of the firefights are very long range and while the enemies have sharp aim you are still struggling to see, where they are.
The next mission was Scuba diving, this was personally the best part of the alpha, it was a nice change from running around the island, the ocean was vast, in some cases it was impossible to reach the bottom, there was life as well, killable fish. The post-processing effects made been underwater most gorgeous area in the game.
The third mission was based on the vehicles, if you get motion sickness its advised you stay away from them, going off road felt over the top, hitting a small rock while going downhill will make you bounce around like an over active rabbit, it felt like you were a boulder rolling down a hill. The final mission that was available on the alpha was helicopters, this was the hardest part of the game, and it felt like it was tailored around using a joystick. The lack of information also made it more difficult, there was no notification on how to turn the helicopter on until I turned it on.
The interface was very nice, with the trend of simplistic interfaces Arma 3 followed. Using menus in the game are the same as Arma 2, every action in game is basically revolved around the scroll wheel. There is no intrusive interface while in game, you pretty much get the whole screen obstruction free, and there is a small UI in the top right hand corner for ammunition.
The alpha was very small, no multiplayer, just the four missions showcasing the different aspects of Arma 3. It is an improved version of Arma 2 and is graphically pleasant with no strain on the hardware. I look forward to seeing when the game is fully released, and who knows maybe even a DayZ mod on their as well.
You must be logged in to post a comment.