An intense, brutal, unforgiving (yet unforgettable) and realistic shooter with more than a few technical issues.

User Rating: 9 | Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad PC
With all the CoDs, Halos, Battlefields and Killzones out there, it is great to see some fresh air blown into the FPS genre by those hidden gems. You know - the different & more unique games released by smaller companies, with less money and more ambition; an undying need to prove themselves as worthy of a larger fanbase and bigger profits. It's not surprising then that Tripwire Interactive has released another exceptional game with the "realism" label. If you've played Red Orchestra, without a doubt you must have questions regarding the sequel's quality. If you haven't, then you're obviously here because you want to find out if this game is for you. Know that you have come to the right place, for you are about to find out everything you need to know about Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad.

A good place to start would be by describing the visuals. While the first game's graphics were not the best of what 2006 had to offer in the technical department, they did look very good and fit the game's dark atmosphere well. From this point of view, RO2 is a similar story - though taken to a completely new level. While it doesn't top The Witcher 2 in its art and beauty, nor does it beat the lifelike environments of blockbuster shooters, it looks pretty damn good regardless. Each map you play on is designed with astonishing detail, thus creating incredibly immersive environments for combat. Lightning looks very realistic, high resolution textures fill each place with an outstanding appearance; character models and animations look real and immerse you in the experience even further. Some players will not be able to experience all of this game's visual splendour, as it does require a fairly beefy rig to run on max settings with the decent frame rate that is required for the best online experience.

Although the game might be a bit harsh on weaker systems, it is overall fairly well optimized and should manage to maintain a consistent frame rate on most capable computers (especially after the recent update to the GOTY edition, which has somehow allowed me to switch from medium to ultra settings without a drop, but a rise in frame rate). There are some clipping issues or other graphical oddities every now and then, but on the whole, Red Orchestra 2 has some stunning graphics and makes you wonder how anyone could manage to get so much beauty out of DirectX 9. In addition, the presentation is even better! Tripwire Interactive has used sound and graphics to create a truly engaging & believable experience. As you aim down the sights of your gun, you will hear the player character holding his breath to steady his arms. When you hide in the crumbing ruins of an old building and listen to the sounds of your enemy's artillery nearby, you will see the ground shake - colours diminish from your vision, aiming becomes more difficult, sounds fade away and you hear the soldier's heart racing. It's this astounding attention to detail, in every aspect of what the game has to offer, that makes it an extremely unique creation.

As you have probably guessed by now, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is a title that concentrates mostly on crafting one of the best, most authentic and immersive depictions of World War II; putting you - the player - in the boots of soldiers from both the Wehrmacht and the Red Army. The gameplay is vastly different from most other first-person shooters out there. First of all, if you plan on getting this game anytime soon, get used to one-shot kills. This is much closer to real warfare than other shooters, as you are very unlikely to survive being shot at. This is the game where you have a higher chance of getting yourself killed rather than wounded. And when you do get wounded, you have to quickly patch yourself up with bandages - or you will bleed to death… that is, if you even get to cover before whoever shot you finishes you off. But if you do, even then, your injuries are taken into account. So when you get shot in the leg, you will not be able to move as fast as others and so on.


RO2 possesses many realistic features. Here's a short list to name a few: you can now mantle over small obstacles; bullet penetration is taken into account - thus it is now possible to shoot through many types of cover; around 70% of the environment is destructible (including fences, walls, buildings and more); a first-person cover system has been implemented, so you can now take shelter behind any object in the world (which allows you to peak around, shoot around and even blindfire); a weight system allows you to pick up guns left behind by your dead enemies or fallen allies - but as you pick up more equipment, your movement and stamina are impaired accordingly and there's a limit to how much you can carry; fully modelled ballistics have been put in place, so bullet drop and ricochet are still here, and adjustable sights (including optional iron sights for sniper rifles), weapon bracing, pivoting bi-pods for machine guns. These are only some of the additions to the Red Orchestra formula.

Of course, many characteristics of the previous game remain in this sequel. For example: there are no crosshairs, shooting from the hip is pretty much useless until at dangerously close range, a grenade is much more dangerous and likely to kill you than in most other games, sprinting consumes your stamina rapidly etc. Unfortunately, some of the first game's features have been removed for the sequel's release, in order to appeal to a wider audience. This is bad as it limits the game's potential, but thankfully, a recent update has restored many of these cool mechanics by adding a new game mode.

Apart from the emphasis on realism and immersion, another thing that sets the Red Orchestra series apart from many other war FPS games is its setting. RO took place on the Eastern Front of WWII, instead of the very much done-to-death Western Front of the Second World War. Whilst RO2 continues this trend, it focuses almost entirely on one of the most brutal and intense battles of 1942 and 1943… the Battle of Stalingrad. The developers obviously tried very hard to create an atmosphere for the game that is appropriate for its cold locale, and they've definitely succeeded. Each map is actually a recreation of a part of Stalingrad (or what was left of it), with some fantastic level design and authenticity to back it up.

Most of RO2's maps look spectacular, but it's the way that they are constructed that is really special. Each battlefield offers plenty of hiding spots, places to retreat to & take cover or secret routes that can be used to cut right through the enemy lines and flank them. This is nothing like Call of Duty's limited and over restrictive areas, where when you've played once you've seen it all. The maps of Red Orchestra 2 have an amazing amount of content to offer and some of them are massive. Fans of the previous game will be glad to know that some older maps return. It takes a good few hours of gameplay, on each map (old or new), to discover all of their secrets and best methods to break through hostile territory or defend that of your allies. This moves us onto another topic, which is teamwork.

Unlike Team Fortress 2, which tries to be a team-based online shooter but ultimately fails to implement its mechanics properly and provide an experience that is balanced enough, yet offers challenge without feeling cheap, Red Orchestra 2 encourages co-operation exceptionally well. When going into this game, you must be aware that it is NOT just about the kills. The players with the most team points are usually the winners. It is not uncommon to see people with 2 or 3 kills near the top of the score list during the end of a match, whilst those with 30 or more are below. That is not to say that if you kill enemies, you get punished for it. Oh no, not in any way does the game force you to do anything… it always gives you a choice, and if you choose to co-operate, you and your team will be infinitely more effective and successful. Team points are rewarded for resupplying comrades with ammo, capturing enemy points on the map, destroying opposing forces in objective areas and so on.

There are different types of units to select at the start of each game and it is easy to see that even they are designed to convince people to work as a team. Firstly, there is a limit to the amount of each unit fighting on the battlefield at a time (which changes depending on the amount of players on the server). For example, there can be a maximum of two snipers and one commander - on each team - in a full server of 64 players. Each division also serves a different purpose. The commander has access to artillery strikes and can issue commands to the rest of the group, which makes him a very useful asset to the team. The riflemen make up the bulk of an army; equipped with a slow yet powerful bolt-action rifle, it is a rifleman's job to pick off enemies at medium to long range. The assault units are extremely effective at short to medium range. Their task is to advance through enemy-controlled territory and provide support for those with non-automatic weaponry. A machine gunner is significantly slower and must find a good position to deploy his gun (if he wishes to shoot from a distance), thus he packs considerably more firepower than any other unit and it is on him to provide suppressive fire for everyone else. A squad leader can lay down some smoke, which is often essential to advance through heavily shelled zones. Even tanks require a group of smart players to operate them appropriately and provide the proper assistance, as they are very complex machines that can become powerful tools in the correct hands.

However, Red Orchestra 2 isn't just about capturing the opponent's land. Quelling their numbers can be just as important if any movement is to be made at all. Thus, with all the realistic touches on the gunplay and movement of both allied and hostile troops, combat is much more difficult than in most other games. This means that it might be a while before you manage to actually slay a foe, but when you do - it is immeasurably more satisfying than in other games. RO2 has a very steep learning curve and isn't very accessible to action addicts, but that's just one of the many things that make it stand out from other games in the genre. Still, as you play more and more of this game, you will eventually learn to adapt your tactics applicably to each map and become much better at aiming and shooting. If you give this game the time it deserves and treat it like you're supposed to, you will be rewarded with some of the most intense and substantial gameplay ever.

It was already mentioned earlier that this game expertly uses audio to immerse, so let's go into a little more detail regarding this topic. Firstly, you should know that this title's soundtrack was composed by Sam Hulick - a man who did some work for BioWare on the music of Mass Effect. Hulick did a great job over there, but what he does here is outstanding. Both the Allies and Axis have their own unique sets of music playing, with different pieces triggered specifically to the state of the conflict, in the background during each battle. These melodies are introduced in such a subtle way that they add to the immersion instead of breaking it, as well as building up on the atmosphere and sometimes making encounters feel even more epic, without being cliché. This is truly some extraordinary work. But no, the awesomeness of the audio design does not end there. Every single shot, shout, scream, command, explosion and thud you hear adds more to the entanglement and hooks you in even further.

Something that angered many of the RO vets in RO2 was the addition of player skill progression and a stats tracking system. Now, whilst I agree that this does scream "we want the CoD fanboys to play our game", I disagree with those who are saying that the series has been completely "codified". The addition of slight bonuses to those who have played the game for longer is acceptable and actually an improvement, as it rewards long-time veterans but doesn't absolutely hinder the improvement of new players in any way. It is really only a small advantage. There are also a few weapon unlocks (such as bayonets and scopes), but that's about it. They similarly offer only slight advantages and are still far from what you'd find in a Call of Duty game. Moreover, what's wrong with being able to compare your stats with friends? Nothing.

Probably the largest and most obvious addition to the Red Orchestra formula is the singleplayer campaign. Yes, you've most likely heard lots of terrible things about it. Well, guess what - it's actually good! What many people fail to realize is that the singleplayer campaign is basically just a very big tutorial. It's quite unique though, as it allows you to play as not only the Soviets, but the Nazis too. Actually, it puts you in the role of a German soldier first. During the Axis part of the campaign, you learn all the basics and get a chance to try them out on the battlefield against bots. When you move on to the Allied campaign, your newly acquired skills are put to the test against… well, bots as well. The AI of these companions and opponents is decent, at best. They do show some surprising finesse in combat (at times), but they act very abnormally when in melee range of each other. Plus they just can't compare to real people who can think and change their strategies. Nevertheless, the singleplayer is a nice way of introducing the player to the basics of RO2's online gameplay (which is the core experience). The fact that you get some artistically crafted, well-narrated cutscenes and completely non-scripted combat within this singleplayer, as well as freedom of movement, is just another bonus and advantage that this game has over blockbuster titles of the FPS genre.

From what you have read, it may seem like there are no significant flaws surrounding this game. Well, that's pretty much true for the most part. There are really only a few gripes that most people could have with its audio, graphics or gameplay, and everything else is just a matter of taste… apart from stability. Red Orchestra 2 shipped with tons of bugs and crashes. Sure, many of them have been fixed over time, but the final product still requires a lot more polish to get it to that flawless technical standard that it should be. Bugs are much less common than they used to be, but crashes still occur from time to time and can easily break the immersion. Sometimes, they come about often enough to become really frustrating - but it seems that experiences vary from player to player. The good news is that Tripwire Interactive are still working, day & night, to correct as many of the imperfections as they can. In addition, they have already started working on adding many features into the game that they wanted to add, but could not implement before release. Some extra features (such as new vehicles and maps) are also in the works. All of this is to be released in the form of free updates, just like patches. Now let's just hope that TWI don't get too carried away with all that new stuff and don't forget about the technical problems that should have been fixed ages ago.

Nevertheless, this is some superb developer input and support of the fanbase. The only other video game studios that I've seen doing this are CD Projekt RED and Bohemia Interactive. Tripwire Interactive are also showing some remarkable support for the modders out there. However, considering the background of almost all employees within the company, it is expected. Three full conversion mods are already being made by fans, one of them with some important input from Tripwire - an expansion called Rising Storm, which takes place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

Now that you know what you should know about this game, let's summarize what it offers in general and come to a final verdict regarding its quality.

GAMEPLAY - 10/10
If you play it with others as a team and give this game the amount of time that it deserves, you will find one of the most thrilling multiplayer experiences ever made. Maybe I should take points away for limited accessibility and the steep learning curve, but I won't. Some titles just should be hard and reward those who look further with something marvellous, like few other games.

STABILITY - 4/10
The state that the game shipped in was not unexpected, considering the limited resources that TWI has, but it was also unacceptable. Some of the problems have been fixed, yet many still remain and there's a lot more work to be done if RO2 is to become the stable game that it should be.

STORY - n/a
Since this is a multiplayer-focused game, it would be unfair to rate its story because… well, there is no actual plot. Though it is all historically-accurate and feels authentic; so that should be another plus if you're fascinated by history just as much as I am.

GRAPHICS - 9/10
Whilst the Unreal Engine 3 does remove plenty of potential that the game could have had in the graphics department, it still looks splendid and makes you wonder why people keep throwing away old technology, when so much more can still be achieved with it. On the other hand, the possibilities of an in-house engine make me wonder…

SOUND - 9/10
Sam Hulick outdid himself, by providing an excellent soundtrack that lays complete emphasis on atmosphere. The sound effects are almost on par with this, as there is no need for ambient shooting or explosions in the background - all sound effects happen in real-time and are caused by the players. You'll be hearing a lot of it, as well.

LONGEVITY - 10/10
Once again, some people would take points off here for the fact that many who will play the game won't delve deeper into it, afraid of the tough challenge and put off by technical issues. However, I won't, because I did get hooked into this game and it hasn't let me go since; I just keep coming back to it and I'm looking forward to future updates of free content.

Taking everything into account, it would be foolish to say that Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is a bad, mediocre or even just fair game. That's because it is actually brilliant. The only things that drag it down are the technical issues, and given time, even those may be completely gone in a few months. Sure, this game isn't for everyone, but if you play it like it was intended - with collaboration - you will find one of the deepest shooter experiences around on the current market. Don't throw it away the instant you get killed fifteen times in a row… treat it as what it is - an intense, brutal, unforgiving (yet unforgettable) and realistic shooter with more than a few technical issues.

OVERALL RATING - 8.5/10 (Great)

UPDATE:
To make things even better, a huge & free patch (carrying a hefty 5 GBs of new content) that was promised to the fans has been released by the developers. It separates the whole multiplayer experience into three main modes: realism mode (the game as it was before, with some expected fixes), action mode (or in other words: an attempt to appeal to CoD fanboys, which adds many unrealistic features to the game and feels like it detracts from the core game and what it stands for) and classic mode (which is exactly what veterans from the first game have been waiting for - the return of many realistic features from RO1, and probably the most powerful of the three modes). Red Orchestra 2 is played best on realism and classic modes. If you want to experience something truly amazing, just ignore servers playing on action mode. Mind you, this action mode is still more realistic than many other shooters out there. Among other new things included in this update are native language packs (that's right, no more English with foreign accents - you can now choose to play the game with Russian and German only audio) and the game seems to be even more optimized for better fps.

Thus, after so many free updates, I can finally confirm that the game's stability is much better than what it used to be. Moreover, with so many improvements made to the formula since release, I believe RO2 now wholly deserves the highly esteemed rating of 9/10 that it was always aiming for. Well done, Tripwire Interactive! Despite of all the trouble, you've managed to make this game even better than it already was.

OVERALL RATING (Updated) - 9/10 (Outstanding)