Close Combat: First to Fight

Whether you consider it to be a great training method or propaganda, there have been a number of games developed in conjunction with America's fighting forces. The latest of these, Close Combat: First to Fight, was created with the help of the US Marine Corps.

The game is set in Beirut, where forces from neighbouring countries nations have caused civil unrest. You play a Marine lance corporal at the head of a four-man team acting on behalf of a United Nations peacekeeping corps.

You must lead your team to success across six missions, divided into levels. Each level has various sections to complete, ranging from simple search-and-destroy excursions, to hostage rescue situations, and high-value target acquisition.

First to Fight is reminiscent of games such as Brothers in Arms, or SWAT 4. Although you can play the game largely by yourself, you'll have more success by getting your troops to work as a team. For instance, running into a room full of insurgents with guns blazing will probably get you killed, but getting your team to use the appropriate weapons and assault techniques for a given situation works much better.

Artificial intelligence is fairly good. Unlike some games of this type, you can usually rely on your men to form an effective team. Your unit follows the real-life Marine Corps doctrine known as "Ready-Team-Fire-Assist", which dictates that your team moves in a particular formation to provide 360 deg cover.

For example, when you ascend a staircase, your team will watch all possible angles from which an enemy could approach. They're usually very effective in these roles, and accurate in their shooting. Unfortunately, it only takes one or two shots for you to get killed. If you or two or more members of your team dies, the mission is over.

First to Fight also takes into account factors such morale and discipline to determine the success of your troops. If you consistently make poor decisions, your men will refuse to take orders, or execute them badly. Making wise decisions and keeping everyone healthy usually results in a squad that follows your orders to a T.

There are some glitches in the game that cause members of your squad to do ridiculous things. In some instances orders were ignored. This isn't so bad when you're walking down an empty corridor, but can lead to some scary moments when flanked by insurgents.

A good player should be able to complete First to Fight after about 10 hours of continuous play. It also has a multiplayer mode where you can go head to head in a team death-match, or play co-operatively with your friends in the single-player campaigns. This can be done via a network or the internet.

On the whole, we enjoyed First to Fight. Its presentation is a little lacking in places, and it has the occasional annoying glitch, but it should appeal to anyone who enjoys squad-based tactical shoot-em-ups.

PEGI age rating: 16+

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