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War Rock
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One of the selling points that the War Rock website touts is that the game will run on high and low-end computers. There are certainly plenty of options for “dumbing down” the graphics for older and slower machines (the game will run with a resolution as low as 640x480), but when I decided to test this on my older PC (a 2 GHz Gateway with a Celeron processor and an on-board graphics adapter – terrible for gaming) I found that the game would run, but was nigh unplayable, even with the lowest graphical settings possible. Still, it runs well with most ATI and Nvidia cards, even older ones, so the claims are mostly true. With games like Battlefield 2142 and F.E.A.R. requiring the latest and greatest of video cards to really be enjoyed, War Rock’s accessibility is a breath of fresh air.

Women in combat. You've come a long way, baby!

What I really like about War Rock is that it offers something for everyone. Close Quarters is perfect for those times when you just want to jump online and play a few quick matches without committing a lot of time to the game. Urban Ops is very nice for a longer game with a medium sized group of people playing. Those who have tired of Battlefield but want to play that style of game now and again will find it very familiar and enjoyable. Battle Group, of course, is for those who like playing out large scale skirmishes that take a good amount of time and teamwork.

The developers made a great choice by including vehicles in the game as well. We’re not talking just a few tanks and APCs or Hummers here either. While some Urban Ops maps have exactly that – just one or two tanks and such or perhaps a helicopter – Battle Group maps almost all offer a wide assortment of combat vehicles, including the expected tanks and attack choppers as well as jets and motorcycles. Riding the motorcycle is especially enjoyable, as is sniping someone who is whipping along on one. There are also emplaced guns on the larger maps to help players deal with pesky aircraft and light armored ground vehicles. The Heavy Weapons soldier has access to missile launchers with lock-on capability as well – a very nice addition.

Yeah, he dodged that one, but this guy is already dead - he's just too stupid to know it yet.

The combat in War Rock is surprisingly realistic too. You’re not guaranteed a one-shot kill with a sniper rifle unless it’s a well placed head-shot. Pop someone in the leg – even twenty times, and he won’t die right away – but will bleed out if he doesn’t get medical attention quickly. The maps are cleverly designed and, while some will remind players of familiar maps in Battlefield 2 and Counterstrike, they’re original enough and diverse enough to be interesting. The Battle Group maps will especially keep players busy looking for good sniping locations and ambush points for some time.

All in all, War Rock is shaping up to be an impressive FPS. With the promise of more weapons, the possibility of additional classes, and the likelihood of additional maps in the future, this is one to watch for when it releases “for real” in February. For now it’s most certainly worth your while to download the client and join in the online beta fun. It may not be the best FPS freebie out there (Return to Castle Wolfenstien: Enemy Territory and F.E.A.R. Combat are still better), but it is fun to play and a nice way to play Counterstrike and Battlefield style games without buying Counterstrike or Battlefield.

Spend your hard-earned Dinar in the weapons shop.

Preview by Michael Triggs.