ArmA 2: Coming June 26

[Pendragon]

505 Games announces June 26 is the new release date for ARMA II, (http://www.arma2.com/) Bohemia Interactive Studios' military shooter sequel.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDJ7JfnqI/AAAAAAAAGxE/uFW2NZHhVdc/s400/arma05.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDJ7JfnqI/AAAAAAAAGxE/uFW2NZHhVdc/s1600-h/arma05.jpg)

Featuring the most realistic warfare ever, ArmA II promises to build on the excellent features that have made Bohemia Interactive a respected name among gamers. Players can expect in-depth team-based combat, a comprehensive playbook of military tactics and an enormous battlefield to push strategy to the limit.

ArmA II benefits from a 3rd generation game engine that has been in constant development for 10 years; no other developer can offer such a great heritage in creating open-world military shooters. The Bohemia engine has been recognised as a benchmark in producing realistic warfare simulations to such an extent that the developer has used its Real Virtuality engine as the basis for training simulators used by armies across the globe, including the United States Marine Corps, UK Ministry of Defence and Australian Defence Force.

This experience is also helping Bohemia Interactive to craft an incredibly detailed storyline, full of political intrigue and plot twists, which blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction. Set in the near future in a fictional post-Soviet country called Chernarus, players take on the role of a United States Marine Corps Force Recon squad, who are called to the country as a peacekeeping force to prevent further civilian casualties and ensure ongoing stability.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDlrMfPaI/AAAAAAAAGxk/yxBGt_Oku7A/s320/arma04.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDlrMfPaI/AAAAAAAAGxk/yxBGt_Oku7A/s1600-h/arma04.jpg) http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDlgeAaOI/AAAAAAAAGxc/lht-i7ptqgA/s320/arma03.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDlgeAaOI/AAAAAAAAGxc/lht-i7ptqgA/s1600-h/arma03.jpg) http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDlSJXGUI/AAAAAAAAGxU/9p_F5BfHysM/s320/arma02.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jzI4zw9C3Us/SfmDlSJXGUI/AAAAAAAAGxU/9p_F5BfHysM/s1600-h/arma02.jpg)

[TRTL]

So this is like a BF2 game?

[Pendragon]

Sort of...

The MP game is different, mainly because of the map size. The map is truly huge! ArmA is to BF as BF is to CoD. I'm not sure of the map size with ArmA-II but the map in ArmA is 400 square Kilometres!

Most play the coop game, a game where the map and it's towns are held by AI. You have to clear the whole map, this can take hours on a server where the players are experienced. Much longer for smaller numbers or novices (Days!).

The game play is different too, much more tactical. You still have to have the quick reactions of any fps game. If you turn a corner and you will have to be quick and accurate or dead!

With coop you can spend quite some time out side the towns picking off as many as possible with a sniper rifle, 500-700-1000m shots with a Barret! Or strafing runs with Jets or choppers, pounding the town with tanks or artillery. Before going in the town to take out the radio tower before they call for reinforcements. Mop up the stranglers then the town is won, You can then move to the next town.

Each of the towns are different and require different tack ticks. There are many other game modes but most people that play ArmA play whole island coop.

Given that there is only one map you don't get the regular map changes. In some ways it's much more like WoW in that regard, you sit down to play some ArmA you better have several hours free. The game sucks you in and you only realise that the time has past because you get hungry or something. You look up from your computer screen only to realise that it's getting light outside!

[TRTL]

Thanks Pendragon. Do you know if they have mentioned anything about a demo. I think this looks very interesting.

[Pendragon]

I have not heard anything about a Demo. There was a demo for ArmA so my guess is that there will be one for ArmA-II

[Mike Nomad]

Is this game "menu driven"?

[woowoo]

Sounds a lot like the upcoming Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.

[Pendragon]

I can only say from what I have experienced from playing ArmA and what I have seen and read.

Mike_Nomad
No it's not menu driven, there are in game menus but nothing more complex that you would see in CoD for using voice coms. Some things are accessed from the map screen. To be honest you can just run and shoot if you like. Building a squad, calling for an air strike is done from the map screen. Just find somewhere of safety to pull out your map. The game may take hours and hours, a map that you are there for the start will be played by others after you leave.

woowoo
The reason this looks like Operation Flashpoint:2 is is that this should be called Operation Flashpoint:3

Bohemian Interactive made Operation Flashpoint, but sold the rights to the name to Codemasters. BI made ArmA but couldn't use the name OF:2 they are almost finished making ArmA-II. So that should have been OF:3

Mean time a completely separate project, Codemasters have reinvented the wheel and created a completely new game, because they own the rights to the name it's the one that gets called Operation Flashpoint:2

In my opinion CodeMasters Operation Flashpoint 2 Dragon Rising will be a good console game! and a poor PC game because of it.
ArmA-II from OF's original developers Bohemian Interactive will be a really good PC game

Here is the caveat not every one will "get it" ArmA has such depth of game play it can make it more than a little difficult to get into. A bit of a steep learning curve! Well that is ArmA my hope is that ArmA-II will be a little more approachable without losing sight of the huge game play of ArmA

[Pendragon]

Here is a link to the youtube trailer to the single player game, the MP game is much the same but without the "Razer Team" crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNV8UbzA9UM

This video is manly an advert for the TrackIR 5 but also includs some nice ArmA-II footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ

It's worth watching in HD. Remember if it moves you can play with it... Tanks, choppers, jets, civilian stuff the whole she-bang! Some of the best infantry game play you will see.

This is NOT CoD!

[sgTsTuFz]

Thanks for the links, the game looks good. But the release date is for Europe only, no ?

I can find no info about a North American release date.

[Pendragon]

I'm not sure, I have just checked out the US Amazon site and there is no sign of it. They do have ArmA Gold Edition for $13.50 (http://www.amazon.com/ARMA-Gold-Pc/dp/B0010B675K) :D If you just can't wait for some 400 sq km map gaming LOL the new games map is small at only 230 sq km (less sea)

ArmA-II is on the UK Amazon site for £24.99 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/505-Games-ArmA-PC-DVD/dp/B001QCYA2A) on pre-order.

You might have more luck with better local knowledge. ArmA was released at different times across the world but that was down to issues with getting publishing deals. Small eastern European developer, trying to get a publisher for a game that was known to piss off CodeMasters might be tough...