Enter the explosive conflict of the Vietnam War and fight your way through some of the fiercest clashes in modern history. Join the battle raging across an extreme landscape of vast mountain gorges and thick jungle, where the North Vietnamese Armies clash with the military strength of the US Armed Forces. Build tunnels, fly helicopters, drive patrol boats, use historically accurate weapons and work with your team to achieve victory...

Play as part of the North Vietnamese Army or US Armed Forces

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam aims to offer up an accurate representation of the hell which armed forces would have endured in a war environment. And, for the most part, it pretty much succeeds in doing so... given the limitations of the current technology.

The game includes six large-scale maps inspired by real world locations. Once you've decided whether you want to represent the North Vietnamese Army or US Armed Forces you can then choose from a total of 17 specialised roles within a 50-strong team made up of multiple squads. Join or lead infantry, recon, armour, mortar squads and helicopter units, using communication and teamwork with your fellow players to identify objectives and ruthlessly exploit your opponent’s weaknesses.

The main sticking point here is that a younger gamer probably hasn't got the patience to play through the tutorials just to get the basics down. And believe me, the gaming mechanics take a bit of getting used to. Whilst it does employ a lot of the standard first person shooter control configurations, there are many more features that may take a little getting used to. And, this is why you need to really invest time and effort in the tutorials. There's nothing worse than being in the midst of battle and you suddenly realise you've forgotten how to heal your wounds.

Build tunnels, fly helicopters and drive patrol boats

One of the issues I had was finding a game with players in it. And this is an issue that's only going to get worse moving forward. For a game that's predominately an online multiplayer experience, what will happen when there's fewer players online? Will it make the game unplayable? Do you want to spend £35 on a game that might be redundant in six months to a year?

If you're a fan of realistic war sims, then it's certainly worth a gamble. There's so much to engage your senses. For those that are looking for a solo campaign mode are going to be disappointed.

7

Nick Smithson