ShellShock wins the battle for Vietnam

By James Bregman
BBC News Online staff

A current slew of video games suggest that the Vietnam War is the conflict of the moment.

A range of games set in Vietnam are coming out

As well as this week's double whammy of Conflict: Vietnam and Shellshock: Nam '67, there is the imminent colon-heavy arrival of Men of Valor: The Vietnam War, Vietcong: Purple Haze and others.

Of course these things go in phases, and World War Two will be back in favour with new editions and add-ons for the Medal of Honour and Call of Duty series later in the year.

For now though, it is back to 'Nam, a war that proves ripe territory for game makers because it comes with such a rich tradition of Hollywood representation.

However accurate or not, there is a formula in place for playing to what everyone's used to, and both this week's games deliver bundles of the ultra-familiar moody guitar twangs and all-American young men muttering about "back home".

Laboured gameplay

Conflict: Vietnam serves up squad-based action, with the player commanding a team of soldiers and flipping between them to control individuals.

CONFLICT: VIETNAM Format: PlayStation 2 (tested), Xbox, PC Graphics: 7/10 Sound: 8/10 Gameplay: 6/10 Enduring appeal: 6/10 Overall: 6/10

You can lead the group and order them about, or use one to go on an individual endeavour to complete missions.

A more than adequate and well-acted opening sequence sets the scene nicely, but after that, things do not go quite as smoothly.

Viewed from a third or first-person angle, the title is fine visually and also has some particularly atmospheric jungle sound effects. But the gameplay is laboured and does not flow the way it might.

The combination of strategy and action just does not quite pay-off, and the game seems so intent on being sophisticated that it ends up perilously non-intuitive to handle.

It is also poorly thought-through at some points, primarily the interminably long training section - or to be more precise, running round a needlessly huge army camp searching for the training section - is an uninspiring way to kick things off.

For those who want a sizeable element of stealth and strategy in their war gaming, this is by no means a dreadful proposition. It is unlucky though in that the partially similar Full Spectrum Warrior earlier this year was vastly superior and much more polished.

Meaty graphics

ShellShock: Nam '67 is a different proposition and a more satisfying experience.

It kicks off with the immeasurably commendable step of outlining the complete historical context of the war. That comes as part of a brief but atmospheric intro movie, before you are hurled directly into the midst of battle.

SHELLSHOCK: NAM '67 Format: PlayStation 2 (tested), Xbox, PC Graphics: 8/10 Sound: 7/10 Gameplay: 8/10 Enduring appeal: 6/10 Overall: 7/10

There is no time wasted on tutorials or training as controlling your character is a very straightforward proposition.

At a glance, it looks near-identical to Conflict: Vietnam, with perhaps marginally meatier graphics.

The emphasis is on action over strategy, handing you control of one soldier in a group.

This part-of-a-team element works fine, even though your fellow soldiers seem to be unfeasibly poor shots, leaving you to do the accurate shooting and having the nerve to send you off alone to complete the really dangerous bits of the mission.

You may not discern the same teamwork satisfaction that Medal of Honour and Call of Duty permit, but the gameplay is nonetheless strong.

If it is all a little formulaic, the game's enthusiasm and ability to generate a sense of wartime chaos help it score highly. It is unquestionably engaging, even if it may lack long-term appeal.

It is also not an 18-rating for nothing. Blood splatters regularly and direct hits tend to lop off a limb or head - depending on which way you look at it, over-the-top gore or a welcome and accurate level of battle realism.

Although real 'Nam aficionados may well want both these games in their collections, Shellshocked has more to recommend it.