Operation: Vietnam Review (DS)

Age rating: 12+ (PEGI)

What is it?

Squad-based shooter set during the Vietnam war.

Is it fun?

Yes.

Is it worth the money? £14.99

Yep.

Why?

Well, there is nothing remotely like this on the DS. The entire game revolves around killing everything that moves (i.e. Vietcong and chickens mostly). I was about to say there isn’t a puzzle in sight either, but there are some contained in the bonus missions (more about them later). However, these puzzles are the find switch to open correct door kind. They are more of an interlude to the killing rather than something to train your brain.

The game itself is supposedly squad based, allowing you to select each of your 4 team members by using the touch screen (note: movement is via the d-pad). But I ditched this idea and managed to get through almost the entire game going solo and then wandering around the rest of the (now devoid of bad guys) level with my remaining team mates. I found this approach more rewarding than trying to keep everyone alive at the same time. I’m such a slacker. Hehe.

Whilst the main game (all 10 levels of it) is fun enough, I found the bonus levels far more challenging and entertaining. You unlock these bonus levels by achieving 3 stars on each of the missions (i.e. kill everything and collect all the hidden dog tags). Each bonus level presents you with a different challenge. For example, one of the levels contains a fiendish maze containing pressure pads which open specific doors. So you have to manoeuvre your team around the correct sequence of pads to open up an escape route.

But all is not peachy in Operation: Vietnam. I have major gripes with the auto aiming system. It only works when you are facing the enemy. This is not a problem until you reach level 8. At this point the enemy bullet speed has increased to a level that is almost unavoidable in the process to turning to kill an enemy. This means even the best placed shot almost guarantees some loss of heath. Very frustrating.

What’s even worse is the lack of mid-level save points. This is a massive oversight which has to be addressed in the sequel (should there be one). I spent best part of 45 mins getting to the very end of level 9 only to die and find myself dumped right back at the start of the level. Not only is this irritating, but it prevents me playing whilst I’m travelling. All DS and PSP games should allow you to save whenever you like as you need to on public transport. That’s when you use your DS/PSP most isn’t it? Game designers take note!

In summary:

It looks pretty good, plays well for the first 8 levels at least (and all the bonus levels) and is worth hunting down for under £20.

Screenshots:

Operation: Vietnam is out now in the US (version reviewed) and available in the UK from 2nd Nov 07.

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