[h2] Easily one of the most authentic games [/h2]
This game from 2003 has something special and certain mechanics, that many modern games are lacking and missing. If you somehow dont know this game, you will be pretty shocked after knowing this. Illusion Softworks were either geniuses spawned from the future in early 2000's or it's just modern games suck and developers are very lazy. It's kind of mystery what happened to Illusion Softworks. It doesn't make any sense, the keys for this masterpiece cost ~ 1 USD now.
I believe in theory that Sniper Elite is 'unofficial half remake' of this game - cut of certain content and made into Lone Wolf mode. No way I believe Rebellion didn't take heavy inspirations from this. There are too many coincidences and ideas in Sniper Elite III, 4 and 5, however the best features are still only in Hidden & Dangerous.
[h3] This game in two words instead of two hundred haha - [b] Timeless game [/b] [/h3]
Take the example - Airfield mission in North Africa [i] Whiskey in Bar [/i]
I split my squad into two teams: one disguised with stolen German uniforms for spy and the other for loud infiltration/support. I threw out of my inventory all of British gear, have put MP-40 on shoulder and started to pretend a patrol on airfield like their guards. I overheard a conversation of two soldiers and officer reporting with info about their armoured Panzer reinforcements heading to this area [spoiler] [b] (you can miss this if you decide to do just an assault first) [/b] [/spoiler]. While they were speaking I realized what's coming , it combined with steady ticking of an old clock on wall - and no any of other scripted game can get that calm before the storm vibe. The ticks of clock in this room doubled the immersion. Knowing I had to get my assault team ASAP before the armour arrives - simultaneously avoiding compromise of my spy- created such a golden immersion.
The death of your team is permanent, once somebody dies - he's dead - you lost him. But after each mission you can add recruits (limited number but plenty to complete game). Still its lost because the longer you play with each soldier they level up and progress like in RPG. Earn military ranks and distinguished based on your actions. The more and heroic actions you do you can get high distinguished medals, like silver stars, bronze stars, purple hearts etc.
Today’s hundreds-thousand-dollars of bugdet titles overlook such details and make the environment like a lifeless piece filled with placeholders. Like for example simple idea of wall clock sounds placed exactly in certain situation can change the vibe completely.
Hidden & Dangerous despite dated graphics is build on the atmosphere, and it stays with you for years. I could have play that mission in so many ways: by frontal assault, sniping, silent takedowns, or stealing a German half-truck with 20mm gun and wreaking havoc over this compound. It change how missions go. You play it your way. Hidden *or* Dangerous. Or both Hidden & Dangerous. Replayability is nice.
[h3] Details and unique mechanics over graphics [/h3]
The game is the best example of this. I will talk about what makes H&D2 good game when graphics aren't in top tier. Here, rain is splashing on clothes and helmets. In winter, air steam is coming of a breath, and of every NPC as well. If soldier smoke cigarrette it drops on ground and you can see it go smoke out. Guns drop shells on ground after shooting, and they stay where they fall. More important the drop makes sound - I feel it makes gunplay awesome and better then modern shooters. Footsteps leave traces on sand, mud, snow, like in Red Dead Redemption, but 20 years earlier. I can't believe what this studio have done to this days. Weapons, equipment gear don't vanish into Black Hole, they are visible on your uniform. You take grenades for example and observe as they appear on your uniform slots. Any part of equipment has it slots and has different skins look based which faction uniform you wear.
[u] Now the very interesting part [/u]
Barely find this in other military shooters -
I've seen it only in [i] Arma 3 [/i] - [b] trigger lock [/b] - e.g. you put your Thompson, Springfield, on a shoulder sling, and the gun goes into *safety mode* so when you grab it back and want to shoot you hear this "click" noise of safety lock disabled. Now you can shoot. (Tell me of other game I will appreaciate it knowing of such game too) This feature is automatic, so it dont ruin the flow of your playing but is here. I'm sure many players can't recognize it or know what is that sound.
A little detail, but once you realize [u] this game is built on hundreds little details like that [/u]- you witness this [b] unmatched depth [/b] devs have put into the game.
[h3] Let's do more, below I Iisted other brilliant features: [/h3]
These can be some hints into gameplay also:
-you can fear the enemies to drop their weapon, and steal their uniform by capturing and disarming them, anything and anyone.
- when you shoot, the shells are falling and remain on ground, it's so satisfying to shoot.
- blood on ground can reveal position, more, if you take uniform of killed enemy, the other will notice blood and wound traces on it - immediately compromise you.
- when you use ally equipment ( can be anything british, from a piece of clothes, to weapons, even british knife) while being dressed in enemy uniform, enemy recognize this suspicious parts and compromise you also.
- high ranking npc than your stolen uniform shows will compromise your spy but slower e.g. you wear uniform of a private - sergeants and other higher ranks detects you after time. The higher enemy uniform you steal the safer you are among enemy
- the game design perfectly the vibe of world during World War 2.
- all locations starting from training camp in England are rich in details, uniforms, buildings , objects like papers, documents, furniture all is captured nicely with proper language and even font.
[h3] About content and missions [/h3]
The Courage under Fire contains [b] *Sabre Squadron* [/b] standalone add-on which brought different missions structures in Italy and France. I remember the bridge defense, that literally is Saving Private Ryan Alamo moment. I can't wait to reach into this in year 2026. Game can feel clunky at sometimes, but have beautiful locations. The base H&D2 campaign nicely rounds out World War 2, taking you through: Norway, Enigma Secrets, divng Under Water missions, North Africa, Pacific Burma, Normandy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria or South Germany if I remember correctly. Each region contains of 3-5 different missions (not single objectives) full missions - so the content is huge - up to 30 or more missions with Sabre Squadron add-on. Its just RPG length and content at this point.
[b] I raise one thing again [/b] - [i] it doesn't make any sense its that good [/i] - but it is, all those are facts. Hidden Dangerous can outclass any war-shooter by mechanics. Even Arma lacks the vibe and variety of misssions because you feel it's scripts put over next scripts condensed in one island etc. etc. This is different. This is campaign. And it gives planty of outcomes and creates own stories as you decide to play it different way every time.
Ps. Works on Win 10 nicely. Its also RAM friendly and use big amount properly. I have 16 GB and it doesn't speed physics up ruin gameplay. For example Conflict Desert Storm is totally unplayable.
