Page 3
Arms and equipment
While Hidden & Dangerous is not a Rambo/Quake style game, it does have its share of first person shooting action. Personally I liked a lot the way that weapons handling was modeled in H&D. You did not get a crosshair, reticule or dot to use as aiming reference, instead you had to look through the weapon's sights. Of course, it was only a 2D image of the weapon that you had on the screen, but it made such a huge difference from other games. Because of this, I found the Johnson model 1941 rifle totally fascinating to use in long range engagements. Sure, it was hard to see what you were shooting at without a scope, but when you put the front sight post over the little silhouette in the distance, pressed the trigger (er ... mouse button) and see the bugger collapse, the feeling was marvelous (does this make me a psycho killer ?).
Fig. 7. The Panther got my bazooka manThe past with the past, now enter Fight for Freedom. The weapons have been changed from 2D images to 3D models, but for some unknown (to me) reason they are now located in the right corner of the screen, while a big crosshair serves as point of aim indicator. Yes, they do look prettier now, but the feeling is gone. Perhaps they thought that weapons take up too much of the screen, but it makes no sense since there is an option to clear them out completely. Funny, the crosshairs cover more of your target than the weapons used to in H&D. The list of weapons in the game has been increased a little bit, and our american readers can rejoice as it was mostly done by adding some classic GI issue firearms. The M1A1 carbine and the Thompson are a nice addition to your arsenal, as is the Colt 1911 pistol.
The two sniper rifles from the previous game are now available in non-scoped flavor too, but the german Stug 44 makes them obsolete. There is no ballistic model in the game, and all bullet trajectories are straight from muzzle to target. But, as with other games in this genre, it does not detract from the potential of the game. An option for "realistic ballistics" would be nice, but there are more important omissions to be corrected. I hate that I can't shoot someone through the windshield of a car, or through doors, walls or other objects.
Fig. 8. The tactical plannerShootouts in H&D can be quite fun, provided that you set the difficulty on medium and not hard, otherwise you'll often be shot before you even saw a thing. The game does not allow you to lean left or right to look behind a corner, but you can crouch, lay prone, crawl and roll on the ground, trying to avoid incoming fire. German soldiers are not afraid to use grenades, they just don't do it very effectively.
Their AI is a mix of amazing - they can spot you flanking them and ambush you on the way - and stupid - when they wade in your line of fire one after the other if you know where to wait for them. On the top of that, there are also some scripts in the missions that will make some of them act kind of silly. For example, there's a german officer that will wait patiently for you in his car, after his driver has been killed in front of his eyes. Also, the allied spy that you will rescue can't be controlled, and "activating him" too soon (by going anywhere near him) is a recipe for disaster, as he runs like hell outside, where the germans lurk.
Fig. 9. Here goes my last manEach enemy has a limited field of view and this means you can flank him and cut his throat without giving him a chance of knowing what hit him. It's very fun to crawl under the nose of a german sentinel, find a place where he isn't looking and shoot him from there. Miss the first shot, however, and he'll drop for cover, then pop up in a different place and try to spot you. It's not perfect, but it's a step in the right direction.
