Military shooters might not appeal to the vast majority of gamers out there, but I challenge them to try Bohemia Interactive's ARMA games.

While the first two games might be a little hard to get deep into, it's a lot easier when the community is just as passionate about the game as the developers. With addictive mods in place and a plethora to come, vast improvements to the lighting and weight to the gunplay, ARMA III looks to become the definitive military shooter.

ARMA III interview

ARMA III, like its predecessors, is a military sandbox, open-world shooter. That might sound intimidating, but don't be put off by its focus on realism. ARMA III contains plenty of missions and objective based mechanics that'll put you right into the swing of things, as long as you're willing to learn. Once you get the hang of it, ARMA provides a wealth of options that make other shooters look anemic and that's not an exaggeration.

Popular as ARMA II is, Bohemia Interactive knew about the bugs and other fixes that held the game back from truly bringing about a flawless experience. ARMA III is that extensive fix. Sharing the same engine that built the second game, ARMA III is composed of a multitude of fixes and tweaks to the engine that completely change the look and feel of the game. The lighting, for instance, is vastly improved, giving the environments a more real-world feel. Compound that with brand new sounds, even better weapon handling, the newly implemented PhysX engine, enhanced particle effects with brand new underwater combat, and you have quite a large package to deal with.

Yeah, piss me off. I dare you.

Some people might think reusing the same engine is a lame and/or lazy move, but I disagree. The more a developer deals with something, the better understanding they'll have of it. Having experienced some hands on time with the game, I can tell you that's entirely the case with ARMA III. This is the game Bohemia Interactive wanted to give to its fans and practically everything in the game shows its improved state.

If Bohemia Interactive wants to compete with triple-A shooters out there, ARMA III is that step that brings them ever closer to that admirable goal. I've personally never been into any kind of military sim, but ARMA III definitely looks like it deserves a chance. Check it out as it approaches a playable state later on in the year.

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, ARMA III, Bohemia Interactive, E3 2012, PC

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