• Publisher: Atari
  • Release Date: May 4, 2007
Metascore
74 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Aside from mission parameters and available equipment, you really can do anything you want in ArmA.
  2. If you're tired of the unrealistic nature inherent in titles such as "Battlefield 2" or the "Call of Duty" series and crave something more authentic, Armed Assault just may be what you've been waiting for. Put simply, you just won't find anything in the simulation realm comparable to this addictive game.
  3. Far from flawless, but you have to admire the sheer ambition and scale of the game. I'll be playing this at home for years. [Mar 2007, p.58]
  4. ArmA: Armed Assault is "Operation Flashpoint 2007" in both the good and the bad. The good far outweigh the bad, though, and I can hardly wait for the game to be properly finished. For a game of this calibre, I will gladly endure and finance the beta testing. [Apr 2007]
  5. Love it or hate it though, you simply can't argue that Armed Assault is one hugely accomplished modern combat simulator. If that's what you're looking for, you won't be disappointed. [Mar 2007, p.60]
  6. If nothing else, Armed Assault can be considered just short of being a "flawed masterpiece", desperately in need of the proper time and development to shine the way it truly should.
  7. An essential purchase for anyone interested in war simulation or tired of the contrived drama that fills mainstream military shooters.
  8. A hardcore first-person combat simulator that will have any genre veteran smacking their lips in delight. Sure it's far from perfect, but it still offers a remarkable gaming experience that will occupy many hours of our gaming lives.
  9. Even if you have the skill to complete the single-player game, you'll have only scratched the surface of this thorough war simulator. [Aug 2007, p.62]
  10. Armed Assaults comes with all the bells and whistles any gamer would love in a combat simulator, despite some really poor choice of menus, texts and questionable briefing presentations.
  11. You get the full spectrum of war from armor to aircraft and snipers to squad leader. Sure, it's got a few shortcomings. But it is also the most complete and perhaps even the best combat simulator out there.
  12. This is not the type of game that a casual player would want to pick up and jump in to. Though essentially a shooter, the game is billed as a strategy title for a reason.
  13. When it comes to first-person wartime simulators, it doesn't get much better than ArmA, but considering the lack of games with this level of realism, that's not saying a whole lot.
  14. 73
    ArmA's adherence to realism and accuracy in terms of weapons and world design is highly commendable and hopefully will inspire other developers in similar directions. It is undoubtedly one of the most realistic military shooters available. On the other hand, that's hardly a justification for such unforgiving difficulty and it's certainly not supported by the game's visuals.
  15. An "easy" difficulty in the single player campaign might have helped make the transition towards the realism in this game a little more accessible, but as it is, be prepared to break a couple of keyboards in the process of learning how to succeed in ArmA. Once you do, though, this game is certainly worth the price of admission.
  16. A very good tactical simulator that will appeal to all players, at all levels.
  17. Some of the features may feel like a throwback to the original Operation Flashpoint, and many of the mechanics may overwhelm more casual shooter players, the sheer amount of extra content and military accuracy make ArmA: Combat Operations difficult to not recommend to a military enthusiast or fan of the Flashpoint series.
  18. For the patient, the willing, and the people who know exactly what "Flashpoint" and its fans are capable of: go buy ArmA. View it as an investment for the future, because by the time PCs and Bohemia manage to catch up with the game engine it'll be just as important as Flashpoint's.
  19. Despite spectacular graphics and strong attention to simulating real-life combat weaponry, ArmA: Combat Operations falls victim to some major bugs, one of which causes those graphics to fall apart. Additionally, the weight of its complicated menu system slows down the game's pace.
  20. ArmA is a challenging and immersive game of modern warfare, but one packed with plenty of frustrating moments and flaws, as well.
  21. ArmA is probably "too real", and too frustrating, for most FPS gamers.
  22. ArmA will get better; at the moment, it's too broken to wholly recommend. [Mar 2007, p.80]
  23. In the end, I can't really tell what was Bohemia Interactive thinking when it released this game. What were they after? Was it financial success? It's hard for me to believe that they actually thought that such an unpolished game would enjoy any kind of success.
  24. 60
    ArmA is a game best left to guys who know how to disassemble a .223 rifle.
  25. There are so many things going for Armed Assault: Combat Operations (ArmA) in terms of presentation, concept and effort. Unfortunately, it slips up in so many ways that affect the gameplay to a serious degree that it turns what could have been a great military combat simulator into a test of patience.
  26. 60
    For the hardcore military buff, ArmA's attention to real-world detail is unmatched; comparing it to something like "Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter" is like comparing "IL-2 Sturmovik" to "Combat." If this concept scares you, then run away: ArmA will eat you up and spit you out before you can figure out how to aim your M-16.
  27. Its problem is what the missions ask of you: they are simply too tough. Trained soldiers would and should mutiny when asked to carry out the tasks AA routinely asks of you. [Mar 2007, p.84]
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 67 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 40
  2. Negative: 6 out of 40
  1. 0
    How do you take a steaming pile of **** and sell it for $20? Tell people it's 'hardcore' 'military simulator'. Then you will acquire a loyal following of dumbasses who think they are badasses because they can play this piece of crap. Graphics are fine, it''s the horrendously bad AI that makes this game suck so hard. If they wanted it to be a multiplayer experience why try to pass the broken AI in this game as something other than a broken PoS? My squad mates creep me out the models are so weird looking. This game really could be good if the AI was more evolved than space invaders. Who cares how advanced or hardcore the crap is when your squadmates walk around like imbeciles bumping into walls and shouting enemy spotted but they are looking up in the sky. BAD AI. BAD. Won't get burned again with this **** game **** Arma 2 **** Bohemia **** ARMA **** Flashpoint **** **** games with **** AI. Full Review »
  2. JohnD
    8
    A pretty solid game that works much better than what most people say (at least for me...). The game is complicated for someone who is use to arcade-style shooters like CoD or Battlefield and will take MUCH practice to get use to. Overall, it is a pretty solid FPS. Yeah, the graphics could be better, but if games were only bought for graphics, I would of gone out and just bought a painting of a soldier holding a gun. Full Review »
  3. CD
    0
    There are WAY too many controls. I'd say there are at least 3 functions to a key, and they are awkwardly positioned, so much so that you'd have to have 3 hands to run and go prone and track a moving target when it only takes the 2 you have in games like Call of Duty and Battlefield. Reassigning the controls is a complete waste of time, because there would be something ELSE that would be awkward to get to when you need to fast. Overall, unless you have 3 hands and can memorize a whole keyboard's worth of commands, don't buy the game. Full Review »