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Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 pc Game Reviews
Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45
Critic Score
Metascore: 81 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.6 out of 10
based on 22 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 1159 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Fight in the theatre of war that changed the world forever. Battle alongside your compatriots on some of the most inhospitable environments of the Eastern Front in Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 RO places you in the most realistic WWII first-person multi-player combat to date on the PC, allowing the player to fight through some of the most intense combat of the war. You can play as infantry, using a wide range of infantry weapons, or crew one of the many armoured combat vehicles available in the game, from half-tracks all the way through to the most famous German and Soviet heavy tanks. You can engage the enemy with everything from your bayonet at close quarters up to the massive 122mm cannon on the Soviet IS-2. And if that isn't enough, find an officer and a radio to call in thunderous artillery strikes to shake the enemy loose. [Tripwire]

PUBLISHER: Bold Games / Valve Software
DEVELOPER: Tripwire Interactive
GENRE(S): First-Person Shooter
PLAYERS: 32
ESRB RATING: M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2006

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
Times Online
As frantic as it is visually stunning.
Read Full Review
92
Pelit (Finland)
Far from a run-of-the-mill WW2 shooter. The game is all about realism, which makes the infantry and tank combat intense and exciting. The lack of a proper single player campaign is a bit of a letdown, but the great multiplayer action compensates for that. [May 2006]
90
Computer Games Magazine
Don't expect to like Red Orchestra Ostfront 41-45 right off, as it's downright nasty for the first couple of hours. After that, however, the depth of the game and the emphasis on skill becomes apparent. [July 2006, p.59]
88
Loaded Inc
Easily the most engaging WWII experience I have had in quite a while. I would not recommend this game to anyone new to the FPS world. However, if you think you are good, you should seriously consider purchasing this title.
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86
Worth Playing
Because Red Orchestra is not reliant on a story or linear gameplay and has plenty of variety, it remains a fresh and a different experience just about every time it's played.
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85
IGN
There's very little gameyness in RO and a whole lot of gritty crawling along the ground so you can flank over to that machine gunner and allow your team to advance to the next spawn point objective.
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85
Game Over Online
I’ve got to give it big kudos for being something that feels absolutely unlike any other FPS out there in many ways. I think it’s worth supporting for that reason alone.
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83
PC Gamer UK
Distinguishing between friend and foe is the most brutally realistic touch of all, and the first thing you'll hve trouble with. [May 2006, p.82]
82
PC Gameworld
An accomplished title. But whether or not it can entertain you depends upon your personal taste in games. Love it or hate it, realism rules this roost.
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80
1UP
This isn't a game where any session's likely to be "relaxing," but it is a game where every session's going to be rewarding.
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80
GameSpy
Tripwire can take a lot of pride in Red Orchestra: Ostfront, a game for history buffs and FPS aficionados and, more importantly, a shooter for adults.
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80
2404.org
I absolutely love the attention Tripwire has given to the small details in the game.
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80
Games Radar (in-house)
As usual, the online-only nature makes for a steep learning curve, but the excellent community that surrounds this game makes RO an even stronger value. For players that are sick of Normandy, put in for a transfer to the Eastern Front - you'll love every minute.
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80
Jolt Online Gaming UK
Just like a real orchestra, Red Orchestra requires a concerted effort to get the most out of it. It may not be the most popular mod right now, but it has one of the strongest communities and anyone willing to invest a little time to become a part of it will be well rewarded.
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80
AceGamez
Perseverance is key though, because this is not a game you rush into.
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80
Play.tm
The stern difficulty level might upset some players, as might the lack of 'safe' features such as crosshairs and medical packs. However, if you really want your World War FPS' to be real, like, really real, then Red Orchestra is just about your best bet.
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79
GameSpot
Red Orchestra is an enjoyable, team-based online shooter for those who like the Battlefield-style games but want a more technical and realistic experience.
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78
PC Zone UK
If you'd like to know what it's like to keep check on every bullet you have left, or how easy it is to parallel park a Panzer, then Red Orchestra is the war game for you. [June 2006, p.78]
75
FiringSquad
Red Orchestra starts bright but fades rather quickly. The exact cause was difficult to pin down, since the game is truly excellent on most technical levels, yet the whole doesn’t seem equal to the sum of its parts, never mind better.
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75
Gamers' Temple
The key to enjoying RO is embracing the realism. Still, this does not negate the fact that the intensity of the gameplay is reduced, and the general pace of the game is slowed.
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74
PC Gamer
Ostfront offers just a single, limiting game mode. [Jun 2006, p.46]
40
G4 TV
If effort counts, then Red Orchestra is not a bad game, and it might even be a very good one. But playing games is about having experiences, and the experience of playing Red Orchestra will leave 95% of the gaming community out in the cold. That other 5% will have the time of their lives though.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 1159 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Travis S. gave it a0:
This game just doesn't have what it takes to really make you feel in the war, crappy aiming, no support for new players like making it easier for people who are new, overall just crap, more experienced players just take advantage over new players because they can't aim with that shitty aim system.

Molon L. gave it a9:
Truly an excellent take on the FPS genre. Instead of embracing the super-human, one man army features that many other platforms encourage, RO: Ostfront explores relatively unchartered territory by emphasizing realism over heroism. As an avid WWII rifle collector and shooter, I must say that Tripwire made the bolt-action rifles a little unrealistically difficult to use. That point aside, this game's boldness finally breaks the monotonous onslaught of FPS games that make each player capable of un-natural feats. This game creates a divergence in the FPS genre that no other production team wished to attempt.

Brian S gave it a2:
This game was total crap! All people do in this game is grab a PPsH, camp, and dominate. Thats all you need! Russians are seriously over powered and as said before, this game is nothing but a total camp fest.

Jon O gave it a10:
A solid game with a great community of people. Ever want to command a Tiger,Panther,Mk III,IV? This is the sim for you. Great deal these days for 15 dollars.

Mo0n BugGy1 gave it a9:
Amazing game. There realy is nothing better than sitting in a tiny little fox-hole in a snow covered forest while green and yellow tracers zoom past your head at the same time as grenades are exploding just on the other side of your hole and you pop up quickly to get off a shot and scream with joy as you blow some Nazi F**kers head off only to be blown to tiny little Russian pieces of meat by a King tiger tank. This game is Brilliant the only complaint i hear is the use of the word ''Camping'' but as this game is trying to be realistic its not really camping but covering behind a wall so you dont end up like that COD noob who thinks he can blind fire a K98. If you want to go run around like rambo then be my guest but you will cop a heap of abuse for WASTING ALL THE SPAWNS!!......My only issue is i just came from playing crysis and Arma so the graphics are very dated, other than that this game is TOP NOTCH.

B N gave it a2:
Unintuitive controls, a game trying to be to realistic, the way the game balances teams, basicly scramble of who ever can click on it first, usually leaves you stuck for choice making u fodder usually with a rifle, dont even give u a pistol! and then some idiot usually who runs off n dies alot or shoots you in the back with the nice powerfull gun... maybe they was wondering if it actually works seeings as they die so much n dont kill anything??? rotating class's would improve gameplay alot! It was on offer for 2.99 and i still feel like i wasted my money and should have gone n gotten icecream.

Tobus L gave it a10:
Best online experience available, IF you like realism to a certain degree. The only gripes I have is that it is built on Unreal3 engine, which makes it impossible to destroy environment. This makes tanks bounce to a halt on little wooden fences and some such. Other than that, it rewards players for cooperating. Camping in a corner to get kills will get you killed and fail to get you points. A kill is 1 point, helping defending or capturing a point 10 points, resupplying teammates with MG's 5. Teamplay is everything and te atmosphere it creates is what sets RO apart from the common herd of shooters. And the best thing? Because of this, the servers are filled with people who crave this. The 13 year old, abuse yelling kiddies will not be found playing this game, which I find a relief.

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