Delta Force: Black Hawk Down (2003) Online

Just as the film Black Hawk Down sets out to reproduce specific elements of the events of Mogadishu, so does the game.

The designers clearly want the player to feel like what it's like to be pinned down in the middle of a busy street not knowing where the bullets are coming from or when the next militia member will try to flush you out.

The pace rarely lets up. The first mission sits you on a Humvee with a 50 cal gun and within seconds you're mowing down waves of crazed gunmen, some of whom ride on converted pickups ("Technicals"). Then, it's a hike over a hill and you jump onto a Black Hawk and man a minigun from the air.

The early missions give you a mixture of jobs, including protecting food convoys, rescuing other soldiers and blowing up a radio station at night. The final set of missions are based around the events of the film, with you fighting to get to a downed Black Hawk, protecting its occupants and running the Mogadishu Mile back to the Stadium.

In terms of bang for your buck, the missions do not disappoint. You are often confronted with multiple targets hiding behind obstacles and mixing with unarmed civilians who you must avoid shooting. This means that you can't just run amok in a street battle shooting anything that moves, you have to keep a cool head and check your targets. ;-)

It's also important to stay behind cover and check around every corner. If you're used to just walking around and shooting, you'll be picked off over and over again.

The game is not without its flaws.

While many Somalis will shoot randomly in your direction, some are real crack shots. I suppose a few might have developed some skills after six years of civil war, but the ones manning the .50 cal turret guns always seem able to bring you down with a couple of shots.

Your teammates aren't the brightest of soldiers either, but then that's not the point in single player mode. If you want human behaviour from your teammates, go online in Multiplayer.

The missions may not be totally accurate, but if they were, there would be the "four hour wait holed up in a house waiting for the convoy" mission which would be almost as unpleasant to play as it must have been to live through.

In all, it's a fun game and very easy to get immersed in. It mixes street fighting, building-clearing, long-range sniping and a lot of high energy action. Worth playing even if you haven't seen the film.

7.5 / 10

THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE PLAYSTATION 2 VERSION OF THE GAME.

As you probably already know, Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, is a first-person shooter based on the true events of American soldiers in Somalia.

The film captured all the intensity and the feelings of the soldiers. However, the game is supposed to simulate what it was like to be a soldier fighting in Somalia during that time. It does not simulate this at all. All the game manages to do is put you in the desert with a gun, alongside a team of soldiers, and sends you out to kill all the Somali militia before advancing to your next objective. There is no emotion from any of the voice actors, missions are extremely short, and it's extremely easy. Night missions do not require stealth at all, although the game advises that you use stealth, the enemy AI is always popping out of somewhere, allowing for easy kills, and your own team is constantly getting in your way, and will not offer medical support, or give you any extra ammo if fighting. You cannot drive vehicles, you can only carry one anti-tank rocket, there are no helicopters you can pilot...the only way you can ride a vehicle is by mounting a Humvee's 50 cal. Your team eventually tells you to get off and proceed by foot. Graphics aren't really anything you'd want to write home about either.

Although this game is really dull, it does have a few promising points. One of them would be the awesome multiplayer play. 2-4 player versus mode is extremely fun, and offer a wide selection of maps to play on. The maps feature armories, so that you can change your weapons without having to respawn first. The online is OK, unfortunately lacking PunkBuster, which would eradicate anyone who tried to cheat, but enjoyable nonetheless. Multiplayer Co-op isn't too bad either, although like single player, missions are extremely short, no driving vehicles, and no effort needed.

This game may appeal to you if you are a hardcore fan of the military, and military-associated games, looking for large online games (DF:BHD can support up to 32 players), or want to buy a gag gift for your gamer friend. Other than that, save your money for something else. I would recommend Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, it has everything DF:BHD doesn't, and it's cheaper too! Do not make my mistake! Rent this game if you really feel you need to play it!

4/10

Delta Force Black Hawk Down does not stay loyal to the movie - it instead brings us through the entire conflict time in Africa - starting in 1992. But this is meant to be the case, and I personally feel that it has been brought to the PS2 in an absolutely great way - the weapons are great, and though the graphics aren't great, the maps are very accurate, and the game as a whole accurately simulates the rigours of combat. Yes, it is almost always set in hot weather, but it is in Africa, after all, and the best thing about this game is when you fly to your missions by Black Hawk - it is one thing unique about this game, and is splendid to look at. You get a fair bit of health, and though the game is pretty easy, it is realistic - the fact you can get medikits and ammo of your men is another bonus. The greatest thing is that you can capture .50 cal guns - you can't do this on other shooters, and the .50 cal is very accurately depicted. Though the game is less than graphically perfect, this only adds to it - the streets you fight in are meant to be dirty and run-down, and the horrid bits of the game only put you in the middle of the action. Though nothing will exactly surprise or shock you, the game offers a hugely intense single player mission, and will make you feel that you are fighting alongside the Delta Force. Stunning! 9/10

It is a real kind of simulation of the situation faced by the US forces at Somalia. My suggestion is that you should watch the movie "Black Hawk Down (2001)" to understand the terrain you are going to fight(It's like fighting at Somalia-I like it!) and the type of enemy you are going to face. Game is providing much approximation of the movie but some additional missions are included like 'Shore patrol,etc.'.

I think this is a big step taken by the NOVALOGIC to develop this kind of storyline to a game unlike previous Delta Force Game Versions[1,2,3].

As the previous versions of the Delta Force Game engines, team mates of yours not much intelligent, but i think they are providing better cover for you until you are adopting to the situation.

When the first mission starts i realized that how the unarmed civilians get killed at a this kind of war. The scenarios were realistic but it can be improved if the 3D graphics quality was increased.

Another plus point is that this is not just another computer game, but it provides knowledge regarding the military jargon, tactics ,and real impression of what is an operation order(OPORD) etc.

This game is not for beginners who are new to war games and researching on military stuffs. i'm saying that because even though it can be played by anyone, the real impression and the real simulation of the game can not be feel without the prerequisites i'v mentioned above. But still it gives you a new path of research to have an idea "what is war?, How it goes?".

I think this is a one of the milestones in war games evolution. "You better try that out....Over and Out!" ,"zzzss".

This game has an excellent multiplayer attribute to it, this is basically the best part of the game, was its multiplayer gaming.

the single however was poorly designed and one of the worst single player games I've ever played, for one thing your teammates cant lay down prone, they always carry the same weapon either the m16 or CAR15, never do they once carry a Machine Gun or Sniper Rifle or arm their grenade launchers, another thing is they are stupid, they cant shoot, an enemy soldier is about 2m in front of him and there shooting at one another, none die you have to kill the bad guy.

the enemy AI is accurate as the Somalis were ordinary people and in reality couldn't shoot, in this game however they are good shots better than your teammates.

some of the missions are totally wrong especially Shore Patrol and Irene

the weapon selection was also wrong, there were no blt action weapons nor was there the barrat or the MP5SSD,

the Multiplayer games are excellent you compete against other skilled players, and its the best and enjoying time with friends, unlike other games to play custon maps on the servers you don't need to download them, but however for skins and mods, if the server doesn't run them then your kicked out, unlike MOH and COD were you cant go into a server with a skin on without getting punted black hawk down punts you.

another aspect is the lack of assistance by the company you can ask for an anti cheat patch all you want there not going give it to you, you can beg not to take some servers down but they'll take em down,

overall for single player 2.5/10

multiplayer 9.5/10