Close Combat: First To Fight

Platform(s): PC, Xbox
Genre: Action
Publisher: Take 2/Global Star
Developer: Destineer

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As WP's managing editor, I edit review and preview articles, attempt to keep up with the frantic pace of Rainier's news posts, and keep our reviewers on deadline, which is akin to herding cats. When I have a moment to myself and don't have my nose in a book, I like to play action/RPG, adventure and platforming games.

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'Close Combat: First to Fight' (Xbox/PC) Multiplayer Details - Screens & Trailer

by Judy on Jan. 7, 2005 @ 9:59 a.m. PST

Lead a four-man fireteam of US Marines through the perils of authentic, modern urban combat in a Middle-Eastern urban battleground. This is an action-oriented, first-person 3D shooter that is being developed under the direction of the US Marine Corps as a training simulation for use by the Marine Corps. Close Combat: First to Fight is as close as you can get on a computer or Xbox to being a Marine fireteam leader in modern urban combat!

Get the First to Fight multiplayer trailers off WP (18/25mb)

First to Fight is all about working with your fire team to complete your mission objectives. Because of this, the multiplayer modes in First to Fight are all team-based. There's no straight-up, free-for-all deathmatch here. Marines are never alone in combat, and that means when playing First to Fight, you shouldn't be either.

The main focus of multiplayer is the co-op mode. Using system link, split-screen or Xbox Live on Xbox, or over a LAN or online on PC, up to four players will be able to play the entire single player game in co-op in First to Fight. Every mission and every objective will be there, the only difference being that instead of relying on AI-driven teammates, your fire team is comprised entirely of real live people.

When playing regular co-op, each player takes on one of the roles in a standard Marine fire team. So one man is the team leader, one man is the gunner, one the assistant gunner, and one the rifleman. These can be chosen randomly by the game, or you can assign them manually when creating the game.

The team leader is the only man on the fire team that can issue orders. These are the same orders you would use in the single player game, so you'll be able to tell your men where to go, when to execute a room takedown, or when to cover a specific area. While you can tell your men to do this verbally using the Xbox Live communicator, by using the in-game command system, your men will get an indicator on their screen telling them exactly what you want them to do. If you want them to do a room takedown, a "T" icon will appear on the door to the room you want them to rush in and take by force. Other indicators will be shown for each other command, so that it's abundantly clear exactly what the leader wants his men to do at all times. This is also good for people who are a bit intimidated by the chatter on Xbox Live. Let's face it, while it's good when you're with people you know, when it's just you and a bunch of strangers, it can be a little chaotic. Using this interface, you can communicate non-verbally to get things done better.

In addition to the standard co-op mode, there are some variations. Modified co-op is the same general idea, except it allows for full customization of your fire team. Instead of there being only one SAW gunner, you could choose to have every man equipped with one. Also, you could use non-standard equipment altogether, so if one man on your team wanted to use a sniper rifle or a shotgun, they could do just that.

Other variations on co-op allow for further customization. Just like you can in the single player game, you can choose to play in simulation mode, where all the gameplay niceties like a health bar are stripped away, and you're left with the most realistic game possible. For the ultimate in realism, you can set the game to simulation mode and then limit the number of lives each player gets. You can choose to give every man just one chance at survival, or give a limited pool to the entire team. When those lives are used up, the game's over. It's a pretty intense experience, to say the least.

But you don't always want to play nice with your buddies. Sometimes there's nothing more fun than being able to blast the heck out of your closest friends. Because of this, First to Fight also offers a competitive multiplayer mode called Fire Team Arena. Now, this isn't straight-up deathmatch. First to Fight is always about teamwork. Instead, you'll be able to play in team deathmatch for up to eight players (2 on 2, or 4 on 4).

In FTA, you can use specific weapon assignments, or choose to force random weapons on everyone, where you never know what you'll get in each round. One round you might get a shotgun, another a standard M-16 A4, and in still another one, you might get the all-powerful (but extremely unwieldy) RPG.

Again, all of these modes can be played via split-screen, system link or Xbox Live on Xbox, or LAN or online on PC.

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