Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Cross Fire - Free online chaos

Long time readers of this blog will know that I can get quite passionate in the online world of games. Low tech strategy (Medieval Dip, Diplomacy), Flight Simulation (IL 46), Cut throat management strategy (Ogame), MMPORG text based (Renaissance Kingdoms, Tribal Nations). I've looked at a few others, but most of them don't interest me, or they irritate my belief that the internet must remain free.

To date, I've not played First Person Shooters online much at all, except for a brief period of Ghost Recon. That's now changed. I discovered 'Cross Fire', a well rendered, well populated and free FPS. All you need to do is download the client and logon.

Set in a vaguely hyper modern world one can choose to base one's character on either SAS, SWAT or Spetnaz type troops. These determine your overall 'look' and basic weapon load. Then it's a brief try out of the keyboard commands in the 'tutorial' and you can then enter the world as a 'rookie'. A few hours of being shot up online on the various maps (transport, columbia urban, monaco (part of the car circuit!), Egypt, Mexico village, ship, harbour, train, industrial) and in a few of the mission 'types' (I've tried 'team death' and 'mission' so far) and you're on your way.

As you gain experience you gain experience points (surprise surprise) and gold. You get promoted through XP, you buy new equipment and maintain the old with your gold. Advancing through the ranks opens up better weapon possibilities for you to purchase, allows you to join and eventually form clans. I understand there are organised 'scrims' (clan v clan duels) and associated hierarchies. All good fun.

Anyway, if you want to check it out, go here. I'm out there having a ball.

I am 'devolved' ingame, btw.

2 comments:

Scott said...

I've given up playing any kind of FPS. Old man reflexes and all that. I suggest trying DOTA - a warcraft3 mod. It's more of a PvP, but not an MMORPG. It's not a twitch game like an FPS nor do you need 100+ apm as with most RTS's. You can download the map at getdota.com, but you'll need to buy a copy of warcraft3 to run it. Not a very noob friendly game due to the youth of the player base so wear a thick skin.

Adelaide Gamer said...

Thanks Scott, I'll have a look just as soon as I've gone and done my IRL car racing gig this weekend. I intend posting again on my evolving experience of Crossfire.

My old man reflexes are still not too bad I'm working out. Just need to think a bit more than the average joe. Will post shortly.