It's strange, really. We decide to turn off BBC News 24 to escape viewing cruise missiles constantly falling on Iraq, switch on our Gamecubes to play a game that we think will let us get away from this harsh reality and what we see when we load up Conflict: Desert Storm in our Gamecubes is exactly what we've been trying to escape. It's a somewhat brave move by SCi to tackle a game that could spark such controversy when recent events are brought into consideration but we've all got to look past this and attempt to enjoy what is actually an exciting, involving and simply excellent piece of work from one of the world's most respected developers. If you refuse to involve yourself in Conflict: Desert Storm, it's you that's going to miss out.

Conflict: Desert Storm is a game that allows you to take control of a small US/UK Special Forces team of four members, going into the heat of the battle in Kuwait, where the Iraqis have taken over. You, along with your group must battle (in a stealthy manner) through 15 levels to free the people of Kuwait from the clutches of the Iraqi forces. If you're a gamer that likes to go flying into a shoot-'em-up all-guns-blazing then this game probably isn't the right choice for you. You'll need to use stealthy tactics to slowly make your way through the level and you'll also have to work as a team - this isn't a one-man adventure game- it involves a team of four men for a reason. For example, if there are a couple of guards that need to be picked off, you can assemble two men as snipers on top of a cliff, while the other two run forward and distract the enemy, leading them right into the path of your snipers, where they'll be caught up in a deadly crossfire. Although it may lead to one of your men getting injured, you'll at least be satisfied that you've worked your way past one section of the level.

Squad tactics are where the game's main strength lies. You can switch between your four troops at any given time using that rarely used D-pad. The three you're not using are controlled by a fairly intelligent, un-annoying and overall pretty decent bit of AI. They don't, however, choose what they do; their actions are dictated mostly by the orders you issue. They can be told to go to a specific point in your field of vision, fire at their own will, stand down out of the way, jump to the ground (possibly to shield from an attack or just for sniping purposes), or they can just simply be told to follow the man you're controlling. These are all the commands you need to tackle a near infinite variety of combat situations. You can simply get all the soldiers to follow the character you're controlling and fire at will when they see an enemy, or you can place three of them strategically while you as the fourth and final character set off to complete a single part of the mission on your own, using the rest as a backup. The ability to personally position and control each man is intriguing and more importantly, the system works really well.

You'll appreciate the true beauty of Conflict: Desert Storm when you realize that you're going to have to keep your eyes and ears open at all times and not let your attention drift away. You have to know what is on the other side of every corner before you turn it; if you don't you could walk into a shower of bullets, a field of land-mines or even straight into the path of a rampaging Iraqi tank. You've got to be on your guard at all times, and if you're not, the game will punish you severely, especially in the later levels of Hard mode. In Easy mode, perhaps you can get away with a few minor mistakes, but once you're well into the campaign on Hard, you'll be in a lot of trouble even if you make one tiny mistake. The fact that you have to make important tactical decisions on the spot is also a fantastic addition to the game, and it creates a feeling of tension that will stay with you to the end of the level.

When you complete the game on your own in Normal or Hard mode it's far from over, as SCi have included a feature that didn't play a part in either the PlayStation 2 or Xbox versions of the game. 4-player co-operation is that feature- and what a fantastic addition it is too. You, along with three mates (provided you have four Gamecube controllers) can battle through the same 15 levels as a unit. There are few games in the world that make you want to actually pause a game and talk tactics with your mates. Yeah, so maybe you don't get the whole screen to yourself and especially in the 4-player area of the game things can get a little cramped but this is only a small price to pay for the amount of joyous moments this game will supply you with. You'll have to discuss a plan of attack that will help you advance to the next level and you'll have to work out (and argue over) who gets what assignment for the mission you're currently working on. Who said games were anti-social?

As the game works so well in the gameplay area, many shoot-'em-up fans will be sad to see that the game has sort of fluffed up in the visual department. Ok, so it doesn't look that bad, but it's not exactly the best looking title on the Gamecube and hardly pushes the console to its limits. You can see that the soldiers are carrying rucksacks and guns and there is plenty of detail on their camouflaged suits, but at times it can look very grainy and at some points you can't really see as far into the distance as you would like to. Don't immediately expel the game from your wanted list due to the visuals being poor though, as they're not actually poor - in fact, they are quite good but they're just a little basic compared to, say, Metroid Prime, or Resident Evil Zero.

The game has had a lot of work done in the sound department (more so than the visuals department, so it seems) and the game sounds exactly like it should. Superb rifle clatter and bullet strikes add to the realism. You can hear the wind blowing through the sandy terrain surrounding you and at times you can even hear your troops (and sometimes Iraqi troops as well) shouting instructions to each other when there is no danger nearby and communicating in a more discreet and silent way when stealth is required. The game sounds just like you'd expect it to- and that isn't a bad thing at all.

Really, Conflict: Desert Storm is a hard game to realistically fault. There have been some noticeable improvements for the Gamecube version over the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions and the game is now even more exciting and involving than it was originally. It's a whole lot of fun, especially in the four-player mode. Simply put, it's a realistic shooter that's involving enough to let you call the shots. If you choose not to immerse yourself in this excellent soldier sim, you're missing out on what is one of the most under-rated games we'll probably see this year. A worthy purchase.

Reviewed by AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).