Running with Rifles – although inadvisable for those lacking the proper arms training – is surprisingly effective as a top-down shooter, I recently discovered. Modulaatio Games are putting something particularly impressive together with this title. The premise is simple: it’s belly-to-the-ground, blood-and-guts warfare on a massive scale. You play one man with one puny weapon who, in the long run, will be able to climb ranks to influence his comrades and lead them into battle. The developer explains:

When the influence grows, AI soldiers begin to follow the player starting as a combat pair, ultimately forming a 10-member squad. The AI squad commanding has been made as transparent as possible to avoid micromanagement and excess amount of keys or menus. The AI squad members e.g. find cover on leader’s signal from crouching, they spot enemies on their own and open fire if it fits the situation. When the leader uses a suppressed weapon for stealth approach, the squad will engage in fight only if the enemy manages to alert the surroundings by shouting or shooting.

It goes without saying that the team are aiming high with this title. The scope of the game, even at the current stage, is pretty incredible. In my time with the older demo release, I was able to take to the field in a six-hundred man singleplayer skirmish, capturing trenches and pushing forward with all the chaos of a fully fledged Men of War scenario.

Due to the numbers and constant explosions onscreen, it was difficult to tell quite how effective my AI comrades were being, but the game certainly convinced me enough to allow me to lead my own flanking maneuvers whilst those I left behind held fast against waves of enemy soldiers. And at one point, if I’m not mistaken, I walked a whole squad directly into a woodland ambush.

The single map the demo runs on features full – if a little speedy – day/night cycles whilst weather effects enhance the feeling of being stuck in the middle of a grand and grizzly battlefield. Explosions and sparks of gunfire really are relentless, but encourage you to make use of the automatic cover system and the ability to hop lithely over short fences and trench walls. The developers are clearly striving for that filmic aspect of modern warfare with this title – expansive enough to give the appearance of structured combat, but fast-paced enough to allow players to take risks and make a difference to the bloody outcome.

Running with Rifles is still very much in beta, with updates being provided to those who hand over the 5.25 EUR + tax for the final release. Online multiplayer through a server browser along with dedicated servers is where the team are headed in the long term. For the rest of us right now there’s the earlier demo version to test out and, although things have surely moved on in the development cycle, there’s still plenty here to tempt you into parting with your cash.

[Modulaatio Games]

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