ArmA: Queen's Gambit

ArmA: Queen's Gambit is a fantastic expansion for ArmA a game I have spent a great deal of time with. Of course, the big question here is if this expansion is worth installing. Considering this was an expansion that was first released in 2007, it is quite impressive the amount of content that this manages to pack in.

Two For One

The big draw of playing ArmA: Queen's Gambit is the way that it continues on the story from the main game. It actually gives you two campaigns to enjoy which is crazy. If this was a modern thing, you better believe that each of these campaigns would be separate DLC and not bundled together. It is pretty interesting to look back at an expansion like this and see the way that companies used to handle stuff like this.

The first campaign is called, Rahmadi Conflict and this takes place right after the events of the main campaign. The idea of the story here is that you are on the lookout for the Northern President who was the one who started the civil war from the main game. The other campaign is called Royal Flush which is my personal favorite of the two campaigns. There is an insurgence rising in Sahrani and you need to stop it. Both campaigns are quite cinematic for their time.

More Bang For Your Buck

Another cool thing about ArmA: Queen's Gambit is that it offers quite a bit more content for the multiplayer aspect of the game too. It offers you two new maps to enjoy. You have the larger more impressive United Sahrani map and the smaller more island kind of map Porto. These are two fun maps and I like how different they have made them.

Another new addition is the Black Element faction which is kind of cool, they have a style that I really do like. There are a few vehicles and weapons added to the game as well, but in all honesty, with you, I do feel that they could have added in a few more weapons as that is the one area that this expansion is lacking in if I am honest.

If you like ArmA then I would think that you would really enjoy what ArmA: Queen's Gambit is offering. The two fun and exciting campaigns that expand the lore of this world are well done and really the main reason that you want to check this out, especially if you enjoyed the story that the original ArmA told. It may be lacking in overall content, but this is still worth a look.

Final Score: 8/10

Pros:

• It offers you two new campaigns to enjoy
• The new vehicles are kind of cool
• The new faction is really badass
• Even for an older game, it looks pretty good
• Interesting to see how expansions used to be

Cons:

• I do feel that they could have added a few more weapons
• Do you still want to play the original ArmA?

When Armed Assault finally emerged from the foliage earlier this year after its protracted development, it proved more than worth the wait Despite a collection of irritating bugs, it was an immense, freeform tactical shooter that lived up to the heritage of Operation Flashpoint. If you've been hankering for more of the same, then this expansion pack's two diverse campaigns will be just what you've been looking for.

The Rahmadi campaign sees you and a handful of troops tracking down the remnants of the SLA army after its defeat in the original game. Only problem is, the swines have regrouped and are now readying a counterattack, which you must stymie with some firecrackers and two packets of dental floss. Or at least, that's how it feels as your outnumbered forces are beset on all sides by tanks and heavily armed enemy squads. While there are only a handful of levels, each one is humongous, and extremely tough.

Who's Queen?

The Royal Flush campaign is the antithesis of Rahmadi. Slower, stealthier, larger and more character-driven, you play a member of a mercenary unit hired by South Sahrini's new queen to take care of some pesky insurgents. But all is not as it seems. Royal Flush's gameplay requires a different approach to Rahmadi (such as hiding bodies to mask your presence) and you're sometimes presented with the choice of going it alone or using the whole team, which adds an extra challenge.

Now for the bad news. While there's plenty here to enjoy (including two excellent new multiplayer missions and a smattering of new weapons and vehicles), there's not a great deal of ambition. The missions, while entertaining and varied, are also a little similar to those in Armed Assault. What's more, Al (both friendly and hostile) often proves irritatingly erratic and is either too accurate or just utterly ignorant.

Throw in a smattering of clumsy spelling and grammar errors and some ropey presentation, and you're left with a hit-and-miss product that'll no doubt satiate the hardcore, but probably prove a tad too irritating for the rest.