Previews// Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway

Antal’s claims are backed up by the ten minutes-or-so of demo I was shown during a Ubisoft press conference in Paris. Graphics are pretty faultless, with meticulous attention to detail in terms of uniforms and kit of the era; while the sound conveys the confusion of the battlefield in brutal style.

The environments are rich in detail too, with the Dutch town of Zon stunningly recreated in the demo. Unlike in previous generation games of the series, such as The Road to Hill 30 and Earned in Blood, the scenery can now be blown to bits at will, giving more options when engaging snipers and enemy soldiers in cover.

The controls seem to have been well thought out if the ease with which Antal and Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford were playing the game is anything to go by.

The gameplay revolves around leading a squad into battle, issuing them with basic commands to run, suppress and engage enemy troops while attempting to dodge a hail of unfriendly fire. Your soldiers are moved via a simple interface not too dissimilar to that used in THQ’s Full Spectrum Warrior, although Brothers in Arms is far less ponderous and more intense than its strategy-heavy cousin, and you have the added pressure of keeping yourself alive in battle.

Antal is certainly keenly aware of his responsibility, and has a refreshing honesty about how he feels games of the genre should be made. “Accuracy is very important if you are going to make something set in World War II,” he said.

“You have to do it right and go out visit the battlefields and talk to the veterans who were there. Ultimately we are not making Halo with different weapons – of course you play a game for fun, but it can also be a rewarding experience.”

Despite WWII fatigue, the cream rises to the surface and Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway looks a sound contender with an emphasis on tactics rather than suicidal first-person action. It is also backed up by a firm grounding in history and decent research. The title should be a winner if the finished product is as good as the demo. The game is being developed for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC and breaks cover in November.