The Down and Dirty

As the name implies, Cold War takes place during the tension-filled years when the United States and the U.S.S.R. were poised on the brink of nuclear war. An unlucky freelance journalist finds himself behind the iron curtain and smack in the middle of a plot to manipulate the Communists.

The Goods


The success of just about anything Tom Clancy puts his name on has made espionage and political intrigue a common element in modern gaming, but Cold War takes a somewhat different approach to the genre. For one thing, the protagonist is not a seasoned agent, well-versed in ninja-like silent combat or equipped with mind-blowing gadgets. Instead, he's just a normal guy, who, after being stripped of all his possessions, sets out to defeat an evil conspiracy not out of a sense of duty or honor, but out of simple self-preservation. And, ok, maybe to get a damn good story out of it, too.

The action of Cold War strays from the usual stealth and gadget territory, but not too far. The player will have to find weapons along the way, but can improvise improvements to them from objects found in the game. A bottle and a rag can be combined to make a crude silencer, but one that will only last for three shots. Other forms of equipment can be assembled or dissembled on the fly, depending on the player's needs at any given time. One particularly nifty gadget is the X-ray camera, which can give the player vital recon information about what's around the next corner.

Mindware has made a great effort to instill a sense of realism in Cold War. For one thing, the main character isn't Rambo; just a few well-placed shots will kill him. Also, since he's a journalist, he's not a terribly good shot himself, so don't expect to be pulling off tasty headshots right away. Although his aim does improve over time, at first, feel lucky if he simply connects with the target. Players who choose to go a less violent route will find that knocking guards out only renders them unconscious for about 30 seconds, and that leaving bodies behind will tip the bad guys off that something is amiss. The environments in the game are genuine Soviet locations, such as Chernobyl and Lenin's tomb, and really go far to recreate to the oppressive feel of the U.S.S.R. in the 80s.

The Verdict

I like Sam Fisher as much as the next gal, but it's refreshing to have a chance to play a stealthy action title as more of an average Joe. The ability to combine environmental objects to create ammo or upgrade weapons is creative, but we'll have to wait and see how much it actually adds to the gameplay. Fans of the genre should definitely keep their eyes open for Cold War when it hits shelves in late Fall 2005.