Project Reality
Project Reality Team
We were playing as a smaller four man Special Operations squad, part of a much larger US Marine Corp team deployed to the Kashan Desert. The area featured a huge sprawling desert with a few mountain ranges. Our enemies were the MEC, or Middle East Coalition, which like their namesake were made of a conglomeration of Middle Eastern countries with slightly older, yet equally effective weapons.
Since there is a large collection of bunkers in the middle of the Kashan Desert, whoever usually reaches the central area first cannot only set up FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) and get established ahead of time, but also repel the enemy team from there.
Our squad leader formulated a strategy of taking a Blackhawk helicopter lift earlier than the rest of the team, and landing in the aforementioned bunkers, in order to disrupt any forward MEC forces. As we arrived, our chopper began taking anti-air fire and we were forced to jump out of it. Shortly after our boots hit the desert floor, the chopper exploded above us in a mass of charred, twisted metal. We double-timed it to a group of cargo containers, and just as we were trying to figure out our next move, we came under fire from some enemies posted atop of one of the bunkers in the enemy’s direction. We’d been spotted!
Our mindful squad leader developed a quick plan of attack, or rather counter-attack. Undeterred, we moved into action; our automatic rifleman began to suppress the enemy soldiers with his light machinegun as the rest of us moved up. We then popped some smoke grenades at our foes who were by then hiding in cover. The smokescreen succeeded concealing our advance. In that manner, we were able to bypass the initial bunker and reach the bunker closest to the enemy team’s rear; it would surely contain their main FOB. Cluster bombs thundered behind us and jets sliced through the sky overhead, announcing to us that the rest of our team had arrived at the complex. The majority of the enemy would now be focused on them instead of our much stealthier team.
We bolted for the final bunker as quickly as we could, realizing that we could be spotted at any moment across the wide expanse of desert ground. After arriving safely, our squad leader ordered us to infiltrate the bunker via a top ventilation duct. We managed to low crawl through the tight passage which landed us in an uninhabited bathroom.
From there we crept through the upper reaches of the bunker and sure enough it wasn’t long before we came across the MEC team’s main FOB. I was the demolitions member of the squad and as such, quickly moved in; placing some trusty C-4 explosives on it while my teammates covered. Just then, a large group of enemy soldiers decided to return to the bunker. They spotted me and we engaged them in futile firefight. However, as we lie dying we heard the glorious explosion of their FOB being disintegrated. We hadn’t died in vain; by taking out the enemy’s main FOB early in the match, we managed to cripple their reinforcements. This allowed our team to eventually win the match.
This sort of scenario happens all the time in Project Reality. That’s because the game is designed to feature so many variables, that all it takes is a focused, cohesive team to win the day. The Project Reality Team has created a masterpiece. Project Reality began as a Battlefield 2 mod a little more than a decade ago, and although its graphics are showing a little age, its gameplay is incomparable.
PR’s (as it is more commonly known) maps are huge, allowing for a lot of strategic planning for teams which are organized into squads, each with a squad leader. Want to jump into a tank or an APC? Join an armor squad if you’d like. More into attack helicopters or jets? Then maybe joining up with a close air support squad is your thing. As long as your team has infantry squads to cap the various flags based around the map, which function as control points. But that’s only on PR’s Assault and Secure mode.
The other one is Insurgency, where one team plays as BLURFOR forces (such as the US, Canada, Germany, etc.), which are trying to locate and destroy weapon caches scattered randomly throughout an area, and insurgents, who are trying to protect them. Insurgency is a fun break from the more conventional Assault and Secure mode, and plays out like a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. This mode can really create some hair raising moments as BLUFOR forces have to stick together and patrol purported cache locations while being under the constant threat of being ambushed.
The gameplay is silky smooth on many modern gaming PCs, and allows gamers to concentrate on teamwork, which is perhaps PR’s central strength. The graphics aren’t going to compete with the first-person shooters of 2015, but playing this on a big screen really must be seen to be believed. Explosions and particle effects have been overhauled in the latest incarnation, so even after 10 years PR still looks decent. It also plays well on gaming laptops.
Which brings me to my final point; PR is absolutely free! That’s right, after 10 years of being a Battlefield 2 Mod, the latest version, 1.3, doesn’t require the commercial BF2 product to play. This makes right now the perfect time to join, as thousands of new players enter the PR mix. The game’s veterans are also very friendly and usually more than happy to train those new to the game.
With over 30 large, unique maps, tons of vehicles, weapons, and factions, non-repetitive and challenging gameplay, and an engaging/robust community, I’m happy to say that as a gaming veteran, Project Reality is simply the best video game that I have played on any platform—ever.
Score: 100%
Kane’s Suggestion:
For simply jaw-dropping gaming moments that Project Reality is known for, Cyberpower PC’s Syber Vapor is highly recommended. This amazing gaming console be easily plugged into your big screen TV for some 4k gaming candy and unforgettable gaming moments.
Also, check out Cyberpower PC’s website for other great options as well.