Armed Assault

As for multiplayer, Bohemia has some thrilling ideas. Aside from capture-the-flag-style objective-based matches, you'll be able to create gigantic battles over the entire island with computer-controlled soldiers rounding out the number of combatants. A "join in progress" option means these battles could be near-endless, with new players joining all the time to keep the war raging. The first massively-multiplayer wargame? It certainly sounds like it.

Armed Assault is just over two-thirds complete and heading for a release in the summer, although the visuals you see here are basically finished. It's a bit ugly, however - especially when you place it against beauts like Oblivion or even Doom 3.

Still, thestrength of Armed Assault is the staggeringly real, engrossing military sim that's bubbling along nicely under the slightly dated graphics. We'll have to wait to find out if that's enough to enlist a new army of fans.