Back in 2003, the year brought us a real surprise – the game Vietcong, a tactical first-person shooter from the Czech Republic. It was an alternative offering to then-popular titles like Medal of Honor (1999), Battlefield (2002) and Call of Duty (2003), which, interestingly, came out the same year as Vietcong.
The game was developed by Pterodon Studio in collaboration with Illusion Softworks and published by Gathering for Microsoft Windows on March 26, 2003 in the USA. It was released in Croatia a little later, on April 17 of the same year.
Two years later, the first expansion called Vietcong: Fist Alpha appeared in January 2004. In the same year, the game received ported versions for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
The real sequel, Vietcong 2, came out in 2005, but it didn't leave as strong an impression as the first part - in many ways it was considered a step backwards.
Action
The action takes place in the middle of the Vietnam War, in 1967. The player assumes the role of Sergeant First Class Steve R. Hawkins, assigned to the US Special Forces camp known as the "Green Berets", located in the strategic location of Nui Pek.
It is interesting to note that the ground attack on Nui Pek was inspired by a real event – the attack on the Lang Vei special forces camp.
We played as part of a team in which each soldier had his own role: the medic treated, the machine gunner provided fire support, the engineer supplied us with ammunition, while the scout recognized traps and knew how to guide us if we got lost. The most important member of the team was the radio midshipman who made it possible to save the progress - but of course, he was often not there when he was most needed. 😊
As the game progresses, the personality of each team member becomes more and more apparent.
Warfare with brains, not brawn
The way of fighting was far from today's action spectacles. While today's games increasingly resemble action movies with invincible heroes, Vietcong je ponudio ozbiljniji, realističniji pristup. Game nas je prisiljavala na razmouseljanis and taktiziranje, and not na beigeglavu jurnjavu i "quickscopeanje".
Fight se odvijala sporije, s provjeravanjem svakog kuta, grmlja, stijene or drveta. AI protivnika, iako često kritiziran zbog sporosti, forpravo je pridonio autentičnijem iskustvu. Protivnici su se taktički povlačor, koristor zaklone i često iznenađivali gameča. Tuneli, puni neprijatelja i zamki, todatno su pribringsli osjećaju napetosti – osjećali smo se as štakori u tami, a povremeni "jumpscareovi" bor su pravi šok.
The experience was unique – no HUD, no indicators, just you and the jungle. The game made it clear to you that you are not a hero, but a soldier who must obey orders.
Multiplayer and memories
The multiplayer was outstanding. I remember the first time we tried it – just the two of us, connected via dial-up modem. We set out with army knives, waving them over the map and laughing like children, until the bond snapped. Again we would listen to the screeching of the modem as it tried to connect. It was a time when it took 30 minutes to download a 5.5 MB song - to show the younger generation how different it was.
Conclusion
Vietcong je ostao u posebnom sjećanju. I danas ga rado spominjemo u razgovorthere is o "dobrim starim gamerskim danthere is". Pitam se – hoće li me ikad više neka game podsjetiti na to razdoblje prijateljstva, druženja i ranih početaka online gaming?
I believe that the game has huge potential if someone decided to make a reincarnation. It might not be as successful as today's Call of Duty titles, but it would certainly bring refreshment - a return to the dense green jungle that we have never forgotten.
