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In the bevy of war games hitting today’s consoles, it can be hard for a gamer to determine who should win their hard earned dollar. EA has a successful franchise in the Medal of Honor series, and Microsoft has some nice titles coming up, including Full Spectrum Warrior. Does Gotham Games’ Conflict Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad have what it takes to win over your average war gaming veteran? Read on and find out.

Like most war-based games, Conflict Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad tosses you on the battlefield with some comrades, some guns, and plenty of ammunition. As the title implies, Conflict Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad takes place entirely in Baghdad, including some well-known hotspots like Kuwait. You have access to four soldiers, none overly different from the next, though they do carry different weapons and gadgets. None of the characters seem to be oozing with any form of individuality or personality, so you really don’t grow any kind of attachment to any of them. The game spans through a short 10 levels, each one made up of multiple objectives ranging anywhere from holding a fort while fellow soldiers make an escape to infiltrating an enemy base, among other typical missions you would expect to find in such a game. During the mission, you control only one of your four soldiers at a time, although you can send orders to each member of your team should the need arise.

The game controls fairly well, with a mostly simple and easy to remember control scheme. However, things quickly get confusing once you get into the squad commands. Some commands will have you holding the L button while pushing another button, or some the other way around, and since there are multiple things you can command your team to do, things can become complicated easily. You might have a bit of trouble remembering some of the commands, but with practice you will soon be barking orders like a pro.

Conflict Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad may not be the most visually amazing game out, but the simple graphics get the job done. You won’t find any dynamic lighting or super realistic shadows, but the graphics you do see are clean and sharp looking. Some of the levels have some nice sand storming effects that impair your vision, making blasting Iraqis harder than a typical day on the battlefield.

The games’ AI is definitely not the most brilliant in its class; your teammates simply just follow you around mindlessly and do as they’re told. Thankfully though, they’re smart enough not to get stuck in corners or get lost on the way. Enemy AI is about as simple as it gets: if they see you, they will shoot at you until either you or he is dead.

The games’ audio, much like the visuals, is merely acceptable. The voice acting in the game is pretty nicely done, but some of the sound effects are rather run of the mill. The games’ soundtrack tries to be suspenseful and add tension to the gameplay, but mostly in vain. Uncharacteristically, the game also boasts custom soundtrack capabilities, allowing some personalization to the game.

Conflict Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad is a pretty average war game, but it’s still enjoyable. While the game is short, it’s a good time while it lasts. There really isn’t anything in the game to set it apart from the competition, but it’s still worth your time to play it through, as the game is still well put together.