I remember downloading the very first release of this way back when. I didn't play it long, as I was much more interested in Firearms at the time. It seemed like a standard army combat mod, with a focus on Attack/Defend maps.

This version though, is like a totally new game. Maybe my memory of the original is wrong, but Desert Crisis 1.5 is just ArmyActionHL. Maps still seem to be about attacking and defending areas, but no one cares as pretty much everyone is jumping around with akimbo pistols/shotguns/mp5ks.

My thoughts on playing it were simply: What the hell?

The manual for the game has a lengthy description of 'past' events before the 'current' (2053) time, and introduces the player to the factions he can choose to between. And then everyone starts doing flips while firing their dual USP Matches.

It feels like the designers had a nice idea they wanted to bring to life, spent a bunch of time working to get there, and when they finally did they found it wasn't all that interesting so one of them said 'Hey wouldn't it be cool if you could walljump and run around with a pair of machetes?' So they started throwing in every 'cool' thing they could come up with and kissed the setting and story goodbye.

Maybe that's not how it went, but that's the feeling it gives me. This mod lost it's focus.

I've already deleted it, and I certainly won't be playing it again. But if ActionHL is your thing, maybe you should give it a shot. Maybe.

It portrays the Japanese as moronic ninjas!
It portrays CIA Agents as masochists!
It even protrays Malaysian women as gold diggers who spend all their time flirting with firemen!

But, most despicably of all, it portrays clones as being equal, if not superior, to real people! This is an abomination!

I only got to play the first three missions at a friends, but they were very well done. Surprising large, there were a lot of ways to do things. Plus, the goal of Silent Assassin rank (get in, kill the target, get out, all without anyone knowing you were even there) is quite fun to try and attain.

Come next paycheck, I'll be shelling out the money for a new video card solely so I can play Hitman2.