It is one of the first FPS where you get prolonged shootouts instead of mindlessly wading through enemies as uber-soldier.

You hit the nail right in the head there MrShoop. This is ultimately what VietCong's gameplay is all about and should be it's major (And probably only) contribution to the FPS genre. VietCong has innovated by providing the kind of realism that complements action instead of detracting from it, the latter having been the common philosophy since the proliferation of Tactical FPS games (Realism versus Fun.)

To use a more familiar analogy which I've stated before, you really feel like an action hero in a Vietnam war movie. Firefights with your squad usually involve everyone taking potshots at each other from behind cover for what seems like minutes until eventually the good guys win.