Operation Body Count

Operation Body Count
Developer(s)	Capstone Software
Publisher(s)	Capstone Software
Engine	Modified Wolf 3D engine
Platform(s)	PC (MS-DOS)
Release date(s)	NA 1994 EU 1994
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player

Operation Body Count is a 1994 first-person shooter that used the Wolfenstein 3D ray casting engine. It was developed and published by Capstone Software.

Plot

Terrorists have taken over the UN Building and have seized the government officials in the building. They are now being held as hostages in the top floor of the building by Victor, the leader of the terrorist gang.

As a member of a special Government Assault Team, it is up to the player to command their team and reach the top floor (the 40th level), rescue the hostages and eliminate the terrorist threat by killing Victor.

Gametypes

Like most other first-person shooter games of its time, Operation Body Count had various gametypes to choose from before starting the mission.

• Level 1: The easiest setting, for beginners. Minimal enemies who take little damage before dying.
• Level 2: Normal difficulty. Most enemies pose a moderate challenge and appear in full swing.
• Level 3: Hardest difficulty. Enemies are much more numerous and take more damage before going down.
• N: Network Play (Deathmatch).
• T: Team Play. Same as Network, but involves teams.
• M: Modem Play.

Gameplay

Using a modified Wolfenstein 3D engine, gameplay is very similar to the majority of other "clones" of the time. The game consisted of 40 levels. The first few levels are set in the sewers, where you attempt to make your way up to the basement of the building. During these levels, you mainly combat giant rats, as well as sewer monsters.

Upon getting into the UNN building, you then combat the terrorists. When you make it up to level 40, you come face-to-face with Victor himself. Armed with a semi-automatic shotgun which he isn't afraid to use, and brandishing black sunnies and a dark trench coat, Victor isn't going to go down without a fight.

Features

There were several features in this game which attempted to rise it above similar games on the market at the time, such as:

• The player can activate a proximity map, which appears in the corner of the screen, and does not "freeze" the game world to obstruct gameplay.
• The terrorists have set booby traps for the player, such as mines, which are often hidden under corpses or sometimes in plain sight.
• When the player character gets out of the sewers and into the UNN building, they can then command team mates to help in killing the terrorists for that floor.
• Many floors in the UNN building have windows and balconies showing simulated views of the city outside. Shooting these windows would result in the glass breaking.
• Levels are completed by finding an elevator or stairs, which is often the same one you use to enter the level in the first place. Capstone's other major release, Corridor 7, had a similar feature.
• Although none of the levels featured dynamic lighting, you could turn the lights for the entire floor on or off when you find the generator switch for that level. Doing so also alerts all the enemies on the floor to your presence.
• All floors and ceilings are fully textured unlike Wolf 3D, which had neither.

Despite these factors, Operation Body Count was largely ignored due to other games such as Doom overshadowing it. In addition, the gameplay was often criticized for being choppy and repetitive, with very blocky 2D sprites which animated quite poorly compared to other games of the time.

Weapons

Operation Body Count featured a 5-weapon arsenal:

1. Shotgun: The most basic weapon in the game. It doesn't require ammunition, so you always have it to fall back on, however it is very slow to fire and tends to lose accuracy and efficiency over long ranges.
2. Uzi 9MM: Together with your shotgun, you also start the game with this weapon. It has a very fast rate of fire, but poor accuracy. Good for quick, controlled bursts.
3. Galil: This assault rifle has much better accuracy than the Uzi 9MM, and also chews a lot less ammunition, making it an excellent weapon for defeating the majority of the terrorists faced in the game.
4. Flamethrower: Ignites terrorists in hot, sticky napalm. By far the most effective weapon in the game and the most brutal. Can also be used to ignite furniture and other objects in the game. Must be used with care in enclosed areas however, as ignited furniture can hurt you from the extreme heat given off.
5. Grenade Launcher: Fires an explosive projectile at your target, which kills virtually anything and anyone in the game with one shot, and makes the entire level shake to its foundations.

External links

• Operation Body Count at MobyGames
• Operation Body Count at GameFAQs