Man I feel old
I would have been about 35 when I first came across the demo in a copy of PC Gamer, having then just finished Hidden and Dangerous in which most missions had a refreshing open feel to them.
I loaded the demo and started playing.  I think, after dying several times, I managed to get evacuated in the helicopter and thought it was an OK game.  About a week later I was bored, so I tried it again.  This time I made it to the helicopter but it was blown out of the sky.  The next time the helicopter was shot down before I could reach it and I had to hide in the hills.  Every time I played was different and I could do what the hell I liked…I was hooked and bought the game as soon as it came out.
I’ve not played the original campaign all the way through for at least four years but there are moments I still remember to this day:
1. Whilst running from the enemy I almost crapped my pants when I was nearly hit by one of my own pilots falling right out of the sky in front of me after his helicopter was blown up.
2. Me and two other passengers being killed in a jeep crash during a single-player mission, because the AI driver was driving way too fast (and too erratically).
3. The last level of the original game.  And by this I mean the “real†last level i.e. get everyone to the pub.  This has to be my favourite level in a computer game ever.  This mission was such an inspired move by the developers.  I almost felt like a real war veteran driving my mates to the pub through landscapes, villages and towns I had last seen as a soldier, pilot or tank commander.
The overall freedom I seemed to have when playing the game, that every play of a mission revealed new surprises and the fact that I can reminisce about it like talking about a good book, a good film or a good holiday is the reason why it will probably remain my favourite computer game ever – until Armed Assault or “Flashpoint 2†that is…
