Mechanical Men
So, anyway, you can't really judge the AI too badly for stuffing it up occasionally - it wouldn't be any fun if they were invincible. In fact due to the planning stage of this game you can blame the AI even less, because in a lot of respects this game is kind of two games in one: the first is kind of a puzzle solving game where you study the maps, examine the possibilities on offer given your inventory, the skills and weaknesses of your men and the terrain, and then devise a cunning plan that will be downfall of even the most determined enemy, and in this respect if your AI team-members get shot then it's most likely down to a lack of planning. The second game is one of sneaking around places and kicking shit out of people with the best array of weaponry you can get your hands on. This two-in-one element to the game is even more obvious due to the fact that there's an observer mode for the avid planner, who doesn't actually want to get his hands dirty, so you can sit and meticulously devise your assault plan and then watch God-style as your men go through the motions and do their thang, knowing that you're such a genius that you don't even have to touch a weapon. Not my thing, I have to admit, and if it wasn't that I'm such a games purist I'd probably be inclined to always load one of the pre-devised plans and just run around shooting people, although if you were to have a sneaking suspicion that these pre-written plans won't get you through the game in anything other than the most cursory manner you'd be mostly right. Sooner or later you really have to go the planning section and fiddle with things a bit if you want to get through the mission with most of your guys intact.
Not to get off the subject of AI just yet, I have to say that the terrorist AI is depressingly good as well. It's not just the fact that they react to situations in a lifelike way but also the fact that the terrorist's abilities are just as varied as the guys on your own team. You have some terrorists that you really dread coming across (and you can usually identify them as almost people after the first couple of goes), for example on the 3rd level in, which takes place in a tunnel, there is a guy in green camo gear a little inside the tunnel who's carrying a Galil or something, and he's absolutely deadly. I hate him. I always give him a few extra shots on those few occasions when he doesn't get me first. I don't know why, maybe I just feel like I owe them to him for all the times he's faster. At other times you get the feeling that a terrorist's heart just isn't in it - you'll be peeking round a piece of scenery for ages while he stands around oblivious, just waiting for you to knock him out of his daydream permanently.
