Ah, the freebie, nothing is sweeter then something for free. If it stinks, well who cares, you didn't pay anything for it. And if it's good, then all the better for you for getting something for FREE.

Today's freebie is a title called America's Army. You can download America's Army right here: www.americasarmy.com  or here http://downloads.gamezone.com/demos/d10416.htm play it with countless others. The copy I received to review is version 2.0, and I believe you can get this version on disc at your local Army recruiter.

America's Army is a first person shooter that enables you to play as a member of an army squad engaging in combat with other online gamers. That's right, for the most part this is only an online game. However, when you first start up and create a profile, you will need to complete the game's "Boot Camp" portion which is essentially a tutorial, instructing the player on how to move around in game, shoot, jump, crouch, etc. Once completed, it is up to you to put all these newly acquired skills to the test.

Player's will notice that the game does not have a respawn function, which if you think about it, is a nifty way to play online. Borrowing from the Socom game model, gamers will want to be a careful as there is only one life per round. Long gone is the suicide player who runs out into the middle of battle, jumping and shooting, hoping to dole out as much damage as possible before expiration only to respawn and do it all over again. Instead, teamwork is essential to survival as you do battle against an unspecified enemy named OpFor (opposing force) that online players can also play as. Communication and a good sense of teamwork is a must for the success (or failure) of the team's fate. Play smart, use cover and keep an eye on your ammunition as this game really tries to be authentic as possible. What isn't authentic though, is the fact that there really isn't any blood when an opponent gets shot. Players can then follow their comrades around until the round is completed.

At this point the game is fairly decent in terms of gameplay, there are a couple of hiccups in the game's design, like, sometimes I would find myself getting stuck in the game's environments for a couple of seconds and the usual clipping issues when playing online, but for the most part it is a surprisingly worry free online experience.

What I liked most about the game is the attention to realism, the weapons used in the game are of course the same a soldier would carry. M16s, M4A1's, sniper rifles and AK-47's for the enemy (our communist friend's choice of weapon during the 70's, 80's and 90's). These weapon's operated as they should, with differing recoil, range and power. And most of all sound. Pray you have a decent sound card and speakers, as the game provides a really nice set of sound effects. Gun fire, explosions, birds, bullet shells bouncing off the ground, it all sounds terrific and I liked it.

From a visual standpoint, the game also does a nice job. Using the latest "Unreal Engine" the game is a flashpoint of highly detailed objects. Trees, textures, player models, weapons. All are very clean, very bright and very impressive. I swear, the Army could have cleaned up and helped pay for our current war buy selling this title for $19.99, even then it would have been a steal.

Which brings me to the game's few problems. The game doesn't have much in terms of variety in regards to weapon's load out, maps and missions. The game only allows for small team battles at this point, and I must admit I was looking for a huge massive WAR. Plus, the idea of an online only game will disappoint some who enjoy solo missions in between online action.

But all in all, the game is certainly worth the price. The Army has stated that they will continue to support the game and hopefully update it with new maps and weapons, but the problem with that is we are a society of bigger and better addicts and the ARMY had better keep things fresh and new if they plan on keeping gamers for any length of time.

Gameplay: 8.3
Good controls with a surprisingly fun training session help make this first person shooter one of the more enjoyably controlled games I've played all year.

Graphics: 8.8
A very sweet looking game. The Army should be proud of themselves for their attention to detail.

Sound: 8.0
Turn off the TV and turn up the computer. Fire that machine gun and grin ear to ear when you listen to the recoil. A quality sound effects track that runs parallel with the graphics.

Difficulty: Medium
It's as hard as your competition is at the time. One game you may be Rambo and take on all comers. Other times you are merely fodder for some other player who's looking to stuff and mount you over his/her fireplace.

Concept: 7.0
You can look at this game as a recruiting tool, because that's what it is. Players who do well during training may find themselves becoming a sniper, a novel idea in itself. Still, the game is executed as it should be.

Multiplayer 8.2
An online multiplayer game where players are encouraged to play smart and teamwork is essential if you and your team expect to win any battles.

Overall: 7.9
The game has it's strengths and it's weaknesses, but if you can look past the obvious "hard sell" to join the army, you will certainly get some enjoyment out of the game thanks to it's tidy graphics, smart sound effects and intuitive gameplay.