ust like Britney Spears confessed that she is not a girl, not yet a woman, Conflict: Vietnam finds itself between genres as it only gives average results with its mix of regular ol’ war action and squad strategy.

There are plenty of benefits to Conflict’s squad structure, particularly being able to customize the skill set of each one of your four soldiers through points. I also liked being able to fully share supplies at any time. The problem this brings, however, is that you then must often micromanage your ammo or medical kits so you aren’t leaving your guys high and dry. So although your squad AI is proficient enough to keep things exciting and moving along nicely by covering its flanks and lobbing grenades, it’s not smart enough to heal itself. Thus, I played this game like I was half soldier from hell and half communist medic – making sure that everyone got the same allotment of medical kits. I never knew when I’d have to switch to a guy mid-battle because he didn’t have enough of a survival instinct to heal himself. However, the game does have split-screen co-op for those who find themselves frustrated. Overall, squad commands are easily dispensed, but I wish I could tell my soldiers to scatter and find cover (instead of just lying prone).

On the other side of the genre coin, many will find the combat not up to snuff with what you’d expect from an FPS or even a third-person title – specifically if you don’t like the auto-target. The target reticle is slow and gets hung up too often, and your soldier’s movements are clunky. It’s at times like this when I wish the game was more restrictive like Full Spectrum Warrior, but I appreciate Conflict’s attempt at trying to please everyone. All in all, the action does get intense, and if anything else, having to keep your eye on your comrades in a way highlights the grim fight for survival and tight-knit nature that all soldiers need in battle.