Arma 2

Ambition counts, occasionally more than polish. Arma’s ambition – to simulate everything possible on a modern battlefield – is staggering. Yes, occasionally, you might fall out of an open door of a Blackhawk because you couldn’t work the controls out.

Yes, the animations for helping cauterising and healing a wounded buddy look like a demented mannequin is pouring salt directly through the chest of a falllen comrade. Yes, the AI soldiers sound like an army of robots pleased to discover they can spot a man at 100 yards. And yes, you’ll die harder, and more suddenly, that any other game.

But hey. It’s does everything a modern war does. That’s enough.

Every Saturday, my e-friends and I assemble to play backyard war.

Rich: I’ve devoured Evan’s tales of bravery and organisation, but I didn’t find an inroad into ArmA 2 until recently. Hopping onto a server with Tim and Owen, I expected frightening organisation. That expectation died when I jumped onto a rickety bike and started doing laps around the other guys as they sat in an attack chopper, ringing a little bell as I pedalled. ArmA 2 is an adventure playground as much as it is a war simulator.

Arma 2 lets you mount a .50 cal tripod MG on the back of a cow then ride into battle. That’s really all you need to know.