A realistic bullseye

WW1 Gallipoli: Ottoman Fronts is a new historical first-person shooter, released on August 20, set across the battlefields of the Gallipoli campaign and the Middle Eastern front.

The main game mode is a 25-versus-25 strategic battle in which teams capture or defend objectives, requiring patience, tactics and teamwork.

Players can choose from several soldier types to help shape the battlefield, including riflemen with trusty long arms, engineers who set explosives and build fortifications, and officers who can call in artillery and air support.

Firefights, while frantic at times, are slow and deliberate. This is not a run-and-gun shooter. A single shot to the head or chest is fatal and, much like the real Gallipoli campaign, every metre is gained at great expense.

This is where the tactical side of the game comes in.

Attacking teams have a limited number of reinforcements, so recklessly throwing your life away in a mad dash can tip your team into defeat. Coordinating assaults to take ground is essential.

The game also features an interesting 'panic' system. If you are under effective machinegun or indirect fire, you will find it more difficult to aim, fire and reload your weapon.

The gunplay feels good and realistic. Weapons deliver a satisfying kick, while the models and animations are well executed.

The developers visited the Royal Armouries in England to model the in-game weapons on real examples. They even included jam-tin grenades, notably used by the ANZACs and made from jam or bully beef tins.

Attackers must destroy gun pits and supply caches to gain control of trenches, while defenders need to use resources wisely to prevent their headquarters from being overrun.

The team at Blackmill Games has previously released titles focusing on different First World War fronts, including Verdun on the Western Front, Tannenberg on the Eastern Front and Isonzo in Italy.

For Gallipoli, the developers have drilled down into details that make me happy to see as an Australian. They researched historical maps and war records to reconstruct the landings and battlefields.

Maps include the landing at V Beach (Cape Helles), the steep cliffs and trenchworks of Anzac Cove, and the urban streets of Kut Al Amara.

There are also iconic Australian outfits to customise your soldier, including the slouch hat with emu feathers and the larrikin shirtless soldier in shorts. Players can also fight as British or Indian forces present during the campaign.

Fans of Battlefield 1 will find much that feels familiar, but WW1 Gallipoli: Ottoman Fronts takes realism and historical accuracy a step further.

While realistic FPS titles are not usually my bag of grapes, I had a blast with the matches I played.