Commandos: Strike Force

Commandos Is going 3D. Not only that, but Pyro is taking away the select-and-direct interface and supplanting one that's unapologetically point-and-shoot as the hard-as-nails WWII puzzler turns FPS in its fourth outing on PC. With Commandos 3, we closed a cycle," says Inigo Vinos, Pyro's communications manager. "Making a Commandos 4 could have started to feel like more of the same. We also wanted to make Strike Force a first-person shooter so that we could take it to the console world, and the best way to do this is through an action game."

While the dreaded words "console port' ring in our elitist ears, it's worth pointing out that Commandos: Strike Force won't be just any old FPS where you're forced to furrow a lonesome path to glory. Rather, much like the isometric games, you have a team of specialists to call upon as once again you fight to bring down the Third Reich from behind the lines.

The cast list has been cut down significantly, with only three characters now playable. These are the Green Beret, a sniper and the spy, each of whom offers obvious specialist skills. Sadly, there's no recall for the faithful hound from Commandos 2, which would have provided some levity as we piss down the trouser legs of German sentries. Characters will be controlled directly by the player - you see the action in first-person, with the exception of some third-person camera shots for dramatic effect," adds Vinos.

As is its way, Pyro is being very guarded about how the game will play, although it's keen to stress that Strike Force will be unique from the likes of Full Spectrum Warrior which impressed us on PC, despite its roots on lesser machines. However, as the bandwagon moves on to more modern conflicts, the biggest danger for Commandos may be more chronological than technical. Only time will tell.