The planning was poorly done and, as a result, 19 troops were killed and many more injured in a chaotic firefight that lasted about two days. The heroic efforts of the troops in the most difficult circumstances led to a book and then a movie based on the book. So why do I tell you all of this? So you'll understand that this game is basically just a first person shoot 'em up, and really has little to do with the title of the game or the events that made the term "Black Hawk Down" infamous.

The game is a very basic FPS consisting of 16 missions based in Somalia. You take the role of a squad leader, and will have interactions with Rangers and Delta Force, as well as the famed 10th Mountain Division Army soldiers. Your missions during the game mainly consist of clearing areas of Somali militia that are fighting for the local warlord. You are given the opportunity to lead your squad through an interface which permits you to give directions. This is helpful when you begin a firefight, but then becomes difficult as things heat up.

At first I didn't like it, but I figured in real combat things likely can get really confusing fast, so I chalked it up to being the real deal. Actually, the soldiers in your command act fairly competent, and will follow your lead for the most part. I liked that, since they are supposed to be the elite of the US Army after all. The game also lets you participate in some missions from a helicopter and others from a Humvee, which adds to the entertainment.

The game play is what I typically like from my military shooters, fast and uncomplicated. Like I said earlier, your main job is to clear areas, so you have ample opportunity to fire off thousands of rounds using a wide variety of weapons. I strongly recommend using the M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon Light Machine Gun). It packs quite a punch, and clears a street in a hurry. You also are given opportunity to use an array of other standard issue weapons and devices used by the US Army.

The graphics of the game are solid, but nothing extraordinary. I think they did a decent job of capturing the look of the Delta soldiers, at least from what I remember from the book and the movie. The sound is solid, and voices are done well. The game does offer multi-play with support for over 15 players.

I found this game to be very enjoyable and would strongly recommend it as a rental for any military enthusiast. I would like to see the developer continue the Delta Force series with new scenarios from the past and present, like missions based in Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan and even Iraq. So, if you are looking for some time to blast away at some hostile forces, this could be the game for you.