Xbox Live gameplay options are varied with eight different game modes:

My Missions ' This option allows the host to use missions that he/she has created in the mission editor. Great for extending the game's lasting appeal online and a favourite with 'hard-core' fans.

Death Match ' Similar to most other FPS, Death Match games in Operation Flashpoint: Elite are either all-against-all or team-based. Death Match is perhaps the weakest multiplayer mode in Operation Flashpoint: Elite due to the game's realism over arcade action. The 'camper' in Operation Flashpoint: Elite is all too powerful and the Bots are woefully inadequate in this particular game mode. A player lying prone in a bush with a sniper rifle can dominate a Death Match game and games can quickly turn into boring cat-and-mouse affairs. Bots seem lost when faced with the Death Match style of gameplay as without defined objectives and targets they tend to stand around a lot and are generally stupid. Bodies do stay where they fall within the map however, so after some time the map can become disturbingly littered with corpses. There are 12 different Death Match scenarios to choose from.

Capture the Flag ' This is a standard Capture the Flag affair where the objective is to capture your opponent's flag and return it to your home base. There are nine different scenarios each containing two opposing bases with their own flag close by. Some points to note are that a player can steal an opponent's flag and still pilot any of the games vehicles and aircraft, meaning one-man fast vehicle captures are common. Other common Capture the Flag variables can also not be altered, such as if it is possible to capture an opponent's flag if your own is not at your home base. Some games allow for these options to be toggled on and off but there is no facility to do so in Operation Flashpoint: Elite.

Flag Fight ' This is a mix of Capture the Flag and Death Match. There are no teams and the aim of the game is to finish the game with the most points. Killing an opponent will increase your score by one point but if you manage to steal a flag you are awarded up to an extra 10 points depending on which scenario you play. There are eight Flag Fight scenarios to choose from.

Cooperative Mission ' This gameplay mode is a favourite of mine and pits a mixture of AI and human players against an AI controlled enemy force. The AI does a much better job of offering a challenge to the players in this mode and the overall experience is very enjoyable with the right group of friends. The missions have a set of objectives to complete and the variety of mission types should provide plenty of gameplay opportunities no matter what your favourite style of play. There are 11 cooperative missions to choose from.

Team Mission ' This mode is similar to Cooperative Mission however players choose a side and play against each other. Each side has its own unique set of mission objectives that are contrary to that of the opposing team. One Team Mission that is a little out of the ordinary is called 'Camel Dogfight'. In this mission players assume control of WW1 vintage Sopwith Camels and dual it out in the skies as if the game was a flight sim. This is a good example of the versatility of the Operation Flashpoint: Elite game engine however, the fixed-wing aircraft controls are a little awkward (Remember you can connect a flight stick if that helps). There are a total of six team missions on offer.

Sector Control ' The aim of this game type is for each team to hold a number of set locations for the longest time period. Constantly switching between offence and defence creates a varied and exciting experience however some well placed (and concealed) stand-off units can achieve a commanding advantage over some to the sectors found in the four available maps.

Hold Location ' This mode is one of the best available in Operation Flashpoint: Elite. A base with one or more flagpoles is located near the defending side with the objective being to either defend your flag or raise your opposing force flag in the defenders base. Once ownership of the flagpole is established a counter will measure the time a particular team has held the location and when the desired limit is reached, the game is over. Some of the seven available maps are quite large and one in particular provides one side with a significant supply of aircraft and the other with an equally large supply of ground vehicles. The ensuing carnage can be at times quite spectacular and makes for some very memorable online moments.

System Link ' The options available for System Link are exactly the same as Xbox Live with up to 14 Xboxes being able to be linked together on a Local Area Network. There is no support for split-screen play and in all honesty it wouldn't work due to the games resolution requirements in order for players to see those long-range targets.

Vehicular combat certainly comes into its own on Xbox Live with Operation Flashpoint: Elite. Many scenarios contain scores of vehicles to choose from. All of the above game modes get even better as players ferry their mates into battle zones via Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, launch stand-off missiles from afar in Apache and Cobra gunships or recon targets in Kiowa helicopter for other players to bomb in A-10 Thunderbolts. But you are not limited to aircraft as all manner of vehicles roll across the undulating terrain including Tanks APCs and mobile Anti-Aircraft guns with a few quirky but sometimes useful vehicles such as the motorbike. The required team-work and cooperation between players will either frustrate or produce one of the most truly enjoyable and rewarding online experience available. The scale of these battles can be insane at times and I was amazed that the game engine was robust enough to keep up with so much action on-screen. There is no other game on any console that offers the same scale and diverse mixture of vehicular and on-foot combat that Operation Flashpoint: Elite does.

The only thing really missing from the Xbox Live options of Operation Flashpoint: Elite is support for Clans. Clans were a big driving force in the PC version of the game but their omission on Xbox won't stop anyone from playing and enjoying the game.