Operation Flashpoint: Red River enlists players to lead a hostile force in a remote land, surrounded by serene mountains and deadly serious mission objectives. Building upon Dragon Rising, the series' high-def generation debut, additions in Red River include refinements to squad and enemy AI, a more accessible inventory system, and character class roles, with player-picked upgrades as experience is earned. The game is designed for four-player co-op, and even in single-player modes, a second player can drop in and out of the battle at any time. Although modern military shooter action is the substance of Red River, the violent combat is presented through the personal experiences of the main characters, a small team of Marine Corps infantrymen. The adventure plays out in the landlocked country of Tajikistan, bordered by Afghanistan to the south and China to the east. Leading in from earlier Operation Flashpoint briefings, threats from the People's Liberation Army play a significant role as the game's narrative develops, but much of the game takes place to the north and west, along the banks of the Vakhsh, known as the "Red River" to the people who live there. With shifting international tensions, the political-thriller plot line is broken into three separate acts. The mission begins with an assignment to secure an isolated dam system, in need of repair, against terrorist activity.