Platform: Xbox 360
Published by: UBI Soft
Price: $59.99
I tend to prefer a more Arcade style shooter than the technical assault practices of something like Ghost Recon. I’m also not that great with maintaining and executing orders in the realm of squad based shooters. With that said, I still managed to really enjoy the hell out of Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (GRAW).
GRAW takes place in the not so distant future, and is set against a the political backdrop of a new treaty being signed in North America between its three countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Mexico serves as the landscape for the game, where events begin to unroll that put the US President and Mexican President in danger, as terrorists attempt to rip control of the Mexican government from its elected leaders.
In response, the Ghost Recon team is called into action. As the leader of your unit, you have access to quite a few weapons, tech, and teammates, all of which will help you accomplish your mission objectives for each level. Along the way you’ll get some NPC support, and additional units in the form of Helicopters, Tanks, and other Anti-Personnel units. GRAW does a great job of making your interaction between these units easy to navigate. All the commands are issued thru the use of the D-Pad, and if you’re using multiple units (your squad being standard) you can simply cycle through them by clicking left or right. The instruction you give isn’t too involved, usually you’ll just be commanding the direction you want your squad to move, but you can switch between a Recon mode and an Assault mode, depending on the situation. You can also point your units in the direction of the enemy and have them engage fire, while you hold back for safety or try to find another route for a surprise attack.
The map layouts for each level are pretty big, but never manage to become so large that you lose site of your objective. On screen you’re given a waypoint for your next objective, and you can bring up a field map that will allow you to see the best path to take to reach it. Sometimes you’ll also be provided with a robotic recon unit that will scan the area ahead of you, and detect enemy positions if any are there to be found.
Waypoints and save spots are paced out just right, and while you might find yourself doing a lot of trial and error when it comes to missions, you’ll usually be able to start off not too far from where you were killed, which really helps to keep the frustration factor to a minimum. You also have the option of going back into missions you’ve already completed, so if you think you can do a bit better a second time around, go ahead and give it a try. The more familiar you become with each level map, the more efficient you get, and the better you’ll be when it comes to multiplayer as well.
Speaking of multiplayer, the modes available are all pretty standard stuff, but they’re a blast to play. The weapons are all precise and never feel off, and the maps all provide a decent amount of cover, hiding spots, and varied terrain to keep things interesting. You can also do some co-op missions in multiplayer for a change of pace, some of which end up being quite challenging, even with a large group of friends backing you up.
Graphically, GRAW looks amazing. The lighting effects, gun models, character models and physics are all stellar. The environments are all spot on as well, with a lot of variation between levels. Textures on buildings, ground, and other units are detailed and rich, all of which really helps when it comes to immersing yourself into the playing field.
GRAW doesn’t support much in the way of a soundtrack, but you’ll have a few songs play here and there, typically when you load up for the next mission. Instead, most of the focus is on the sound effects, all of which are done incredibly well. The voice over work put into the game doesn’t sound stuttered or out of place either, and while its nothing fantastic to note, it all fits in very well.
Overall, even if you’re not a big fan of this style of shooter (like myself), it’s hard to find fault with GRAW. If you’ve been looking for a new multiplayer fix, it’s definitely your best bet. The main campaign won’t keep you active for too long, even though it’s well balanced and fun to play thru, but the multiplayer and co-op stuff will keep you coming back for more.
- Dustin Chadwell currently resides in Ohio, USA. He's been playing video games since the Atari 2600, and believes he can whoop anyone's ass in Joust, and Galaga. Probably not Halo 2 though. New technology tends to confuse him.