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Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (X360)

• Developer:
• Publisher: Ubi Soft Entertainment
• Genre: Shooter
• Official Website: http://www.ghostrecon.com
• Score: 4 of 5: Niche

The squad-based tactical strategy game has evolved into an all new monster. Ubisoft and the Ghost Recon series have always pushed the concept of relying on your squad for survival in the virtual arena. The sequel to Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter on the Xbox 360 puts you back in the battle-worn boots of Capt. Mitchell and keeps you on the edge of your tactical toes.

It's 2014, and Capt. Mitchell is back in a new arena of battle closer to home. Capt. Mitchell and the Ghost must stop an imminent threat from reaching U.S. soil. On the border of Mexico and the U.S, a rebel army controlled by a mercenary unit is planning on launching a nuclear warhead into the U.S. It's the job of Capt. Mitchell and the Ghost to destroy the opposition and recover the nuclear warhead.

Starting a complicated game such as Ghost Recon is always a treat. The game inserts you into the battlefield- but in training mode, so hostiles are not going to be as difficult as those you would encounter on the real battlefield. The training exercise is helpful and helps you get reacquainted with the controls. Plain and simple, the controls are insane. There is such a significant amount of control and button management that most of the time I found myself peeking at my cheat sheet. It's tough, but it grows on you as you progress. That also means that your level of troop management as well as tactical, armored, and aerial vehicles will play into your control and button movement. It becomes second nature once you get the hang of it. A feature that I really enjoyed using was the Cross-Com. The improvements using the Cross-Com are significant; not only can you see what your ‘friendlies' are doing, but with a touch of a button, you can enhance it to full screen. That feature alone allows you to direct your troop and tactical vehicle movements in a more accurate manner. It's also very cool to see your attack helicopter launch Hell-Fire missiles into an enemy tank from the view of the Helo. Along with commanding your vehicles for precise attacks, you can also command your sniper and anti-tank specialist to make precise hits in certain areas. In addition, a newly added medic class can heal your members within your squad when commanded.

So where are we on the battlefield? Honestly if I had to compare the battlefield in this installment of GRAW, I would have to compare it to that of Iraq. Your missions take you to sandy and hilly environments as well as urban arenas. But what makes these environments so vivid are the improved graphics with dynamic and evolving elements. When you are inserted into certain areas, whether day or night, the times as well as the conditions will change. This is a very impressive feature when on the battlefield. It definitely gives you a good sense of realism when going through the maps. Many times I noticed the lighting gradually change, so I had to pull out the trusty ol' night vision goggles to finish the mission. The contrast between night and day in this game is almost heavenly. Running through some of these maps was intense as well as lavish. The visuals of the structures and environments are remarkable and detailed. That especially goes for the intensity of the explosions during gameplay. You have to really appreciate the amount of work the makers put into the physics they used to simulate the billowing smoke after massive rattling explosions. The in-game experience is nothing but stunning. What adds to that is the level of engagement that GRAW 2 brings to the table. The amount of firepower that you hold in your hand is amazing, and the makers made sure of that with the great authentic sound quality. The amount of work the team from Ubisoft put into the sound quality in this title is paramount. The sound is 80% of the engagement factor in GRAW 2.

Getting into the battles, as I mentioned, was more times frantic than not. Maneuvering was tough at first, but as the game progresses, you are forced to do it. That was one thing that I both liked and disliked. The improvement of the A.I. is frightening. If you do not move your forces into a position that works to your advantage, the enemy will expose that weakness and pile on the hurt. Enemy reinforcements will arrive, and you will be overrun. The enemy tactics are scary and aggressive. With snipers and gaggles of squads hiding around corners, you will experience some of the most intense firefights ever. Using your UAV as well as armored vehicles and air assault vehicles is always helpful. Using them will relieve some pressure for you and your squad to maneuver and set up a better position of attack and defense to take out the enemy. Maneuvering was difficult at times, but by using the newly added MULE, it made moving easier by providing cover to get through impassable areas. The MULE is a Mobile Unmanned Artillery Unit that provided cover to get through impassable areas. Again, the extra features that they added into this new installment are both helpful and fun.

Is this all about strategy or what? Yes and no. This is not your traditional shooter game here folks. You try that Halo business here, and you will find yourself trading this title in fast. The tactical side is what makes this game fun. Using your squad, support elements, and coming up with creative ways to attack the enemy is what makes this game a blast. If you are looking for something a bit more laid back and not so regimented like the single player campaign, then start up the multiplayer. There are several different forms of competitive action in which you can engage in the multiplayer arena. Team and solo modes are standard as well as squad-based multiplayer like using an A.I. squad to take on the opponent's squad. Also one of my favorites is engaging in the cooperative mode. This is always fun when you plan your base of attack with a friend to storm through the campaign. Most if not all of the multiplayer modes allow you to customize your Advanced Warfighter to your specifications.

Of course there is not a game out there without flaws. The obvious one that most have been hearing across the board is how short the campaign is. You can easily breeze through in a couple of hours. There are several graphical glitches in the multiplayer mode along with some features that you are not allowed to use in the multiplayer mode. A huge one is the cover mode, which in the single player mode is not all that great either. The cover system compared to that of Rainbow Six: Vegas is crap. You have to literally find the sweet spot before you can take cover, and by the time you do it's too late, and the enemy is unloading on you. A few minor flaws here and there still do not keep this game from being an outstanding 360 title.

Jun 6, 2007 | 0 comments
Marco Ortega