Friday 16 March 2007
felix
GAMES
23
games.felix@imperial.ac.uk
Mexican standoff – Ghost Recon 2 Something bad’s going on south of the border. For a job like this, you need a man like Robin Andrews
W
elcome back to Mexico: the Ghosts are back for some unfinished business, and this time things have taken a turn for the worse. One year after the coup d’état in Mexico City, the rebel uprising has spread to most of Latin America, and support from overseas nations means conflict between loyalist Mexican soldiers and the insurrectionists erupts once again; the difference this time is that it is no longer isolated to the capital city. Most of the long-anticipated sequel takes place in Juarez, a city along the Mexico-US border, and as a result the fighting is brought a lot closer to home. The player once again takes up the mantle of Captain Mitchell as the infamous Ghost squad’s team leader. Using near-future technology and high-tech weaponry your mission is to stop the insurgency. Although this sounds an awful lot like a marketing line, it is for once the most truthful way of describing this game: you do indeed have realistic-yet-advanced technology to assist you, and you are able to command a series of squad members, as well as numerous tanks, gunships, and, for the first time, bombers. The story, whilst being slightly less developed than that of the prequel, keeps the game flowing at a rapid pace and gives the player an excuse to be thrust into several lifeor-death situations. Despite the fact that there are many squad-based tactical shooters out there, the first instalment in the Advanced Warfighter series managed to make a mark: fluid controls, the clever Cross-Com (allowing you to see through the eyes of your commanders, squad members, or allied vehicles), and varied, intense, and consistently thrilling action led to huge sales and two BAFTA Awards. And although the gameplay and presentation is the
Oh, we know. We could make the Italian Job gag. We’re fully aware of it, but it’s too obvious. Too nineties. So, in its place – boooooooooner same recipe, there are several aspects of this game that mean this is more than just an update. The Cross-Com itself has been updated; not only can you still see through the eyes of your allies through your left eye and view news reports and mission data through your right, but you are now able to enlarge the screen. From here you can order your allies from their perspective, and not just yours, essentially allowing you greater strategic options when attacking the enemy. The gameplay never lets up its dramatic, heart-pounding momentum, and the incredible variety of mission objectives ensures you never stop shaking from the sheer volume of adrenaline being pumped into your blood. Right from the very beginning the battle sequences are both intense and frequent, and with a greater variety of vehicular-related sections, you always feel as if you are part of a citywide battle, rather than a series of fire-fights. At the beginning of one mission, you are tasked with extracting a journalist, given two squads to command, and as usual a choice of weapons and squad members, ranging from sniper rifles and shotguns to C4 det-packs.
Throughout the mission you are given air-support for the armoured foes, countersniping equipment, and several anti-air batteries to take out. After a particularly difficult mission, the sight of your extraction is an immensely pleasing one; what’s even more draining is a visceral twist like an exfiltration being ambushed by the insurgents. Apart from the brilliant squadbased sections and the use of satisfying weaponry at your disposal, the vehicles are a welcome return to the series. The hostiles are equally impressive – every time you’re pinned down by a tank or gunship you can’t help but fear what will happen if you peek your over the wreckage. Arguably, the introduction of airstrikes is the best gameplay addition: near the beginning of the game you’re ambushed in a market area, and are forced to fend off waves of troops and tanks without any support; the instant you are able to designate targets, however, it’s impossible not to watch in awe as a blur appears on your screen, followed by a river of fire. Difficulty-wise, it’s roughly equal to its bigger brother, but this time around it gets difficult far quicker, so newcomers to the tactical-shooter franchise will need to learn fast. The graphical wonder has been amplified this time around, and although it doesn’t provide
the same impact it did in 2006 it still stands out amongst the next-gen games that exist today. The detailed cityscapes, the immaculate characters, the heat haze on the horizon, and, of course, the truly spectacular explosions really help to immerse. The third-person perspective is perfect for this type of game; with bullets literally millimetres away from your head, the screen shaking as hostile armour moves towards your position, and the panoramic view only achievable through this viewpoint gives the eerie feeling of being reported on during combat situations. Watching vehicles storm ahead of you and your squad members do their best to keep the enemy pinned-down all adds up to a very authentic and realistic experience. Nevertheless, the graphical splendour would be nowhere without the audio, and without a doubt this is the best sounding game I have ever played, and where it improves on the original. The familiar but overwhelming sound effects, ranging from the ubiquitous, booming explosions to the intricate clinking of your armour are still present, but the score has now evolved into something to rival Hollywood. At times the music is minimal, and consists of a simple drone or pulse in order to build up the tension; when suddenly thrown into the action the drums burst into life and a fantastic mixture of strings and wind instruments erupt. Perhaps the highlight of the score occurs during the most tragic sections of the
Another successful “co-op” mission
game; the lone rescue missions and daring last chances. Once again, the duck-and-cover mechanic returns to dominate the sequel: gung-ho players are dead ones, and on the rewarding but tense Hard setting, it is essentially a one-shot kill environment, making manic charges towards the enemy impossible; however, this doesn’t mean you’ll be retreating. Several events in the game require the Ghosts to sprint across large, open plains or down long, undefended streets in order to escape swarms of snipers, vehicles or mortar fire, and diving behind that well-earned cover is always followed by a sharp intake of air. The entire single-player campaign can be completed on normal difficulty in no more than ten hours, and by the time you reach the cinematic epilogue you’ll be asking for more. Fortunately, the game also excels in its multiplayer: the inclusion of clans and many more maps than on the prequel bolsters the longevity of this game from weeks into months. The various modes on offer include team deathmatches, objective-based missions, elimination and territory-based matches, and are all excellent fun to play, particularly when all 16 players are present. Sadly, there is still no cooperative mode for the singleplayer campaign, which is significantly better than the cooperative campaign provided; however, this additional campaign is still fun to play. Oddly, the ability to take cover fluidly, an aspect so core to the campaign mode, is still absent here. All in all this is not only an improvement over the original, but a surprisingly significant one and fans of the tactical shooter genre should once again take up arms and head down to Mexico – or better yet, walk down to Game and buy a copy of the second instalment in the deservedly award-winning GRAW series.