 Review By: Jared Black |
Developer: | Red Storm |
| Publisher: | Ubisoft | |
| Genre: | Squad-based FPS | |
| ESRB: | Teen | |
| # Of Players: | 1-4 | |
| Online Play: | Yes | |
| Accessories: | Xbox Live (Teams, Content, Scoreboards, Friends, Voice), Communicator (voice commands), System Link | |
| Buy Now: |   |
After I finished the single-player mode in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2, I was left wanting more. Online play is nice and all, but I get the most enjoyment out of commanding my team and taking out bad guys in single-player missions. I waited…and waited…and waited and no new single-player maps were ever offered as downloadable on Xbox Live. Fortunately Ubisoft had something bigger in mind in the form of Summit Strike, and "standalone expansion pack" featuring a brand new single-player campaign and a slew of new online options.
Like all previous Ghost Recon titles, you command an elite group of soldiers (known as "Ghosts" of course) whose job is to take on the missions best suited to a small team. These include serving as reinforcement for local troops, rescuing trapped comrades, securing crash sites, and other situations where a large force isn't necessary. As captain it's your job to lead these soldiers, directing their movements and giving orders (either via the controller or Communicator) for things like flanking, laying down suppress fire, act as a medic, plant demo charges, and others as needed. Ghost Recon 2 also introduced the Lone Wolf mode, in which the player takes on the role of the captain while wearing advanced gear to designate targets for air strikes and a gun camera for peeking around cover without exposing yourself. Those Lone Wolf missions make a welcome return serving as a nice change of pace (faster with more action), and once again all missions are fully replayable in either Lone Wolf mode or Co-op.
This time the mission takes place in Kazakhstan, where a Pakistani warlord has just assassinated the president. It's your job to take him down before he takes control of the country, aided by local and other troops across snowy mountains, deserts, and urban environments. The locales are diverse, even more so than the original Ghost Recon 2, and add a new layer of strategy to the gameplay with even more varying terrain and weather effects. Pre-mission info is delivered on-screen on a computerized map, with all of the pertinent intel (video, audio clips, photographs, etc.) presented in a very easy to follow layout. During the course of each mission this map will be updated, as new objectives are given and old ones are completed. At the end of each mission you're awarded points based on how well you did in the mission, which can then be used to unlock interviews with the development team, behind the scenes footage at Red Storm, and images of future soldier gear among other things.
The Ghost Recon series has always been known for it's excellent multiplayer support, and naturally this version delivers an excellent online experience as well. The game types include nine different Co-op games, five Solo games, and ten different Squad games. As if that weren't enough, these different modes are playable across 24 different online maps with the promise of more to come via downloadable content. Most of the modes are what you've already experienced in previous Ghost Recon titles, but there are a few new ones such as Co-op Helo Hunt that stand out as excellent additions to the franchise.
Ghost Recon 2 was one of the best looking titles to ever appear on Xbox when it was released late last year, and the game's engine still holds up well even now. The different environments are all distinct with different foliage, architecture, etc. Animation is very smooth, character models are detailed and sharp, and the weapon effects are top-notch. The ugliness of the original Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon is but a very distant memory.
Sound wise it's more of the same, with pounding military music between missions and lots of ambient noise (airplanes flying overhead, footsteps, birds, etc.), radio chatter, and weapons sounds to immerse the player. The music is pretty average as far as Clancy games go, but serves it's purpose and gets you amped up for each mission.
Bottom Line:
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike is another wonderful entry in the series, and a definite bargain at $30. In my opinion, the Ghost Recon series has firmly planted itself as the best squad-based FPS around (yes, even better than Rainbow Six). I can't wait to see what they do with it next.
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8.9 |
Posted: 2005-10-28 15:22:41 PST