Hired Goon
23-04-2006, 01:36 PM
Release Date: March 2006
Let me start by saying I love the Ghost Recon series. Ever since I played the original on PC, I have been hooked. The killing, the killing, and especially the killing really appeal to me. The good news is that GR Advanced Warfighter is more of the good old fashioned Ghost Recon people have come to love. This time around, G.R.A.W is a feature title on Bill Gates's Console of World Domination. MS bashing aside, in recent times the Ghost Recon series has established itself as being somewhere between First Person Shooter and tactical war strategy game. Advanced Warfighter certainly continues in the same vein, with a seamless mixture of tactics and suspense without losing the good old "shoot the bastards to hell" aspect.
The game scenario is set in Mexico. Mexican rebels are staging a coup, and Scott Miller (you) and his pro team of “Ghosts” are sent in to deal with them. Their basic objective is to waste a lot of Mexicans, command Apaches and tanks to waste Mexicans, and then waste some more Mexicans for good measure. In the meantime, protecting some politicians seems to be important, but perhaps the hidden motive is for the Americans to get their hands on some sweet Corona beer action. Whatever the case, it is fair to say the motive goes missing somewhere in a hail of bullets.
Game Play
Game Play in Advanced Warfighter is… well, for lack of a better term, pretty bloody good. The controls are intuitive, with directives to your three man team issued simply through adopting recon/assault mode and regroup/move commands on the direction pad. Another cool utility is the tactical Cross-Com tool that allows you to view the mission map and direct UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), helicopters and tanks to recon ahead/overhead or simply nail problematic sons of bitches via the map.
Furthermore, the weapons system is sweet. It is good to have magnified scope and precision aiming for nearly all weapons - so you can actually see the dirty Mexicans you’re supposed to kill. Ammo is also abundant, so there’s no worry of having to kill twenty armed soldiers with your bare hands (i.e. Splinter Cell). Whether it is pumping bullets into hapless Mexican foot soldiers, terminating sneaky Snipers at long range or RPG'ing armoured vehicles to hell, Advanced Warfighter is all about shooting the baddies - with cool guns to boot. The sniper rifle that shoots through walls is all good and using heavy machine guns in helicopters and army bases to lay down the law is the business.
Difficulty wise, the game works on an objective save point system, which means you’ll end up playing the hard bits over a few times. But generally it’s not too hard (on normal mode). The AI is improved from previous games, but still not exactly smart. They certainly know how to shoot you though, but as long as you stay covered enemies are relatively easy to negotiate.
Graphics
Leading up to the release of this game there was a lot of talk about graphics, and the game certainly doesn’t disappoint. The city is vast and detailed, creating the look and feel of a war zone, which you will notice as you fly over in a helicopter. Even on a pox low resolution TV it looks great – although hooking up to a high definition TV or even your PC would no doubt be a good call.
Sound/Music
The sound effects for gun shots and explosions are impressive. There is an extensive array of sounds for different guns, and cranking up the sound will immerse you in the war zone and certainly adds to the gaming experience. You may find yourself laughing insanely while blasting enemies with heavy machine gun fire as your neighbours curse your black heart and debate whether to call the cops.
In terms of music, there isn’t a whole lot – and the music there is isn’t very memorable, which is a pity. It is one area of the game that could be improved.
Online Play
I didn’t buy Advanced Warfighter to play it on Xbox Live. I wonder how the game would actually play in that setting. One of the best features in the single player campaign is the suspense, and in a multi-player environment it would be interesting to see how well this would be reproduced. That said, if online play is your cup of tea, Advanced Warfighter caters for all the usual player modes - co-op, team versus team and solo through various game modes. The convenience of the Xbox Live system also means it is always easy to find somebody to play with too.
Bad Stuff
In terms of game play, one downside is you can’t drive the vehicles. It’s not a big deal, but the option of plowing over ill fated rebels in a big f’n tank would have been nice, as well as adding a new dimension to the game play.
Another minor fault is lack of civilian cannon fodder. Maybe I’m a psycho, or maybe it was playing Syndicate all those years ago, but killing the odd civilian or twenty here and there is fun. Unfortunately, Advanced Warfighter is sorely lacking in civilianage and you’ll have to suffice killing the real bad guys in and around the otherwise empty city.
Some people may find the game a little short too. The single player campaign is considerably shorter than Halo 1 & 2, and even a bit shorter than Ghost Recon 2 on original Xbox.
Finally, this game costs $120 RRP (AUD), and retailers are clearly using the 360 release to increase the standard price of console games. If you’re going to buy it, look around, as you should be able to get it cheaper than recommended retail.
Screen shots
http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_08_thumb.jpg (http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_08.jpg)http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_03_thumb.jpg (http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_03.jpg)
Baddies get some explosion action on their ass. See website for more
Conclusion
:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
Man, this game is so cool. It is ultra fun, and really easy to immerse yourself in. Great graphics, intuitive controls and heaps of shootin' make for the ideal gaming experience. It is a must purchase. Seriously, if you own an Xbox 360 and you don’t purchase this game, you’re going to die. No really, it says so on the packet. And you don't want to die, do you? So don’t just sit there like a lame wad - Carpe Diem!
Let me start by saying I love the Ghost Recon series. Ever since I played the original on PC, I have been hooked. The killing, the killing, and especially the killing really appeal to me. The good news is that GR Advanced Warfighter is more of the good old fashioned Ghost Recon people have come to love. This time around, G.R.A.W is a feature title on Bill Gates's Console of World Domination. MS bashing aside, in recent times the Ghost Recon series has established itself as being somewhere between First Person Shooter and tactical war strategy game. Advanced Warfighter certainly continues in the same vein, with a seamless mixture of tactics and suspense without losing the good old "shoot the bastards to hell" aspect.
The game scenario is set in Mexico. Mexican rebels are staging a coup, and Scott Miller (you) and his pro team of “Ghosts” are sent in to deal with them. Their basic objective is to waste a lot of Mexicans, command Apaches and tanks to waste Mexicans, and then waste some more Mexicans for good measure. In the meantime, protecting some politicians seems to be important, but perhaps the hidden motive is for the Americans to get their hands on some sweet Corona beer action. Whatever the case, it is fair to say the motive goes missing somewhere in a hail of bullets.
Game Play
Game Play in Advanced Warfighter is… well, for lack of a better term, pretty bloody good. The controls are intuitive, with directives to your three man team issued simply through adopting recon/assault mode and regroup/move commands on the direction pad. Another cool utility is the tactical Cross-Com tool that allows you to view the mission map and direct UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), helicopters and tanks to recon ahead/overhead or simply nail problematic sons of bitches via the map.
Furthermore, the weapons system is sweet. It is good to have magnified scope and precision aiming for nearly all weapons - so you can actually see the dirty Mexicans you’re supposed to kill. Ammo is also abundant, so there’s no worry of having to kill twenty armed soldiers with your bare hands (i.e. Splinter Cell). Whether it is pumping bullets into hapless Mexican foot soldiers, terminating sneaky Snipers at long range or RPG'ing armoured vehicles to hell, Advanced Warfighter is all about shooting the baddies - with cool guns to boot. The sniper rifle that shoots through walls is all good and using heavy machine guns in helicopters and army bases to lay down the law is the business.
Difficulty wise, the game works on an objective save point system, which means you’ll end up playing the hard bits over a few times. But generally it’s not too hard (on normal mode). The AI is improved from previous games, but still not exactly smart. They certainly know how to shoot you though, but as long as you stay covered enemies are relatively easy to negotiate.
Graphics
Leading up to the release of this game there was a lot of talk about graphics, and the game certainly doesn’t disappoint. The city is vast and detailed, creating the look and feel of a war zone, which you will notice as you fly over in a helicopter. Even on a pox low resolution TV it looks great – although hooking up to a high definition TV or even your PC would no doubt be a good call.
Sound/Music
The sound effects for gun shots and explosions are impressive. There is an extensive array of sounds for different guns, and cranking up the sound will immerse you in the war zone and certainly adds to the gaming experience. You may find yourself laughing insanely while blasting enemies with heavy machine gun fire as your neighbours curse your black heart and debate whether to call the cops.
In terms of music, there isn’t a whole lot – and the music there is isn’t very memorable, which is a pity. It is one area of the game that could be improved.
Online Play
I didn’t buy Advanced Warfighter to play it on Xbox Live. I wonder how the game would actually play in that setting. One of the best features in the single player campaign is the suspense, and in a multi-player environment it would be interesting to see how well this would be reproduced. That said, if online play is your cup of tea, Advanced Warfighter caters for all the usual player modes - co-op, team versus team and solo through various game modes. The convenience of the Xbox Live system also means it is always easy to find somebody to play with too.
Bad Stuff
In terms of game play, one downside is you can’t drive the vehicles. It’s not a big deal, but the option of plowing over ill fated rebels in a big f’n tank would have been nice, as well as adding a new dimension to the game play.
Another minor fault is lack of civilian cannon fodder. Maybe I’m a psycho, or maybe it was playing Syndicate all those years ago, but killing the odd civilian or twenty here and there is fun. Unfortunately, Advanced Warfighter is sorely lacking in civilianage and you’ll have to suffice killing the real bad guys in and around the otherwise empty city.
Some people may find the game a little short too. The single player campaign is considerably shorter than Halo 1 & 2, and even a bit shorter than Ghost Recon 2 on original Xbox.
Finally, this game costs $120 RRP (AUD), and retailers are clearly using the 360 release to increase the standard price of console games. If you’re going to buy it, look around, as you should be able to get it cheaper than recommended retail.
Screen shots
http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_08_thumb.jpg (http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_08.jpg)http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_03_thumb.jpg (http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/1/5/0/7/GRAW_X360_SP_03.jpg)
Baddies get some explosion action on their ass. See website for more
Conclusion
:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
Man, this game is so cool. It is ultra fun, and really easy to immerse yourself in. Great graphics, intuitive controls and heaps of shootin' make for the ideal gaming experience. It is a must purchase. Seriously, if you own an Xbox 360 and you don’t purchase this game, you’re going to die. No really, it says so on the packet. And you don't want to die, do you? So don’t just sit there like a lame wad - Carpe Diem!