Before i start to review i would like to add that i have never written a review before. I also have only a little bit of experience with the first ghost recon game, so i won't refer much to that. I also have not completed it yet, so i won't talk about the plot or what happens etc. I don't have Xbox Live, so i can't review the multiplayer, this applies only to single player.
Graphics - 8/10
This game has pretty good graphics, not the best seen on the xbox, but they do the job. The movements that the guy you play as are very detailed, and the animations have been constructed well.
The environments are average, not bad but not particularly great. I would like to point out that there are some framerate issues throughout the game, especially in the training, but these do not take away from the gameplay at all or cause any troubles when playing. The levels are very big with no loading times mid-way.
Weapons look good, as well as the enemies. I would also like to point out that there is no blood in this game, so if you are looking for goryness then you wont find any here. This doesn't bother me personally though.
It may just be my TV settings, but when playing it may sometimes be difficult to see some of the enemies, as they can be almost invisible when stood behind a bush, or if it is dark then you can't see them. Turning on night-vision can help in some cases but not all as then the screen may become too bright. Not bad though.
Overall pretty good.
Sound - 8/10
Not much to say about the sound in this game. The guns sound like guns, the bullets sound like bullets. Some good music playing while the game loads, which takes a while the first time as its storing stuff on the X, Y, Z cache drives.
Squad says things like 'good shot sir' if you shoot someone from a distance in the head etc. They respond to your commands over the radio.
They will cheer when they kill enemies and stuff, which is quite cool. Overall good
Controls 7/10
Controls are actually pretty good in this game. For the most part they handle well. You may find issueing commands a little difficult at first, but after a few goes you get used to them and become very quick and tactical with your movement. you can use the d-pad to switch your stance, which is an essential part of the gameplay, as well as use it to peek around corners. Changing weapon modes i couldn't work out at first, but i'm just plain stupid. Overall good and easy to control after a few minutes.
Gameplay 9/10
This is what th game excels at. You have to be very tactical with this, make use of your squad and use the most appropriate stance and weapon for the area you are in. For example running around will get you shot and you will die quickly, as in most of tom clancy's games. I personally am a big fan of this sort of gameplay, especially in the splinter cell and RS6 games. Standing up completely is also not a wise choice, as you will simply make yourself a larger target. Crouching or even going prone in large firefights is the wisest option.
You get to use a variety of weapons. These include mixtures of assualt rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, explosives, grenades etc. These are fun to experiment with and different weapons can change your tactics in the level.
The command system is good, and the AI responds well to it. They always do what you command them and can be a valuable asset to you.
The main thing that has changed from the previous Ghost Recon games is that you now control one specific character, which is the leader of the Ghosts. If you die then you lose, simple as that, you can't change character, or send another team in. I prefer it this way to be honest, its a much simpler system.
As stated earlier you can peek around corners, this allows you to minimise your presence to the enemy and get a good look at the area before running out.
I really like going prone in this game, as the character looks extremely cool when moving and rolling, as well as swapping weapons and all of that. It also minimises the likeliness of getting shot. You take only a few bullets until you are dead, same goes for your teammates. You can heal you teammates, though this makes you vulnerable when in the process of helping them, as it takes several seconds, the downside is (i dont think anyway) you can heal yourself or get a teammate to heal you. You may be able to and i just havent worked it out yet.
The third person changes the game a lot from the original, and in my opinion gives it a better feel. If you wish you can go back to using the first person view, without the view of the gun, though i have grown accustomed to seeing my character now.
Another thing that's different is the pace of the game. Before it would be slow paced, and you would every now and then take out an enemy, or at least your squad would, before you even saw them. Now, there are many more enemies, they are more obvious, you move much faster, more things are happening, and you play a bigger part in the game than before.
Overall - 9/10
This in my opinion is one of the best Tom Clancy games ever, i find it much better than the original, and it has a bigger fun factor. I strongly recommend people to buy it, especially those who like tactical shooters <
