You have to hand it to our
fighting troops that, even in the face of immense danger, they see their mission
through to its very end. If anything, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon allowed gamers
to experience what it is like to be in the skin of an elite group of specially
trained soldiers that the realistic nature of the game made Xbox gamers think
through each decision as if lives depended on it. Really, what other game can
do that? Now we’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be on Cuban soil as the
Ghosts take on new threats in Ghost Recon: Island Thunder.
Island Thunder made its
debut on the PC a long while ago as an expansion pack and–I must add–fans of
the Ghost Recon games could not have been more happier. The game puts gamers in
the year 2010 and the death of Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro, has the people of
Cuba looking forward to its first peaceful free election. Unfortunately, there
is a group of militant thugs influenced by the local drug lord who threaten to
put an end to the new President’s plan to bring democracy to the lush tropical
island. Once again, it is up to the elite group of “ghosts” to bring these
hooligans down so Cuba can finally live in peace.
Those gamers familiar with
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon world will find that nothing has changed in Island
Thunder. The game is still seen through a first-person perspective as you
command two three-man squads of specialists known as “Ghosts.” Gamers, once
again, can choose the team and fill the roster with snipers, demolition experts
or heavy gunners. The controls even feel the same so those gamers that have
played–or are still playing–the first Ghost Recon game will easily jump into
the game. For those playing the game for the first time, Island Thunder can
serve as a warm-up for the original Ghost Recon.
The single player Campaign
missions are limited in number, eight to be exact (with a five more to be
downloaded through the Xbox Live service). The missions take you through dense
jungle settings, isolated tobacco plantations and even into a Cuban city. Like
the original game, each mission has a set of objectives to complete to
successfully grab a high mission rating. One objective has gamers seizing
suspicious contraband that had been dropped by planes into the middle of a field
while other objectives require you to secure a beachside resort that has been
overtaken by the enemy.
One of the many reasons
Ghost Recon was such a big hit with Xbox owners is the wonderfully
well-constructed multiplayer feature. Not only can you play with other gamers
using a single Xbox but you can also set up a System Link game using multiple
Xbox consoles. Yet it’s the Xbox Live multiplayer games that won the biggest
points and with good reason. You can team up with gamers to play a variety of
favorites like Hamburger Hill or Domination only using the Cuban backdrop as
your battlefield. The game moves along smoothly online and I’ve found that half
the fun is just getting a battle plan together with other squad mates. Really,
it just doesn’t get any better than this.
While still not the
prettiest of games, this game actually does see some improvements from the first
game. Your squad mates, for example, are a bit better detailed and everything
from facial features to the style of the uniforms can be distinguished from afar
even before their name pops up on screen. However, the environments, which look
lush from a distance still looks rather dull up close. The same can be said
about the enemies, which look great while they’re on patrol in the distance but
look like clones of each another once you’re up close to them. While it would
have been nice if the graphics have been completely redone, the visuals do not
take away from the enjoyment this game provides.
Sound-wise, the Ghost
Recon games excel in immersing gamers into the environment by surrounding you
with detailed ambient sounds. Creeping along the tobacco fields, your boots
crunch on dry leaves as tropical birds call out somewhere in the thick of the
nearby foliage and the insect life becomes a nerve-wrecking hum. Suddenly
gunfire erupts and it startles the senses thanks to all the other sounds that
distracted you before the attack. Gamers will feel as if they’re out there in
the fields of Cuba and this is, no doubt, what Ubi Soft was going for in the
first place.
Ghost Recon: Island
Thunder is yet another excellent addition to the squad-based tactical action
game Xbox owners have come to love. While its single player campaign missions
are few in numbers, it’s the quality that counts here and Island Thunder won’t
disappoint in this front. Yet the real gem is the Xbox Live multiplayer games
that will have fans cheerfully busy for a long time to come.
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#Reviewer’s |
Gameplay: 8.0
There is nothing really new on this
front and that can be seen as a good thing . . . especially to those gamers
already accustomed to the game’s controls. For first time players, moving about
the environment is the easiest part but issuing complex commands to specific
members of your team can be a bit difficult. Yet much of what you need to know
is covered in the game’s training mode and gamers will come to know what kind of
kits are needed on particular missions all on their own.
Graphics: 7.0
Graphics-wise, Island Thunder does
get to see a slight improvement in the character design of each member of your
team. While the difference is not dramatically different, it’s nice to be able
to distinguish each member of your team in the middle of an intense firefight.
Still, the enemies can look a too similar throughout the game but this could be
easily ignored since they do move realistically. The fields of Cuba look great
at a distance and you can practically feel the steam that rises from the ground
in the hot and humid tropical plantations. While the same distracting misty fog
appears in the game like it does in the original game, the great weather effects
more than make up for it.
Sound: 8.5
Imagine stalking a group of rebels
through the think and dense tropical flora as the deafening sounds of crickets
surround you and your companions and–in the distance–a rare birds squawks
before spreading its wings and takes off. Imagine finding the rebels, listening
to them chatter in Spanish, and then opening fire–your weapon fire echoing in
sharp bursts. This is but a small example of the game’s sound and since there
is no in-game music to accompany you, it’s great to hear such well detailed
sound effects.
Difficulty: Medium
Once again, each campaign mission
comes complete with a set of mission objectives that have you and your team
securing a particular location or clearing a suspicious compound. You can
always count on the enemy to put up quite a resistance and the wrong strategy
can get member of your team killed. The enemy AI is intelligent enough that the
bad guys do duck for cover or call in reinforcements. You can, however,
surprise them but it required a high level of stealth. There are missions,
however, that is far too brutal even for seasoned Ghosts.
Concept: 8.5
Island Thunder’s eight missions
offer plenty to do and its mission objectives are challenging enough, but it’s
the Xbox Live online features that will leave gamers very satisfied. Not only
can you compete in matches and tournaments, but you can also create your own
match and invite gamers or challenge top players you can find on the
scoreboard. You can team up with other players or play solo against groups of
opponents online.
Multiplayer: 9.7
Ghost Recon was such a major success
on the Xbox due in part to it’s Xbox Live multiplayer features that have gamers
team up with each another and plan attacks or defensive strategies thanks to the
Xbox Communicator. Island Thunder, thankfully, continues the tradition by
offering the same sixteen player squad-based multiplayer games using the Cuban
backdrop as your battlefield. And topping this all off, you can play using a
single Xbox as a split-screen game or System Link play. This is simply one of
the most gratifying online multiplayer experiences and I’m sure gamers will be
playing this one for months to come.
Overall: 8.7
Island Thunder isn’t simply a Ghost
Recon add-on with different maps and enemies. This is, simply put, yet another
stellar Ghost Recon experience with an interesting premise, challenging missions
and the same great online multiplayer experience we’ve all come to expect from a
Tom Clancy tactical action game. If you’re a fan of the Ghost Recon games,
Island Thunder will make a wonderful addition to your library.
