Arriving late to
the party, the PlayStation 3 was still able to offer its own brand of fun to
show people that it can make up for the delay with its own unique party favors.
So far, the PS3 has brought us a perfect port of the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six
Vegas (a game that lit up the Xbox 360) and now Ubisoft brings us Ghost Recon
Advanced Warfighter 2 – a sequel to the first next-generation Ghost Recon game.
While it’s a port of the Xbox 360 game, this one comes packed with a few extras
that will make PlayStation 3 gamers happy to jump into this futuristic civil
war.
In the first
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, the Ghosts – led by Ghost team leader, Scott
Mitchell – are called to Mexico where a Mexican militant group has taken the
President of the United States hostage during a visit to the capital. This
violent skirmish actually sets up the events that lead up to Advanced Warfighter
2. You see, since the conflict, Mexico finds itself caught up in a civil war
that involves parties that were infuriated by Mexico’s faltering economy and the
new United States immigration reform act. Tensions are at a high and violence
erupts so it is up to the Ghosts to maintain peace. This, of course, will not be
easy with rumors that Colombian weapons are being sent to the wrong hands. So as
you can see, the lads have their hands full.
For those who
managed to play the Xbox 360 version, the PS3 port contains the same Campaign
mode missions. The variety of mission scenarios will not fail to hook you but
sadly, the game is still a bit too short. The Ghosts will find themselves in a
number of interesting situations and thanks to the volatile instability of the
environment and the rumors of weapons of mass destruction that threaten the
United States, you’ll feel the pressure and the urgency of each mission. You
will be doing everything from clearing the border area of enemies, rescuing a
Mexican journalist and a mission that will bring to mind the events seen in the
Blackhawk Down movie.
The Ghosts have
always had technology on their side and the various prototype weapons (including
a few weapons exclusive to the PS3) as well as high-tech gadgets work to the
Ghost’s advantage. The Cross-Com device, for instance, allows Mitchell to
communicate with the Command Center in real-time and thus allowing you to assess
your situation and getting a better feel of your environment. You’ll have the
UAV3 drone at your disposal as well. Your drone can be controlled to scout ahead
to give you a better idea of where enemies might be hiding so you won’t be taken
by surprise by a sniper or a small group that set up an ambush spot. You’ll also
have the M.U.L.E., which is a sort of ATV that can be remotely brought to you
and your team to replenish your supplies such as ammunition and health items.
As far as the
controls are concerned, Advanced Warfighter 2 is a comfortable fit on the
PlayStation 3 and there are even a few features that take advantage of the
SIXAXIS controller’s motion sensor technology. Using the default controls,
sniping, shooting, taking cover and issuing commands to your teammates is easy
but there are a few SIXAXIS issues that just do not work as properly as they
should have worked. For instance, Mitchell can dive into a prone position as
he’s running just by pitching the controller down but instead of going prone he
does a combat roll. This problem doesn’t really have a remedy since I tried
switching from various control configurations. It isn’t a major problem but it
would have been great if it worked out more smoothly. Certainly, there are some
aspects of the motion control features that work well such as when you control
the M.U.L.E. and the UAV3.
On the Xbox 360,
the multiplayer portion of the game was a dream come true but here it is simply
gaming heaven. The game supports offline 4-player action as well as a Co-op mode
that allows gamers to play the single-player campaign. Online, the game runs at
a steady framerate and there are literally dozens of different match types and
several maps including a few new ones that make Team Battle or Hamburger Hill
all the more enjoyable. Really, with so many multiplayer options (like creating
your own clan) you will certainly be playing this game long after you finished
the short single-player mode.
Graphically
speaking, GRAW2 looks stunning on the PS3 and while the game lacks the Xbox
360’s ability to handle bloom lighting, this game is certainly just as dazzling
and displays sharp character models and environments. Mitchell and his fellow
Ghosts move naturally and watching them make use of their technological tools
will not fail to impress. There are also great explosions and smoke that makes
good use of the PS3’s graphical capabilities. In short, this is a great-looking
game.
The sound is
also quite impressive and if you’ve played a Ghost Recon game then you know what
to expect. There’s the score that would fit right at home in a war movie and the
sound effects are just as wonderfully detailed as the visuals. If you listen
carefully, you can make out the location of the enemy … if the barking dog,
music from somebody’s radio or a passing plane doesn’t distract you. The voice
acting is also handled well enough, although you will find that your squad mates
tend to repeat themselves frequently throughout the game.
Ghost Recon
Advanced Warfighter 2 for the PS3 is, without a doubt, the best version of this
intense, action-packed shooter well worth the purchase price. While the Xbox 360
version was certainly an enjoyable ride, the PlayStation 3 version presents
gamers with motion sensor controls and a few console exclusives that more than
make up for the late arrival of this series to Sony’s next-generation console.
Ghost Recon fans will certainly enjoy this new addition to the series.
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Gameplay: 8.9
The Ghosts are
back and Mexico is once again in trouble so expect a campaign mode filled with
action-packed scenarios. On the PS3, the controls work rather well and the
console exclusives add more bang for the buck. The SIXAXIS motion sensor
functions work decently, although Mitchell tends to roll too much with the wrong
twist of the controller. My biggest complaint is that the single-player campaign
is too short.
Graphics: 9.0
On the PS3,
the game looks magnificent and the Ghosts look pretty sharp against the
wonderfully detailed backdrops. The explosions and gunfire really come to life
on the screen and the cut scenes just scream next generation.
Sound: 9.0
The detailed
sound effects will not fail to capture your attention and each weapon makes its
own distinct sound that echoes nicely depending on the environment. There is the
typical military-flavored soundtrack and the voice acting is convincing –
although I wish your squad mates wouldn’t repeat themselves too often.
Difficulty:
Medium
When it comes
to the Tom Clancy or the Ghost Recon franchise, you can always count on
intelligent AI and you will certainly encounter a number of smart enemies that
will take cover and try to outflank you. Certain mission objectives will have
you and your team really pulling overtime.
Concept: 8.8
Console
exclusives are always a nice extra, especially if the game has been released on
another console first. The new weapons are a major plus bit it’s the multiplayer
maps and Co-op mode that steal the show here. Yes, the SIXAXIS controls work
find but they’re not as stellar as they could have been.
Multiplayer:
9.0
The game’s
multiplayer (including the extra PS3 exclusive maps) will assure that gamers
will be playing this one long after they finished the somewhat short
single-player mode. Online the game runs really smooth and there’s hardly a dull
moment thanks to the great maps, numerous weapons and 16-player modes like the
excellent Exfiltration mode. Adding a Co-op mode is just brilliant.
Overall: 9.0
The mission is
a definite Go for Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and on the PS3 this is where
the game really shines. This is a worthwhile sequel that not only looks amazing
but, thanks to the PlayStation 3’s innovative controls, it also feels better
than the Xbox 360 version. If you’re a fan of the series or are looking for an
exhilarating tactical shooter for the PS3, this is the game you really need to
buy right away.
