| ==GRAPHICS==
The graphics are pretty neat, with a good amount of detail
to the characters making them look and move realistically and
also the levels are superb, from the vehicles and buildings down
to the grass and stubs in the wooded areas. Using the green seal
uniform or even the more advanced camouflage clothing, can made
you hidden very well if laying down or kneeling in a well grown
grassy area which is cool when enemies walk straight past you
without seeing out even the human controlled players online its
very hard to spot you.
Although it doesn't compete with the graphics in games like Splinter
Cell, Metal Gear Solid and Gran Turismo its still have marvelous
graphics that beats many other games, the explosions stand out
as great along with the fresh movement flow of the water when
running or swimming through it. The cut-scenes though out the
single player is of a slightly better quality and is nice to watch
of which is small amount to see.
==SOUND/MUSIC==
For the music and voices through the game what of it, is good
from your team giving and taking orders sounds clear and natural.
The actual sound is top notice, from each guns sounding different
with its own unique fire, with the low humming noise of the jeeps
and tanks. Deafening load bangs from cannon and grenades blowing
up makes it feeling like a real war atmosphere. Although not cool
to your health when the grenades explodes near you it gives you
a deafen effect with the sound slowly blurring back to normal.
Other small things adds to the game like sound movement of your
feet and the rustle of the bushes as you walk pass down to the
quickly whizzing low sound of a bullet from a silenced gun sends
you to a fast paced panic to see who's hooting at you.
==CONTROLS==
Although I don't find any real problems with the controls
I do think that they could of improved the way you could change
your weapons faster. The way they have it is that by pressing
the R2 buttons it brings up the weapon list for you to use up
and down on the d-pad the choose and then X to select. The one
good thing though with the weapons you can set your secondary
weapon as anything and then quickly change with the L1 button.
Like in many games you can duck, used with
the triangle button but if running and if you hold it down you
will dive to the ground which is not only helpful for hidden and
shooting but looks cool. Using the right and left on the d-pad
will let you look/peek around a corner from which you can still
shoot. R3 lets you manual-reload and L3 lets you change the fire
mode - great for snipering with an assault rifle.
Throwing a grenade is done with a arced
line like in the Splitter Cell games but with the difference being
is the button on Socom is pressures sensitive mean if you press
it lightly you will throw it short distance but by applying more
pressure on the button the arced line will raise for you to throw
further. One you got it right you just release your finger of
the button and you will throw the grenade very accurately to that
spot.
Being a squad leader you can give orders
(notice only offline) by pressing the L2 button which then pauses
the game when in this menu, lets you give orders to ether the
2nd 2 man squad or the whole team for e.g. like move, follow,
hold fire, clear area, breach rooms, and deploy grenades. I have
found a few problems with this like when you tell them to follow,
they are still standing there and also when deploying grenades
they either don't or worse throw it near your team. For those
that hate having bad A.I in a game should remember that this game
was made for online and the single game is just for practice so
you wouldn't get this problem.
==GAMEPLAY==
The single player as I said is here just for practice
as it really a online game but there is still some enjoyment to
be had, playing though many different levels like deserts, castles,
caves, woods and many more. As all the online levels are based
on the single player game, you will get to know them and find
some good strategy before heading online for the real action.
One of the great things that makes the
game fun is the multiply gun setup which contents over 30 cutting
edge weapons and a load of attachments which could lead to hundreds
of customizable setups. By taken any main gun you have two attachments
from scopes that includes 1time zooms like 4x or 12x, heat-vision
and multi scope. Depending on the gun and the first attachment
you can add another which could include grenade launchers, silencers,
hand grip, stands and others to increase aim. There a choose of
3 pistols and 1 add on from ether a laser sight or silencers and
another 2 chooses of weapons that includes normal grenades, high
explosives, flash, smoke, C4, mines and many more.
The online maps are very bigger which can
play 32 players, to make things easier when there are a small
amount of max people the level is made smaller so you will not
get boring running around a huge area.
The 7 Online modes are:
SUPPRESSION: This is a pure fire fight think team deathmatch,
where the winning team with most kills at the end of the game
or if the other side has loss all the members. (Depending if re-spawn
is on)
ESCORT: This mode is where the SEALs must
get the VIPs to a safe area and the terrorists must kill ether
all VIPs or SEALs.
EXTRACTION: Here the SEALs most go in and
rescue the hostages and the terrorists must stop them from doing
so.
BREACH: Here the SEALs must break into
enemy's area with C4 and plant a bomb at there base, were as terrorists
must defend and stop the SEALs to win.
DEMOLITON: Both sides must find the bomb
and blow up the enemies HQ.
CONVOY: The terrorists most load up their
contraband on a truck and drive it out, were as the SEALs must
destroy the two trucks or all terrorists.
CONTROL: Each team must plant beacons at
control points to will or kill the other side.
As you can see there are many modes to
play online and you should find some favorite ones and levels.
All modes can be set to re-spawn or not, this is where if you
die you can reappear. If it's off believe if or not is better
as you play more stealth and with more skill.
==REPLAY VALUE==
If you don't have your PS2 online there's not much point
in buying it, but if you are online then this game will last you
for a very long time. With at least over 500 players at any one
time player on many severs from all over Europe that can holed
256 players in each there will be lots of people to play against.
Online also lets you make clans, post messages on a forum, enter
surveys and many giving lots to do.
On the offline side of thinks there are
12 intense missions with 5 difficulty settings to play which once
completed unlocks extra characters/camouflage and also guns/attachments
which then can also be used online as well as offline.
==BUY OR NOT TO BUY==
If offline then no unless you really love war games and
can get it very cheap. For online play then buy straight away.
(If you can get the headset with it as this improves gameplay
by working as a team.) |