16.10.2009

I recently bought a copy of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (GRAW2 for short). I really enjoyed playing the prequel, and when I heard good reviews about the second I was keen to pick it up. But I never got around to it and there were other notable first and third person shooters competing for my time; Gears of War 2, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and more recently Battlefield 1943 (amongst others). It would seem I was destined not to play GRAW2 until I stumbled across it whilst browsing.Nostalgia can be a wonderful thing. For example, I have forgotten a lot of the reasons I dumped my ex girlfriends. I have forgotten the arguments. Instead I can fondly remember that first date,that first kiss and the first time we... nevermind. My point is that my memories of playing GRAW are also through rose-tinted glasses; happy gaming days where the graphics and game-play were excellent. And even though I have not really thought about it for a while, there has always been a part of me that wanted to pick up and play GRAW2.Retrospective gaming is not that easy, as I have found out. Furthermore retrospective review writing is even less fun.The story GRAW2 takes place immediately after the events of GRAW. In fact nearly everything about this game is exactly the same as the first. This has its merits in many ways; if you liked the first game (as many did) you will probably like the second (as many did). Personally, though, I do slightly begrudge paying top dollar for a game that has done little or nothing to improve the gaming experience of its predecessor. Agreed, in this case I didn't. But I would have been peeved if I had forked out for this on the day of release only to find that it's all, pretty much, the same.As I hadn't played it for a while I figured I would familiarise myself with the controls and feel of the game. The `training' mission is quite short and sweet, and covers the basics of what you need to know. I also enjoyed this little walk down memory lane; the red diamonds that appear as you spot an enemy; the holding down of left trigger to steady your sight for the headshot; the cover system (which only 2 years on now feels antique). It did what was required, and that was to get me back into GRAW. And a bonus here (although I still don't know why Ubisoft do this in a lot of their games) is that I picked up 25 very easy gamer points for doing next to nothing.There is then a `cut scene' in which you are driven to the start of the campaign mode. And it is here that I found my first real disappointment. The graphics in this were quite awful. The details, particularly in objects that were close, were not the polished article I remember from way back when. Perhaps this was because it wasn't a true cut scene, but one in which you can swivel your head to have a look around. For whatever reason, I remember feeling quite unimpressed.However, cut scenes do not form a part of the core gaming experience, so perhaps it was a little picky of me to mention it. The game starts off as you would expect: quite slow, with only a few enemies to kill between you and the three other member of your squad. As you progress the enemies become more numerous and harder to kill (as in vehicles). It's all pretty standard FPS stuff. But what GRAW2 does well is the following...The graphics during game-play are actually quite stunning. It does lack a bit of detail in places, like when you get up close to something, but I must say for the most part they are very good. The lighting as dusk approaches can still be used as a lesson to many developers, as the sun blinds you when it shines into your eyes and you cannot see what is lurking in the shadows. The atmosphere is pretty spot on, and as you will spend most of your time shooting or being shot at then you will find that the small details are a nice to have rather than a necessity.The pace of the game is also good, with a mixture of stealth and all out gunfire. Headshots play their part as a quick and sometimes easy way of taking down an enemy rather then being drawn into a gun fight. They can also be satisfying if done over distance. You get explosives to play with, sniper rifles, grenades and machine guns. Picking the right weaponry will help you complete a level quicker, but it is not imperative. One thing that is lacking here, I felt, was the melee attack. There are games that do it ok (Halo 3) and games that do it very well (Gears of War), and then there are games that do not even try. This, sadly, is the latter.The controls are quite easy to pick up, which is useful when you have a few new gadgets to control. Things are pretty much as they were before; you can control your squad's movements and rules of engagement (i.e. hold or fire); you control the hovering camera that will allow you to spot enemies from afar, until the notice it and shoot it out of the sky. What you also get this time is the ability to view through a squad member's helmet mounted camera. This can be useful when planning an attack on an enemy. But all in all things are the same as before.And I think this is part of the problem with this game. There is nothing that remarkable about it when compared to GRAW. It feels like Ubisoft have simply completed the game they never quite got around to doing with the first. The campaign mode is short (about 6 hours according to some, although it took me and my cautious nature a bit longer). I am lead to believe that the online offering is (or was) fairly good, however I cannot bring myself to try it as there are other games out there offering an awesome online experience. Halo 3 has a plethora of maps and modes to choose from, and Gears 2 has Horde of course.I'm sure this game was great in its day, and to be frank for what you can pick it up for these days I would say it is worth buying if you have £15 lying around somewhere. Just don't expect too much from this game. The graphics are great in places, and the gaming is solid and fun, however it is short and there is probably more fun to be had playing other games online.So how do I score this game? Comparing it to other games to day I would give it a score of 80%. This might seem unfair, but this is the problem of doing something in retrospect. I cannot ignore the impact that other FPSs have had on the genre since then, and it is my opinion that you will get a lot more from a game like Gears 2 than GRAW2.

22.4.2007

In GHOST RECON ADVANCED WARFIGHTER 2 you have 72 hours to prevent a nuclear bomb from detonating. You control Scott Mitchell and his Ghost Squad, as you did in the first game, only this time you are on US soil and also sometimes get the help of other units besides your squad and the UAV Cypher (a drone that hovers in the air, and you can send it somewhere to get an idea of what's there and what foes you will have to deal with in that area); GRAW2 sometimes gives you access to a six-wheeled armoured vehicle called The Mule, and you can change your weapons whenever you open the back door of it. Also, some missions allow you to command some other local units such as helicopters, tanks and other foot soldiers.One useful addition is that you can actually hold down the Right Bumper to view the action from the perspective of the other units, directly giving orders through that view (which is handy if they're nowhere near you and/or can see something that's out of Mitchell's sight).The majority of the action is viewed from over the shoulder, as in the first game, but occasionally you might have to use the gun from the Ghost helicopter to take out some foes; these bits are pretty cool.Like other games of this kind, cover is essential, and this is quite easy; you automatically take cover by walking into an obstacle that you can hide behind, and a press of a button takes you out of cover. You can fire from cover, and holding your breath allows for a steadier shot. Personally I always thought that the breath-holding thing was an unnecessary gimmick; RAINBOW SIX VEGAS (also by Ubisoft) didn't do this and its addition here just adds a slight annoyance that does not really enhance the game.You have three modes while on foot; you can be standing, crouching or prone; the latter two make you a smaller target for the enemy while at the same time making your shooting more accurate than when standing (but you can't move as quickly, although you can roll while prone).Between each mission you get an idea of what weapons you should take and which people to take with you as you get a rundown of what kind of enemy to expect (e.g. if there are heavily-armoured vehicles then you or one of your accompanying Ghost troops should carry explosive artillery). Once you've selected your team (assuming it's not a solo mission where Mitchell must do something alone) you then select your weaponry, which consists of a primary weapon, a secondary one and a selection of frag, smoke or satchel grenades. One thing that I thought was odd was that the weapon selection screen considers, for instance, a P90 gun with a silencer (a.k.a. suppressor) as a separate gun to a P90 without one; why couldn't the game have taken the RAINBOW SIX VEGAS approach and allowed you to put on and remove suppressors without being stuck with one or the other?Graphics and gameplay-wise GRAW2 is a winner, and if you liked the first game then you should have no problems with this. However, while the solo campaign is pretty cool, the multiplayer seems like it's been rushed. You can't press against cover like you can in the solo campaign, which somehow takes out some of the excitement; again, RSV allowed this, so why not GRAW2? You also get some noticeable jerkiness in multiplayer split-screen when things get a bit hectic, which is a real disappointment. Also, the UAV drone can only be directed to where your player's line of sight is, whereas in the solo campaign you can send it wherever you like. Why? It makes no sense as to why the UAV is less useful in the multiplayer mode.While we're on about the multiplayer, why is it that GRAW2 doesn't allow multiplayer in the main campaign, like RSV does? The multiplayer campaigns present in GRAW2 really aren't particularly outstanding despite what magazine reviews might have you believe, and you can't seem to respawn if you die even if you're sure you've set it to do so. In all fairness, I think the original multiplayer bits in the first GRAW were handled better than here.So, the solo campaign is fine; it's only really the multiplayer and some other annoying bits that let it down. That, coupled with the fact that the game simply hasn't been as well thought-out as RSV.

28.8.2007

'Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2' on the PSP is a conversion of the highly successful "squad shooter" game of the same name that is already available on the Xbox 360. This handheld version has a couple of differences though.First of all the squad elements of the game have been removed, so unless you are playing this on co-op campaign or your mission is to escort someone, your soldier is in the action on his own. In my opinion this is can be better as sometimes on the 360 version having to command your squad as well as face the enemy yourself can get a little fiddly and although sometimes it can mean that they free up an area ahead from enemies by your command,

7.4.2007

I bought my Xbox 360 for the game everyone is talking about, Gears of War. Having said that as soon I purchased Ghost Reacon 2 and I played it to the end and never picked up Gears of War until I completed it as I prefer Ghost Reacon II and find it much more enjoyable and varied.I played the first Ghost Reacon on the PC and really enjoyed it but the sequel is superb and very enjoyable. I love the attention to detail where you can shoot things and blow them up. It is just so much fun. Shoot a car tyre and it explodes and the car sinks, shoot the bonnet and the car explodes with everyone next to it. I also LOVE the team management and how you can take control of your team mates and tell them what to do like where to go,

30.3.2007

This is a very good game. Short, and not very challenging on the middle difficulty setting, but still very enjoyable. Graphically I think it's the best thing on the 360, including Gears of War. There are sections, particularly during the daytime levels, where the graphics look almost photo-realistic. There's some good level design too. I liked sweeping the built up areas, taking cover and sending the squad ahead, taking out the hostiles and then moving on. Of course, this is nothing new but its all done really well.The game isn't without its faults though. Its 12 months since I played Ghost Recon 1, but after playing on Ghost Recon 2 I was amazed at how similar the games are.

17.4.2007

This isn't so much a sequel as a remake. Not in terms of level content/story, but it's all based on the same engine, with very much the same objectives, only this time done a lot better. Sort of like Evil Dead into Evil Dead 2.The game picks up just hours after Graw, but Scott Mitchell has managed to transform entirely into Jack Bauer with even less personality. The loose story of this game revolves around some faceless non-descript group of rebels doing something with missiles or whatever. This is mostly irrelevant, as IT IS ALL DROWNED OUT BY SHOUTING.Which is sort of a good thing. The slow pace of Graw is abandoned for a game that reaches its highlight for me when Scott is blown up and has

15.6.2010

I've just finished playing through GRAW2 for a 2nd time now and I've really enjoyed it, much more than I was expecting to. I don't have xbox live gold at the moment so this is a comment on the single player campaign only. Being new to tactical shooters, I found the game eases you in pretty well and slowly ramps up the difficulty but it never gets overly hard, even on the hardest setting. That's not to say it doesn't have its intense moments. There are a few moments where things heat up and they really add to the excitement. I found it thrilling at times and the cover mechanic works really well and has to be utilised in order to survive. Most missions are do-able if approached in the right manner and if you use your support effectively.

24.9.2009

It has been a while since I last played GRAW. This sequel is much the same but so much better.Based in Mexico, you play Captain Mitchell on the hunt for two nukes. Bad news for the Mexican rebels. You command a three man squad and also have, at times, a tank, chopper and a spotting drone. The game is played in the third perspective but you can jump in to first person view which is useful for the support vehicles.The graphics are outstanding and the cityscape adds to the atmoshere. The sound effects are also excellent and the music will haunt you. The controls are fiddly but you will get used to them. They do show their limitations when in a firefight when things get cumbersome,

1.3.2007

Having been a long-time fan of not only the ghost recon serires but all tom clancy games i have been waiting in anticipation for Graw 2. After playing both SP and MP demos on the XBLMP i was blown away not only in graphical detail but actual gameplay.The game begins after the events of Graw 1 and see the Ghosts journey back to mexico as mexican rebels begin to rally on the border this is a first for the series as it it sees you fighting on american soil i am not going to give too much away but lets just say the developers have put some suprises in.On the technical side the game looks brilliant in both SP and MP,

12.12.2007

Good game (in the words of Bruce Forsyth), which delivers all the fun you'll be expecting if you enjoyed previous and current Ubisoft productions.But other reviewers are quite right in that you will polish if off (on the hardest setting) in just a few hours. This is because GRAW2 is both short and, with all the weapons at your disposal of a futuristic US military, pretty easy.It is also disappointing that the game is linear and doesn't give you the opportunity to take a particularly different route through levels, or try different ways to tackle the enemy.But you will have lots of fun on this, and it is, on balance, well worth the investment.Just one word of warning through: GRAW2 crashed my previously healthy xbox360,

29.3.2007

To be honest i got my x box at christmas for my lad who is 10. I thought i'd get some games for it myself due to the various first person shooters they had as a line up. Loved gears of war and was in need of another game to get me going. Was very disapointed with lost planet that was kinda dubbed as the next big title after 'gears'.I am not disapointed with ghost recon 2 at all. Excellent graphics. Kinda takes a little time to get used to the controls as there is loads you can do. To be honest as well the massiv array of equipment you can employ in the game makes it that bit easier but it is fun.Some great parts in the game.....i enjoyed the grave yard bit especially....just simpy the way it

12.7.2007

This is the best game I own on the Xbox 360. What can I say? Graphics are outstanding, actual gameplay is amazing. The amount of control over your teams, vehicles, etc. is super. The level of detail that this game goes into is great, the vibrations are even included in FMV sequences, the sound is super and the game is suprisingly intense. Normally with these games, I'm quite calm and just go around shooting people without any care. But this game makes the whole concept feel more life-like with an unexpected element of suprise keeping you on your toes.This is a definate must have, the multiplayer modes are great, and sub modes within these are great; you can even create your own custom modes!I can't stress enough how much you need this game.

16.4.2007

If you liked the 1st GRAW you will love this one. Single player is somewhat easy but that also means quick achievement points. On the topic of points it is possible to get the full 1000 points in the game without being some sort of godly graw player. Multiplayer is great as always and is probally the best thing about the game, it has many game modes and a great selection of weapons.Graphics are great and the sound is great also, with a great music score like the original. If you played the 1st graw, and even if you have not i'd recommend getting the great game. The only downside to the online play is the connection can get a bit sucky depending on who your playing with.

6.4.2007

Graw2 is a fantastic game! I only played it as my brother lent me his copy and i must say 'WOW'! Great graphics and even better gameplay! I am not on-line so i will just comment on the single player campaign mode.Graw 2 is a military 3rd person shooter in which you are a captain and must foil a nuke attempt on US soil. The levels are very highly detailed and each is different. The weapons are superb and commanding your troops is simple and quite effective. You can just shoot everyone yourself! but having that backup does add to the experience.The sound is just unbelievable and you have to play the game in surround to experience it!

1.12.2012

I can't understand all the negative reviews for this game. It is difficult and at times a little buggy but even now, with all the modern first person shooters as competition, it's way better than the rest. I was surprised at how abruptly it ended but the game play was great. You can't be Rambo with this game, that's for sure. There's a lot of thinking goes into taking out an enemy soldier although sometimes the only thing to do is run like hell and snipe from a safer position and hope they can't see you. Sometimes your team mates are a bit lame but on the whole they do alright. It's not perfect but I wanted more when it finished. They say the next in the series is pretty bad but considering the bad reviews this one got I'm inclined not to believe it.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail