SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment America Developer: Zipper Interactive Media: UMD/1 Players: 1 - 16 (Online) Genre: Third Person Shooter/ Squad-Based/ Online
Graphics & Sound: Last year’s SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALS: Fireteam Bravo didn’t have quite the impact as the console version, though it did manage to deliver an experience that was true to the console one and even introduced features like voice chat and PSP to PS2 connectivity. The sequel follows in the steps of the first and refines the experience even more. Fireteam Bravo 2 is a visual improvement over last year’s game. Missions take place in a variety of locales, from small villages to mountainous terrain. Maps are big and blend well with each other. Character models look great, though there is a noticeable lack in variety. The trade-off for the great visuals is a drop in framerate if things ever become too hectic on the screen. Music is overblown and fits the game’s mood perfectly. There’s a surprisingly high amount of voice work to be found in the title and it seems like everyone you come across has something to say.
Gameplay: Fireteam Bravo 2 takes place in the fictional country of Adjikistan in a series of 14 missions that mirror missions found in SOCOM: Combined Assault. Playing as Sandman, you and an A.I. controlled partner travel the country completing missions, each with a set of primary goals including removing key targets, hostage extraction and collecting intelligence. Missions also include secondary and bonus missions. Completing these missions isn’t vital to the completion of missions, though it does earn you points which can be spent on items. The addition of points adds incentive to the game, especially some of the later purchasable rewards like supply drops and air strikes. You can also earn respect points from locals, which in turn rewards you with special weapons and information that can help to make the mission easier. Completing all of the objectives within a mission also influences your progress in SOCOM: Combined Assault, sometimes making missions easier in the PS2 game or unlocking other objectives. Sixteen-player multiplayer accompanies the single-player campaign. Both ad hoc and infrastructure modes are available with seven different match types. Traditional online matches are available, as are some new ones like a match where teams try to hold points for the longest amount of time or a capture the flag game where teams look for intelligence files. The multiplayer mode features a full compliment of additions like voice chat, clan support and leaderboards. The overall experience is smooth, though I did run into some patches of lag in a couple of matches.
Difficulty: A fair amount of flexibility is offered when it comes to actually completing objectives. One method of conducting business involves sneaking around and taking out enemies from a distance. However, you can easily run though the game commando-style and complete missions. The preferred method is to be as secret as possible, which will allow you to reach as many non-primary goals as possible. Even then, you will have to reveal yourself and engage enemies due to the nature of missions. As with other games in the series, its all about playing smart. One of the more annoying aspects is the lack of a checkpoint system. If you die, you have to start back from the beginning. I understand that this helps to up the realism, but for a handheld title, it doesn’t work quite as well and leads to some frustrating moments – especially when you consider how much there is to do in each map. There’s an attempt to balance this out by offering lots of medical kits, which helps, though they can’t help you in every situation.
Game Mechanics: As with any shooter on the PSP, controls are key. Controls are easy to use, functional, and are one of the better implementations found on the system. Movement is controlled with the analog nub. Once you encounter an enemy, you can lock on with a touch of the R button, at which point you can circle strafe the target as you jockey for a clear shot. The camera always stays locked behind your character, so there’s no fumbling around with awkward camera controls. Though the cooperative A.I. is usually able to take care of itself reasonably well, you can issue commands through the team command menu. Commands aren’t that complicated and very easy to issue. Again, your teammate does a good job of staying out of trouble, though you can’t let him run around unchecked, otherwise it is game over. SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALS: Fireteam Bravo 2 is a great follow-up to the original and one of the best shooters available on the system. The single-player mode is lengthy and offers plenty of replay value thanks to the points system. At the same time, the full compliment of multiplayer modes will easily keep you busy long after you’ve had your solo fun in Adjikistan.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
SOCOM: Combined Assault El Matador