Easily one of the best Xbox 360 games released thus far (and most popular) is the tactical shooting game Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (GRAW). Ubisoft basically defined what a tactical shooting game was in the next generation as well as making one of the most fun online games available on the Xbox 360. So it came as no surprise when the developers announced that a follow up sequel would be coming to Microsoft’s beloved white console. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (GRAW2) was released exclusively to the Xbox 360 this past week and sported some great initial sales numbers. The shooter will be released on the PC and Playstation 3 later this year but it is nice to have a few months of exclusivity, something that is becoming more and more rare these days in the gaming industry. Initially GRAW2 may seem to some gamers as more of an add-on than a full-fledged sequel and while in some respects this is true, the game still has everything one could want from a sixty-dollar purchase, and more.
From the second you boot up GRAW2 you will feel right at home if you have played the first in the series before. Controls are basic enough: the analog stick moves your soldier, one button switches weapons / rate of fire, another fires, one tosses grenades, pushing in the analog stick gives you the ability to crouch or lay down, the d-pad controls your squad, and the newest addition is the button that allows you to cover using a flat surface. Taking its cues from Gears of War the game gives you the ability to use a more “stop and pop” style gameplay than the classic first-person shooter “run and gun” style gameplay. Although this is a feature new to the Ghost Recon series I personally found myself not using it as much as I initially thought I would. I’m sure the developers meant for gamers to take more time and strategy in their attacks by using the cover feature but to me there is just something more fun about running, diving, and blowing enemies heads off.
As far as storyline in Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 goes Ubisoft did a great job in telling a completely new story, but also making it continue from the original GRAW. Basically you are the same soldier you were in the first game and the events of GRAW2 take place literally within a day of what happened when (and if) you completed the first shooter. As Captain Scott Mitchell you will shoot your way through northern Mexico and the United State of America via Texas. Most of the environments are outdoor, dusty, bleak looking towns with a few large size cities thrown into the mix. It would have been nice to have a little more variety in terms of the settings; for example a couple of sky scraper or modern day cities would have been nice but I guess that’s what Rainbow Six: Vegas is for. The developers took the word “Advanced” from the title and transferred it into your weapon selection. Everything from shotguns to heat-seeking missile launchers to explosive C4 are available, which makes even the most boring of levels seem next-generation. Another new addition to GRAW2 is the use of a small vehicle that transfers weapons for you. Taking advantage of the updated cross-com 2.0 system Capt. Scott Mitchell can use the UAV (small scouting helicopter), the MULE (small weapon transfer vehicle), choppers, and your friendly infantry units to help you eliminate enemies, scout out pathways, or restock your weapons.
What makes the GRAW series different from the Rainbow Six series is the emphasis on team management; using your squad to flank enemy soldiers is key to a successful victory on the battlefield. Not only can you control your squad but also by pressing and holding the RB button you can now see the world completely through your teammates eyes. This also works when flying the UAV or controlling a Blackhawk chopper. There are a few different difficulty levels and even for the most veteran of GRAW players the hardest mode is much harder than I expected. If I could choose one aspect of GRAW2 that is “most improved” over GRAW1 it would hands-down the artificial intelligence of enemy soldiers. In the first game of the series you could literally walk up to an enemy and knock him on the back of the head; this time around the soldiers think much more like real people and can actually become quite challenging when you are outnumbered. Being a sequel the campaign mode of GRAW2 can be beaten in around 15 hours; then it is time to go online and show off your shooting skills. The multiplayer mode of GRAW1 was what kept the disc in my machine for well over a year and GRAW2 does not disappoint; it actually improves on this mode.
