8th January 2012 - Let’s stop calling in care packages, chopper gunners and attack dogs for a bit and let’s look into another great shooter heading to consoles in March 2012. Now some of you may feel a bit lost when you boot this baby up for the first time, it’s a TPS or “Third Person Shooter” so it won’t have the same feel as your Call of Duty or Battlefield. Don’t let that stop you but, once you adapt to the third person perspective it will feel natural and you’ll be diving from cover to cover with ease and popping those headshots like a pro.
Wait what’s that? Diving from cover to cover you say? That’s right; Ghost Recon has a very unique cover system that I personally think you should all take notice of. While the majority of the game is spent in the third person, aiming down your sights from cover will switch you to a first person view (No you still can’t call in the dogs, well not unless you’re playing on the same team as Snoop) as will aiming down the scope while standing and walking. But let’s not jump right into the gameplay aspects just yet and let’s actually bring up some back story here.
Ghost Recon Future Soldier is the 12th game (including handhelds, 9th without) in the Ghost Recon line of Tom Clancy games (well 13th if Ghost Recon online manages to come out before it, but that doesn’t look very likely). Developed by Ubisoft, the series has been known by long-time fans as a great tactical shooter, not a “Run and Gun” style game like another big hit we all play. And for the most part, it looks to keep that famous play style, however with more focus on Co-Op – it’s less about the commands to the AI now and more about communication with your mates over the mic.
Set in the year 2024, a time when the weapons and tech in development now, are out there and being used by the soldiers in everyday situations. You and your mates will be playing those soldiers and you are the future (I expect royalties for that Ubisoft, or at least a high5). From the online multiplayer to the 4player Co-op everything about this game is there for not just you to enjoy but for those you game with to enjoy with you.
The single player aspect of this game will see you – and if you’d like, your mates – head off on 14 different missions taking place in locations from Africa to the Arctic Circle and 6 other soon to be discovered places. Finish it alone with the computer AI or enlist up to 3 others and go it together, either way I expect a lot of friend request wanting my expert help as we all toy with over 50 guns and equipment like the optical camouflage, drones and augmented reality. Once we have finished the campaign we can head on over and play one of the 4 different multiplayer modes each using the 10 maps that will come on the disc.
Now being that this following feature is kind of an exclusive to the Xbox I didn’t want to focus too much on it. This won’t be why you buy the game but it’s a feature I look forward to seeing in action and trying out myself none the less. The Gunsmith, using Kinect enables you to customise your guns beyond anything ever seen in a video game. Don’t like the gas system? Swap it for one more fitting, or if you just want something made up quick simply tell the Xbox “Optimize for range” and the game will put together all the pieces to get you the optimal range from the gun. Once you are finished customizing your sexy new gun, why not head on out to the range and using a few simple hand motions, you can test out your new gun still using the Kinect. But don’t worry everyone, the Kinect won’t be taking over your game it’s just an extra feature worked into it, it’s not the core of the experience but rather an added bonus for those with a Kinect system.
So instead of sitting there reading this, head on over to your favourite retailer and pre order this beauty now. The future can’t save itself you know. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is developed and published by Ubisoft and set to be released in March 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Article Written By Will Muscat