Full Spectrum Warrior
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10
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The Best Real Time Strategy Game!
I'm usually a fan of third person action games like Splinter Cell and Metal gear solid, but Full Spectrum Warrior caught my eye a while back and I thought i'd try something new. I picked it up at my local gamestop and have to say that Full Spectrum Warrior is one of the best games I have ever played, at least when it comes to realism. Pandemic Studios worked hand in hand with the US Army to develop a simulation game that could be used for training light infantry soldiers; they did a great job. You start the game with a 1 hour tutorial, but is not mandatory, although it teaches you all that the game has to offer. You will notice right off the bat that you are not firing the guns in this game. You command two teams of 4 soldiers (sometimes more), Alpha and Bravo, sometimes you will have a charlie team designated. You play as kind of a "third party" and are not in control of just one soldier. You can switch between any soldier on any team. Each team has a Team Leader, Automatic Rifleman, Rifleman, and Support gunner. Both teams are balanced but must work together to achieve their objective. There are several fire modes to issue the teams. Point Fire means that your men will engage the enemy, but only if they can line up their shot and are not being fired at for a brief moment while Suppression Fire means that all men will engage a target with all the firepower they have, pinning down the enemy so the other team can move through the open without being fired at. This is just the beginning of all of the choices this game will offer you.This was game was an Xbox,PC exclusive but was made into this PS2 port. While it doesn't look as good as the original graphically speaking, the sounds are fantastic and the maps and missions are exactly the same as the first version. The frame rate will dip sometimes into the low 20's after some cutscenes, but does not hamper the gameplay at all nor does it slow during a heated battle. FSW is very realistic, things like, Never Leave a Man Behind are key factors through the missions. Casualties are not an option, and you will lose the mission if any are taken. This game is about making true leaders and not just some blood thirsty run and gun commando type game. Think first, act second is what you'll be telling yourself throughout the game although difficult to do at some points. Overall, if this game was a ps2 exclusive, it would not be too bad of a game, although not too good either. But because FSW is a port of a technically superior version, for it to hold up this good through the transition, it is almost unbelievable. For the price and playability, this is a game for anyone who can handle the realism*. *-the content descriptors don't do the game justice, this game is very gory with huge amounts of blood and carnage. Although no dismemberment, there are still many scenes that may not be suitable for young kids such as mass graves and RPG attacks that are almost too realistic, which is why I do not recommend buying this for a child under the age that the game is suited for. (M rated, 17 yrs.+)
7/21/08