Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2

 

 

 

 

Well again, GRAW2 puts you right back in the steel-toed combat boots of US Army Captain Scott Mitchell of the 5th Special Forces Group (the Ghosts) for another grueling battle south of the border in Mexico. While you needn't have played the first game to enjoy the second, it certainly helps to understand the overarching plot. A Mexican civil war has erupted between mutinous army units. For various reasons, the elected-civilian government and the US have been drawn into the conflict. In the new game, the fighting threatens to spill over onto US soil along with the threat of nuclear weapons, which gives your superiors even more reasons to scream at you over the radio to defeat the rebels.

 

If that's funny looking, the Tom Clancy-style story presents its own style of "funny." Gamers take control of Captain Scott Mitchell, the lead ghost captain who saved the US from the Mexican rebel threat in GRAW as he returns to the US. It's 2014, less than one year after last year's episode and the rising conflict between Mexican loyalists and insurgent rebel forces has thrown Mexico into full-scale civil war where much bigger issues, such as nuclear bombs, are worrying the military brass. The Ghosts are called upon to face an imminent threat to the United States as a new war erupts along the border towns of Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas.
 

The good news there is that GRAW2 offers a huge amount of multiplayer goodness, even more than the original. Considering that GRAW remains one of the most popular Xbox 360 games on Xbox Live, this says a lot. There's something in the multiplayer suite for everyone, from a six-mission cooperative campaign that takes place in Panama to an incredibly open-ended competitive suite.

 

Score:

 

• Presentation: Good training sessions, easy to use menus, and the first-person perspectives for ghosts and the cross-com rule. Score: 9
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• Graphics: The smart seamlessness and continuity still exist, but the game doesn't blow one away quite as much as last year. Still, excellent, excellent explosions, lighting, and particle effects Score: 9
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• Sound: Fantastic character and weapon sounds, lots of chatter, and an overall excellent production. Score: 9
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• Gameplay: Many subtle things, like more vehicle support and better views, have added subtle layers to what is essentially GRAW 1 gameplay. Good but not quite knockout stuff. Score: 9
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• Lasting Appeal: The addition of clan support is great news and so is the improved spawn system. Added MP maps and more co-op missions (Xbox Live, System Link or offline) truly roxors our boxors. Score: 10