Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Preview September 4,2005 -

As any Ghost Recon aficionado would know, Ubisoft’s long running line of squad-based offerings call upon your tactical nous if you wish to survive. Ghost Recon 3, alternately named Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, will appear on a variety of consoles including the PC, but it will also act as one of the early offerings for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

From the gameplay footage currently available, Ghost Recon 3 looks an utterly compelling and jaw-dropping tactical action game that can be played from both a third-person and first-person viewpoint. As ever, there is a war raging, yet it is the future now and Ghost Recon 3 plays host to a new breed of super-soldier, the Ghosts.

The Ghosts are called into Mexico City to do battle with an enemy that far outnumbers them. However, with the advanced tactical weaponry at hand, these mercenaries are able to hold their own, and the game promises up to twelve single player missions that will last the player twenty odd hours. There should be no shortage of adrenaline-surged shootouts.

The previous Ghost Recon games have always prided themselves on being realistic and it seems that this sequel will be no different. Obviously since it is now the future, Ghost Recon 3 will not be completely akin to today’s warfare. However, there will be similarities and Ubisoft is attempting to create an accurate representation of war in the future. Eek.

The team has spent countless hours with the US army honing their brand of super-soldiers to perfection, so that the equipment they use is both authentic and exciting. These gun-wielding mercenaries are all equipped with high-tech gadgetry that contain names so long acronyms are a must. Ubisoft has actually gone to great lengths to tout the equipment the Ghosts will use and it is obvious they take this all very seriously indeed. For instance, the soldiers will be outfitted in Artisent Ballistic Assault Helmets, which can withstand various bullets and fragmentation types. There will be Laser Target Designators, High Definition Digital Cameras – we have no idea why these will be necessary, and assume it is there for the authenticity of it all – Under Armor Heatgear to keep a soldier feeling cool at all times, a Cross-Com Monocle and much, much more.

The Cross-Com is a device actually used by pilots and surgeons, but on a lesser scale. It is also not as refined as is in the game, as Ubisoft proudly announce. The Cross-Com will allow players to see what his teams are seeing in real time. The device also highlights enemy targets that the unmanned air support drones have spotted and gives tactical map information of the surrounding area in question – this is all according to Ubisoft, of course.

There’s also the Integrated Warfighter system that gives you situational awareness of all that’s happening from near, mid and far range. Your character will have Intel reports and will be continuously in the know, as well as being able to call in air strikes and other militarized attacks. Apparently this will appear on the player’s HUD and should be laid out in an easy-to-navigate way. According to Ubisoft, “It should in no way impede the player’s view of the battlefield�.

This is all well and good but we’re concerned right now that these – albeit – real-life, high-tech gadgets will go way over most players’ heads. Certainly, being able to see what else is going on in another part of the battlefield will add to the immersion factor, but it might serve to confuse and keep gamers from concentrating on what is going on at their end. Of course, the action looks exciting and kinetic and the ability to switch viewpoints is a neat addition, and we’ll have to hope that the game’s finer subtleties will be implemented in such a way that they can be ignored at the player’s wish.

As for the multiplayer wing, Ubisoft are keeping their lips tightly shut, but we do know that it’ll make use of the gadgetry Ubisoft has been developing for the singe player game, and that it will feature modes of play that long-standing Clancy fans will know and love. Needless to say, Ghost Recon 3 looks a deep, absorbing tactical action game that will feature on the Xbox 360, PC, PS2 and Xbox this November.

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