Games review: Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Tom Clancy games have changed somewhat over the years.
I've been a fan of the Clancy games for many years now. Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon are the backbone of the Clancy name, and while Rainbow Six moved to a more multiplayer-focused experience with Sieged, Ghost Recon takes on the free-roaming world.
It's a bold step, one that Metal Gear Solid seemed to handle with ease. I was somewhat apprehensive about how well Ghost Recon would make the switch without everything starting to feel too similar to Just Cause or Mercenaries. Initially from the beta I got a giant whiff of Mercenaries, but my views changed quickly once I got my hands on the full game.
I've never been to Bolivia, but on my first visit courtesy of Ghost Recon, I was tasked with rescuing some guy from captivity. Carefully, I approached the area in a car, before pulling over and taking to the bushes to sneak up closer. Hidden from sight I released a drone to survey the area and spotted about half-a-dozen enemies. It all seemed pretty straightforward and we proceeded to take them down with deadly accuracy until one walked around the corner at the wrong time. It would have been easier to panic, but my well-trained unit of AI team-mates had me covered and the stray soldier was taken down in an instant.
Soon enough, we had freed our target and bundled them into a nearby car, just as enemies were alerted to our presence. A quick journey later, I noticed a helicopter nearby and we quickly changed vehicle before making the short trip to the extraction point.
It was at this point when I realised how well Ghost Recon has made the transition from scripted A to B ventures to voyaging across the open world, handling dynamically changing situations well.
Once you get a little further into the game, you'll soon realise the scope of things to come. Like the best open world titles, Wildlands is absolutely packed with things to do and collect. Missions alone will take most people 20-30 hours, and that's if you don't spend half the time retracing your steps to find collectibles or introduce your friends to the inside of a helicopter.
Ghost Recon continues the tradition of allowing, and in this case promoting, co-operative play. Gaming online with friends always has the tendency of turning a helicopter ride into a test to see who's unlocked the parachute, or seeing how much noise you can make before you're all pushing up daisies. However, there's more than enough opportunity to take things seriously and handle missions with more cunning than the SAS.
Purists will find an arsenal of weapons, attachments, unlocks and abilities, which can greatly change the game. Work towards a stronger resistance to bullet damage and dealing more death, or go for better planning by enhancing the range and battery of the recon drone.
There's no end to the options available but unfortunately it's not all perfect. I found the helicopters great fun but notoriously difficult to control. There's an uneasy repetition to many missions making it feel like you're running to a location to free, find or open far too often, followed by a standard snipe from distance the next. When you can immerse yourself, especially with a group of friends, it's nearly perfect, but when you play alone things can start to feel a little tiresome. Sadly the open world aspect does take away the pre-defined set-pieces and blockbuster moments that would otherwise perfectly suit the genre.
Another negative is the camera control as it sometimes feels a little odd with the switch from third person to first person. This was easily rectified in the options which neatly allow you to maintain a third-person view for firefights. Likewise with sniping. There's also an uneasy delay in camera swing when you've adjusted the view with the right analogue stick, meaning quick vehicle getaways are usually after the initial crash because you couldn't see the van, rock, or house right in front of you.
It's safe to say Ghost Recon Wildlands is absolutely gorgeous, visually. Time and time again I was impressed by the view, the surrounding environment and the atmosphere of the rigid, hostile and dangerous stretches of Bolivia.
Audio is another area that's good - almost annoyingly so. There's plenty of surrounding noise and it's mostly incredibly atmospheric with banter between your fellow comrades, chit-chat of the enemies and the whisper of the wind as you sneak through the overgrowth. Sadly, though, there are far too many radios in Bolivia and I can't say I'm a fan of Bolivian music.
In Multiplayer, there are plenty of options to party up with your friends. In starting/continuing a game you'll pass the lobby screen which allows you to jump into a game solo, join public matchmaking or set your squad privacy to either friends or invite only.
It makes things very simple, and I love that you can make a start on recon while you're waiting for your squad to get online, and they can jump into your game without distraction, ready for the assault. There's also a very smart friends list which shows your friends as well as recommendations for players with a similar style, and even those who play at a similar time of day to you. It's a well thought-out and implemented system, but many will miss adversarial options from previous titles.
Bottom Line
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is a game of epic proportions. It's big, it's packed with things to do and it offers a fun yet challenging co-operative experience.
Playing with friends who are singing from the same song-sheet will produce effortless experiences that you'll keep coming back for.
Single player highlights the few negatives such as camera control and some repetition but every small hole is easily filled by the masses of options open to you.
If you're a fan of Ghost Recon, open world shooters or co-operative gaming then Wildlands is certain to please.
