-
Developer: Runecraft
Publisher: Take2 Interactive
Genre: FPS
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 13 May 08
User Rating
6.7 (3 votes) -
Overview
As a solider in the U.S Special Operations Ranger Corps, you are sent out on various missions targeting Russian terrorists units. You control two rangers simultaneously with the ability to dish out limited commands such as "follow me," and "fire 'em up" to your operative buddy. Think of this multi-character setup as something like Rainbow Six. Strategy, explosives, guns, and an entire team of specially trained rangers are at your disposal to save the United States from the threats of said terrorists. Offering a large variety of weapons and a few versions of essentially the same landscapes (from desert terrain and open forested areas to snow covered hillsides and flat land areas) the only desperately needed thing missing from the game would be an army issued toilet to flush this thing down.
Spec Ops: Stealth Patrol is a third-person action shooter trying so hard to be an underdog in a world of overpriced video games that often times just don't deliver. With a $10 (US) price tag, the general consensus of video gamers is, "how can I go wrong?" (And with little debate on my part. I thought the same thing). Well, if you so much as reach for the game with a mindset to just check out the screenshots on the back, you have already gone more wrong than me in an English class.
Gameplay
When a game is so blatantly titled, Stealth Patrol, one would consider it a given that some element of stealth would weave its way into the gameplay.
Nope. Sure, one could try and use evasive maneuvers and the slow-and-easy approach if they so deemed it necessary to enhance there experience with the game, but truthfully, such tactics are an impossibility given the control and timed mission factor.
First, the controls are not only terribly confusing, but are completely non-responsive. Trying to get your 'buddy' to do as you instruct is aggravating beyond explanation. If you are, however, expert enough to get the control scheme down and play around the horrible button reaction, the teammate A.I comes right up to punch you close-fisted in the throat. When the God of artificial intelligence was distributing brains he must have had a pact with the terrorists:
"Okay Russian friends, how about I make the American's teammate unload entire magazine rounds into walls and hillsides…"
"Yes, Yes. Good."
"…oh, and I can make him run into trees and have no way of getting around them…"
"Again, it is great, yes."
"…wait, I can also make your aiming abilities impossible to out maneuver."
"Once again, God of A.I sir, you given me reason to cheer…Aye!"
(And...scene)
Of course the controls are somewhat customizable, but offer nothing in the direction of being able to make up for the horrible responsiveness.
Let's not forget the ridiculous inclusion of each missions being timed. I understand that in real life, a military mission involving…whatever is involved in this game, would require a time limit, but let's also not forget that real life doesn't suck. It seems to me that putting a time limit on this particular game is sort of counter productive. Stealth would involve the careful planning and maneuvering of your troops to meet a goal in which for the best possible results to be the outcome, would require a bit of time. I understand that Runecraft was most likely trying to up the ante and combine action with stealth, but perhaps first they should have fired the monkeys and hired real people, with degrees and everything, before moving on to specifics.
This is the type of game that redeeming qualities are hard searched things such as, 'the cover art was cool', or 'the instruction manual fit so well in the jewel case.' But even here, careful digging can reap rewards.
Surprisingly, a few innovations do make there way to the PlayStation, via Stealth Patrol. At the start of each mission, your selection of rangers each displays a fatigue meter. As you progress throughout the game, the meter gets lower. Also, each ranger specializes in certain areas (i.e. close quarter, grenadier, machine gunner, recon/sniper, and rifleman), which makes the selection of your team a conscious doing as opposed to a flip of a coin. A weight limit that determines exactly how much equipment, and what type, your rangers can carry is also incorporated allowing for a maximum freedom when specializing your solider for battle, and believe me, each of these elements are vitally important if you plan on completing any of the missions. This game is hard.
The most amount of joy can be found by way of the two player cooperative mode. This mode mimics the single player game in every respect except that a human player controls each of the two rangers, and the view is a split-screen interface. Probably the greatest thing about the two-player mode is that with a friend by your side, you aren't suffering solely the crap fest that is Stealth Patrol. And, hey, it is supposed to be kind of a military themed game, right, so perhaps Runecraft was purposely trying to evoke that 'please shoot me now,' and 'must you force me to keep going' feeling a prisoner of war might feel.
Graphics
This game made me want to cry. Seriously, I played with tissues next to me. Due mostly to the graphical interface, I was truly hard pressed to find a reason to continue playing after the first few attempts. The blocky character models would make Legos swell with pride. Everything seems first generation (if that), and makes a mockery to the impressive power of the PlayStation.
The pop-up rate is worse than a 13-year old me at a peep show, and is by far one of the most distracting characteristics of Stealth Patrol. It honestly made it hard to focus on trying to play the game. To get a first-hand experience at what it is like to have background (and quite a few foreground) images suddenly appear out of nowhere, just run full speed at a wall with your eyes closed, then open them up at one second to impact. Both are going to screw up whatever game you are playing, and honestly in given the choice between colliding with a wall and playing Stealth Patrol, I'd have to think about it.
Fun Factor
Yeah, we can all see where this one's going.
I would have to say the most fun had with Stealth Patrol was by way of the start button. When pressed next to the highlighted, 'Quit Game' option on the pause screen menu it did wondrous things. Seriously, though, the two-player mode offers the only real venue for fun. With that said, if you own this game after reading this review, you probably won't have many friends to play with.
Overall
Factoring in a storyline so weak it gives you no reason to keep playing after the first couple missions, that disgusting feeling I still have in my stomach, and everything I mentioned above, I feel it would be safe to say that on a scale of 1-10, Stealth Patrol asks, "Uh, what's a scale?" I would recommend Spec Ops: Stealth Patrol only to those obsessed with war games of any demeaning caliber, or to those who don't believe me when I say an alleyway vasectomy would be more worth your $10 (US).
- Gameplay
2.0 - Graphics
3.0 - Fun Factor
2.0 - Overall
3.0
