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Developer: Pandemic Studios
Publisher: THQ
Genre: Shooter
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 21 Mar 05
User Rating
9.7 (15 votes)- Preview
- Review
- Media
- Guide
- Secret
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- Think of it as a shooter with brains. The PS2 version manages to retain all the essentials from the Xbox version, with a cheaper price tag.
Overview
For those of you who are wondering if you have seen this game on the market already, you have. It was released a while ago for the Xbox and the PC. Now THQ is taking this great strategy game and putting it on the PlayStation 2. Full Spectrum Warriors uses the same engine as the war simulations run by the US Army, which should produce some very realistic results. So does the PS2 version manage to compare to the other two versions released a little while ago? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
I am going to get something out in the open right away before I dive any further into this review. Full Spectrum Warrior is unlike almost any game ever created. Now if you're expecting a game that has you going all guns blazing taking down plenty of baddies, then you need to go find a different game, because this is a game all about strategy. You will have sequences in the game where you will be in firefights with the enemy, but you will not be getting the same sort of satisfaction that you would in a third person shooter. Instead the game gives you one similar to a real time strategy game.
The story behind Full Spectrum Warrior is very close to the situation the world is going through as we speak. The world has been under quite a bit of terrorist attacks with the leader being Mohammad Jabbour Al Afad. After reading about Mr. Afad you will find right away that he bears a strong resemblance to Osama Bin Laden. The world is quite alarmed by the recent terrorist attacks so they decide to send troops in there to rid the world of Afad.
Well before you can go out there and try to rid the world of terrorist threats, you must go through a very extensive training mission. Let me tell you this is the most complex, the longest tutorial mode I have experienced. This tutorial will take up to almost an hour. Now on the flip side of this, you will be well prepared to get into the game and take on all of the complex strategies that are involved in being successful in Full Spectrum Warrior.
In Full Spectrum Warrior you take control of two army fire teams, each consisting of four men. Each member of the team has specific roles, which include: Team Leader, Automatic Rifleman, Grenadier, and Rifleman. The two teams, Alpha and Bravo, both actually have real characters that all have their own background, which really makes you feel like you know all the men in your squads.
The biggest plus for Full Spectrum Warrior is the ease of the control. With such a complex title it's nice to have a straightforward approach to the controls that doesn't cause any unneeded frustration. By moving the cursor you can pinpoint exactly where on the screen you want to place your team. The green circle represents the team leader's position, which is very important. If you get the team leader in a vulnerable position he will no longer be able to use his GPS, which is an essential tool to succeed in Full Spectrum Warrior.
I must compliment Pandemic Studios for paying so much attention to detail with Full Spectrum Warrior. Wherever your team may be a little icon above their heads displays their current status. Whether they are safe from enemy fire or if you are vulnerable to attack. The game starts off with a lot of simple ideas but as you start playing through the game you will find how addictive it can be. You are genuinely playing a very complex game of chess that can really take up hours upon hours of your day. The deeper you get into the game the more and more you will find yourself wanting to play.
So does Full Spectrum Warrior make for as good of a game on the PS2 as the Xbox or PC? Well you can see that the gameplay took some hits on the transition to the PS2 but they really aren't all that influential. When I say this you can see that the controls and camera just aren't as polished as they were, but these problems don't really hurt the overall performance of the game. Overall Full Spectrum Warrior is a game that really takes you into a very solid war strategy game.
Graphics
The one thing you need to worry about when you port a game from the Xbox/PC to the PS2 is that you're probably going to be looking at a pretty different looking game between the two. So how did this PS2 turn out?
Well to be honest when you put this game up against the Xbox game you can definitely see that the game had to make some cuts from the other two versions to work on the PS2 and those cuts actually do make some significant changes to the game. In fact the overall quality of graphics in the game is just not all that great and the frame-rate holds to be a problem as well. These all are problems that the game does contain but it isn't all bad. The environments still do a great job of making you feel like you're in the Middle East and the game as a whole does have some good qualities.
Overall the game is although not as great looking as on the PC or Xbox it still does look like a pretty good game. It may not be the best looking game on the PS2 but it still is a decent one.
Fun Factor
Full Spectrum Warrior is one of those games that can be quite frustrating at times but also very rewarding. The more time and effort you place onto the game the more you will find how much fun the game can be. As you get to the later levels of the game the strategy becomes even more complex and the game starts going at its full potential. I think if you enjoy real time strategy games you are probably bound to have a blast with Full Spectrum Warrior.
Overall
The PS2 version may not be as polished as the Xbox or PC version, but it manages to retain the essence of the game, which is the perfect blend of great action and strategy. And one of the finer points to the game is that it runs for a good old $20 price tag, something I doubt anyone will complain about. With all that being said if you have been waiting for this game for the PS2 or enjoy war strategy games, Full Spectrum Warrior will be a good choice for you.
- Gameplay
9.0 - Graphics
7.0 - Fun Factor
8.0 - Overall
8.0
