Pluses
- Excellent interface
- Varied arsenal
- The AI
- Good replay value
- Multiplayer game modes
Minuses
- The pathfinding has a few glitches
- A little demanding on system requirements
SWAT 4
| Posted by Bossman on 12-Jul-2005 07:30 |
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Although I can’t say I am particularly attracted to realistic tactical first person shooter games, like the acclaimed Rainbow Six, I did enjoy playing SWAT 3: Close Quarter Battlers when it came out in 1998. It was the first SWAT title to make the transition to the first person shooter genre, since the previous two games of the series were more strategy oriented. Yet despite its quality and the positive welcome from the gaming community and press alike, it took more than 5 years for SWAT 4 to make its debut on the PC, with Irrational Games (Tribes: Vengeance, Freedom Force) being the producers.
As you may have already guessed by reading the title, SWAT 4 puts you in charge of highly trained, 5 man swat team (you included) which you must lead through 13 singleplayer missions (14, if you count the tutorial too), with the situations varying from rescuing hostages, to defusing bombs or executing an arrest warrant. The single-player missions aren’t tied by any common story, so there’s basically no storyline to speak of. After each mission briefing, where you are informed of the current situation, the estimated number of hostages and suspects, as well as your main objectives, you will need properly to equip your team in order to get the job done. Although the majority of the players would just pick the meanest assault rifle available and let the carnage begin, you have to remember that the main directive of any SWAT team is saving lives. And that includes the suspects as well. Therefore, you are only authorized to shoot a suspect only if he represents a direct threat to you, your team or the hostages. Any other violent response from your behalf will result in a penalty at the end of the mission. Also, be careful not to shoot any hostages. Despite the fact that the mission objectives vary, if any hostages are killed, it’s game over, so the Rambo style type of entries are not recommended.
The main quality of the game is the accurate representation of the procedure that a SWAT team must follow when they’re doing their jobs. Let’s take a typical scenario: you want to enter a room where you believe two or more suspects are barricaded. First, you will probably use the optiwand (a stick with a video camera at the tip), in order to see what’s going on in the room without exposing yourself to harm. Once you’ve determined the suspect’s location, you will probably order a bang&clear entry: one team member opens the door, another throws in a flashbang to stun the suspects, after which the entire team storms into the room. Best case scenario: the suspects will be so shocked by the grenade and the display of force that they will immediately surrender. Worst case scenario: they start shooting like crazy and you have to kill all of them. Either way, once the whole thing settles down, you will have to report to the TOC the results: wounded officers, killed suspects, arrested suspects, confiscated evidence, saved hostages and such. Failure to report such things will result in a penalty at the end of the mission.
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| Yes | |
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| Haven't decided | |
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Total: 1090 votes
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