It was about a year ago that the acronym 'GRAW' began taking over Xbox Live 'played games' lists everywhere. In fact, there had to be some people out there who owned GRAW who never knew what the game was actually called - 'Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.'
There was good reason why so many people were playing the game. GRAW was one of the first big hits (both offline and online) for the 360, and was critically acclaimed by both gamers and critics alike.
That acronym is once again infecting Xbox Live lists, albeit with a '2' slapped on to the end. And though some may argue that that number is the only relevant difference between the first and second game, be sure that GRAW 2 is still worth its weight in bullet casings and smoke bombs.
The sequel to Ubisoft's GRAW is really everything you would have seen if you played the first game in the series, though with slicker - much slicker – graphics and some important updates to the online offering. The single player campaign actually gets the shaft in this one for the more fleshed-out multiplayer mode.
A lot of the ‘holy-crap!’ factor is gone with this sequel. When GRAW first arrived last year, it was by far one of the best-looking 360 titles and really gave people an idea what Microsoft's newest console was capable of. But just because we now have the Lost Planets, Gears of Wars and Rainbow 6’s, doesn’t mean anything should be taken away from GRAW 2. It still looks absolutely spectacular.
The single player campaign is really more of what was in GRAW, only it’s shorter, with less water-cooler moments. The action actually takes place one day after the events in the first 'Advanced Warfighter'. This time, Mexican insurgents are ready to take their war over to U.S. soil and they're bringing some nukes to the party with them. Don't be fooled into thinking that the majority of this game takes place in the U.S. though. GRAW 2 is split up into three acts and it's only the third act (in fact the shortest one) where you make it to the 'U.S. And A.'
There are a few tweaks to the single player campaign, the most noteworthy being that you can now use a full screen cross-com for even more control over your ghost team and any other support you're granted (tanks, helicopters and all that good stuff). A new ‘mule’ supply cart makes an appearance a few times, and the ability to call in air strikes are added to your repertoire, but it doesn't change the fact that the whole campaign is over before it’s started and it has quite the anticlimactic ending. Nothing about the single player campaign is bad per se (besides maybe some lame AI, both friendly and enemy), it’s just kind of ... there.
The multiplayer, on the other hand, is simply top notch once again. Up to 16 people can be playing online in one game (co-op or adversarial) and we experienced next to no lag whatsoever. There are now six co-op levels (as opposed to four in the original GRAW) and multiplayer games can be mixed and matched, so for example, you can play an objective-based game, and throw in helicopters a la Heli-Hunt, just to make things a little more interesting.
As always, multiplayer games work a lot better when you have players on your team who you can trust to watch your back; running-and-gunning doesn't work nearly as well in the Ghost Recon games so if you're stuck on a team with a bunch of pre-pubescent boys with ADD and an aversion to teamwork, be prepared to lose. Luckily in GRAW 2, there’s improved clan support so it's easier to send invites within the game itself. Plus, you can have up to 100 players in one clan, and your clan can be playing several different games at the same time if you so choose. You can make a clan and easily invite friends, and players can set up and play other clans, as opposed to constantly being matched up with randoms who think that any multiplayer game where you shoot a gun should be played like Halo.
In a game where you're an 'advanced warfighter', it's important to have the weapons to back you up (running around with a sawed-off shotgun probably won't be good for your image or your kill count), and once again you'll have a huge list of guns to choose from. More weapons open up as you play in both the single player and multiplayer, and it's wise to really try as many as possible before settling in on one or two favourites. Rest assured though, there's something here for everyone.
There is also a nice array of extras, from character and weapon info, to music videos featuring some great songs from the likes of Frank Black and the Deftones.
The bottom line is that though GRAW 2 is a lot of the same, it’s still absolutely worth the purchase for old and new fans alike. There’s no reason why someone looking for a third person tactical shooter should opt for the original game (unless they’re looking to save a bit of cash), and fans of the first GRAW will find all the same modes, but with more customization options and ramped up clan support.
We're definitely looking for something different in the next Ghost Recon game, but right now, we're plenty happy with GRAW 2.
WHAM! Rating: |
9.3 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
M (Mature) |
Official Web Site: |
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