So, I mentioned earlier in another thread [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.948649-Ghost-Recon-Wildlands-first-Impressions] that I picked up Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands. After putting about 10-15 hours into it so far - about equally split between solo and co-op - I have to wonder on what basis some of the low critiques were made.
Mind you, I'd only started playing after the patch that apparently changed a few things, so what's better or worse probably depends on who's doing the praising/complaining. The hardcore Ghost Recon fans probably hate it for being "casualized", but for people like me, something about it really feeling like a combination of GTA and Far Cry struck a pretty resonant chord.
A few early game thoughts broken down into two distinctly all-encompassing categories:
Presentation: Visually it's one of the most ambitious and detailed open worlds I've had the pleasure of roaming around in, whether land, air or sea. It is going for a more realistic look that works. Macro detail approaches photo-realism even on a standard PS4, but micro level detail isn't quite as impressive. Understandable given the sheer size of the map.
However, the game still throws in little details; for example the exhaust cloud from a dirt bike will vary in volume and intensity whether you're idling or accelerating. Weather has some nice effects on gameplay, especially depending on time of day. Thick sheets of rain falling during a thunderstorm can obscure night vision to the point you'll be looking for thermal instead. Characters and weapons have incredibly detailed customization options, although perhaps initially more from a visual standpoint than technical. Weapons also get a worn look after a while and can be painted fresh if it floats your boat.
Sound is equally as impressive. Gunfights have an appropriate level of bite to them. The sound of a sniper rifle shot resonating through a desert valley is grin-inducing. Weapons sound punchy and there is a pleasing contrast between an open or suppressed muzzle. Some games have them sounding too soft like the old spy movies. Not here; at least not on the weapons I've tried so far. I also swear I've heard the sound of an empty shell hitting the floor from my bolt action change sniper rifle change depending on the surface material.
Explosions are loud and resonant. It never gets old hearing the whirring down of a chopper sputtering to the ground and then the resounding cannon-like bang a few seconds later. Weather effects like rain drops pattering on the ground, a roof or your clothes are atmospheric, and imo the best sounding thunderstorms since Red Dead: Redemption.
I could easily go on if I had more time.
Gameplay: Like I said earlier, it's a nice cross between GTA and Far Cry. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but to me it takes the best of GTA's open world detail, free roam take-any-vehicle type freedom and combines it with Far Cry's discovery style progression; even going a step further in some respects. The unlocking of missions feels very natural, simply finding things as you go, gaining intel from wherever that leads to details on new missions, enemy location, weapon upgrades, etc. I also like how you can tag supplies for the rebels to help you along the way. On one hand I think they missed an opportunity here for a more tactical health system, but on the other it could've ended up hurting the overall playability and pacing.
There is something to be said for open world games having too much to do, but the way Wildlands does it to me prevents it from becoming tedious, at least so far. Like any game there is redundancy, but if it feels natural and leads to helpful rewards then I find little fault with it. It's a breath of fresh air to play a game with a progression style that feels free of the RNG factor.
Character movement feels a bit stiffer than I'd like, but that's somewhat understandable for a TPS. There is an appropriate sense of weight and feeling connected to the environment which is always welcome. Climbing feels a bit clunky after playing something like Horizon: Zero Dawn, but then again it's an understandable contrast given the differences in character design.
Gunplay and aiming feels pretty butter-smooth though; not quite to Horizon: Zero Dawn's level of buttery in terms of aiming, but sufficient. The variety of stats and how different mods/attachments affect any given one adds some tactical flair. That larger magazine will be great in a large firefight, but watch for the added weapon kick. Or take something like the Warhawk sniper rifle with its incredible stopping power, but have fun if you stir up a hornets nest from the bang because you couldn't add a suppressor.
In terms of alerts, enemies are often too forgiving at least on Normal difficulty, but at least there seems to be a decent balance of raining down punishment for a careless blunder, and being able to still survive a botched stealth attempt if you find a good hiding spot. Unidad can get pretty aggressive to the point of being a nuisance, but it's still early and I think there are later abilities and gear that can alleviate it somewhat.
The Sync-Shot feature almost makes solo play too easy in many cases, but it's definitely slick in a pinch, especially from a drone. In co-op the feature is of course more satisfying though, with the added element of uncertainty involving real people needing to act quickly and precisely.
Speaking of solo play and co-op, it is one of the more seamless and pain-free forms of multiplayer I've experienced in a game. I like that progress on a game map this massive is practically interchangeable between the two. Play a couple missions solo, and then invite or drop into someone else's game to complete the rest. Back-tracking on a map this size could easily be a nightmare, but fairly decent checkpoints during missions and a balanced fast travel system reduce the frustration to little more than a brief loading screen. I do wish there were fewer of the escort/protect style missions, but they so far haven't been as frustrating as what's been in the last few GTA's for example. With a game this size I suppose it's impossible to have all killer, no filler.
Overall to me this has so far been one of the few games played that has me wondering where the time went. It has a great balance of realism and gaminess, and the gameplay loop personally clicks in so many ways that I can foresee boredom being staved off for quite some time. Considering the review average this game has gotten, it's a shining example imo of how such a system can make for a horrible first impression.
Mind you, I'd only started playing after the patch that apparently changed a few things, so what's better or worse probably depends on who's doing the praising/complaining. The hardcore Ghost Recon fans probably hate it for being "casualized", but for people like me, something about it really feeling like a combination of GTA and Far Cry struck a pretty resonant chord.
A few early game thoughts broken down into two distinctly all-encompassing categories:
Presentation: Visually it's one of the most ambitious and detailed open worlds I've had the pleasure of roaming around in, whether land, air or sea. It is going for a more realistic look that works. Macro detail approaches photo-realism even on a standard PS4, but micro level detail isn't quite as impressive. Understandable given the sheer size of the map.
However, the game still throws in little details; for example the exhaust cloud from a dirt bike will vary in volume and intensity whether you're idling or accelerating. Weather has some nice effects on gameplay, especially depending on time of day. Thick sheets of rain falling during a thunderstorm can obscure night vision to the point you'll be looking for thermal instead. Characters and weapons have incredibly detailed customization options, although perhaps initially more from a visual standpoint than technical. Weapons also get a worn look after a while and can be painted fresh if it floats your boat.
Sound is equally as impressive. Gunfights have an appropriate level of bite to them. The sound of a sniper rifle shot resonating through a desert valley is grin-inducing. Weapons sound punchy and there is a pleasing contrast between an open or suppressed muzzle. Some games have them sounding too soft like the old spy movies. Not here; at least not on the weapons I've tried so far. I also swear I've heard the sound of an empty shell hitting the floor from my bolt action change sniper rifle change depending on the surface material.
Explosions are loud and resonant. It never gets old hearing the whirring down of a chopper sputtering to the ground and then the resounding cannon-like bang a few seconds later. Weather effects like rain drops pattering on the ground, a roof or your clothes are atmospheric, and imo the best sounding thunderstorms since Red Dead: Redemption.
I could easily go on if I had more time.
Gameplay: Like I said earlier, it's a nice cross between GTA and Far Cry. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but to me it takes the best of GTA's open world detail, free roam take-any-vehicle type freedom and combines it with Far Cry's discovery style progression; even going a step further in some respects. The unlocking of missions feels very natural, simply finding things as you go, gaining intel from wherever that leads to details on new missions, enemy location, weapon upgrades, etc. I also like how you can tag supplies for the rebels to help you along the way. On one hand I think they missed an opportunity here for a more tactical health system, but on the other it could've ended up hurting the overall playability and pacing.
There is something to be said for open world games having too much to do, but the way Wildlands does it to me prevents it from becoming tedious, at least so far. Like any game there is redundancy, but if it feels natural and leads to helpful rewards then I find little fault with it. It's a breath of fresh air to play a game with a progression style that feels free of the RNG factor.
Character movement feels a bit stiffer than I'd like, but that's somewhat understandable for a TPS. There is an appropriate sense of weight and feeling connected to the environment which is always welcome. Climbing feels a bit clunky after playing something like Horizon: Zero Dawn, but then again it's an understandable contrast given the differences in character design.
Gunplay and aiming feels pretty butter-smooth though; not quite to Horizon: Zero Dawn's level of buttery in terms of aiming, but sufficient. The variety of stats and how different mods/attachments affect any given one adds some tactical flair. That larger magazine will be great in a large firefight, but watch for the added weapon kick. Or take something like the Warhawk sniper rifle with its incredible stopping power, but have fun if you stir up a hornets nest from the bang because you couldn't add a suppressor.
In terms of alerts, enemies are often too forgiving at least on Normal difficulty, but at least there seems to be a decent balance of raining down punishment for a careless blunder, and being able to still survive a botched stealth attempt if you find a good hiding spot. Unidad can get pretty aggressive to the point of being a nuisance, but it's still early and I think there are later abilities and gear that can alleviate it somewhat.
The Sync-Shot feature almost makes solo play too easy in many cases, but it's definitely slick in a pinch, especially from a drone. In co-op the feature is of course more satisfying though, with the added element of uncertainty involving real people needing to act quickly and precisely.
Speaking of solo play and co-op, it is one of the more seamless and pain-free forms of multiplayer I've experienced in a game. I like that progress on a game map this massive is practically interchangeable between the two. Play a couple missions solo, and then invite or drop into someone else's game to complete the rest. Back-tracking on a map this size could easily be a nightmare, but fairly decent checkpoints during missions and a balanced fast travel system reduce the frustration to little more than a brief loading screen. I do wish there were fewer of the escort/protect style missions, but they so far haven't been as frustrating as what's been in the last few GTA's for example. With a game this size I suppose it's impossible to have all killer, no filler.
Overall to me this has so far been one of the few games played that has me wondering where the time went. It has a great balance of realism and gaminess, and the gameplay loop personally clicks in so many ways that I can foresee boredom being staved off for quite some time. Considering the review average this game has gotten, it's a shining example imo of how such a system can make for a horrible first impression.
