SOCOM 4: Special Forces Single Player Review (NZ)

SOCOM: Special Forces is the second SOCOM title to grace the PlayStation 3. Unlike many other shooting games out there the SOCOM titles have relied on team work and tactical-based combat. SOCOM: Special Forces is the latest addition to Sony’s SOCOM series and promises to the best one yet.

The SOCOM games debuted on the PS2 and have also been on the PSP too. How does this title differentiate itself from the others? With so stiff competition with the likes of Call of Duty and Killzone 3, is SOCOM: Special Forces a game worth playing?

Let’s find out as we take a look at the HOTs and NOTs.

HOT

Team-based Tactics

Unlike many shooting games out there you are aided by a team who can help you out. Not only has this but you have the power to boss them around so to speak. Much like previous SOCOM titles, you can practically hide and let your team do all the work for you (although this is not advisable if you’re playing on harder levels and difficulties).

The team-based tactics and mission planning are crucial if you want to overcome the harder levels in the game. It’s pretty cool how you can look at the map by pressing the start button and think ahead on where you want your team to go next. It’s not your usual solo FPS game where you can go in all guns blazing thorough the front door. It’s also helpful that your teammates are good at shooting too.

Some NPCs in other games can be useless and you’re forced to shoot all the enemies yourself. Thankfully in SOCOM: Special Forces, this is not the case and your team will help you shoot those nasty snipers from a good distance away.

Stealth Missions

Another neat feature about the game is the numerous stealth missions included. The stealth missions borrow many elements from the Splinter Cell games and are a joy to play during the harder difficulty modes. Although it can be a bit linear playing through them thanks to a waypoint guiding you the whole way, the smarted A.I. will be a challenge for even stealth game veterans.

This is because your movements can be detected more easily and any wrong move can spell instant death. It pays for you to hide in the shadows and move very slowly. To help you distract guards you have the ability to throw empty magazine shells too.

Weaponry

People who are interested in modern real-world weaponry will like to know there are numerous real-life weapons that are available in the game. You can also customize every weapon in the game too and choose which ones you want use before starting each mission. This means you can add scopes and other attachments that you see fit. If you’re a close-quarters combat type of player you have a variety of shotguns that you can use. Likewise long-ranged specialists have the option to choose a variety of sniper rifles too.

Unlocking new weapons during the single-player campaign is a breeze to do too. All you have to do is pick up new weapons dropped by your enemies and they are yours to keep forever. The only downside to the game’s realism of weapons is that Zipper Interactive could not get the license to name some of them correctly. An “MP5” gun is criminally known as a “KP5” instead…

PlayStation Move Compatibility

Playing SOCOM: Special Forces with the PlayStation Move is arguably more fun to play than using a normal PS3 controller. Mainly due to the fact that aiming with the Move is far more accurate than flicking the right stick. Playing the Move while using a sniper rifle is far easier to get headshots and makes it much more satisfying. The game is best played with the PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter Attachment as your hands get a bit tiring just using the PlayStation Move by itself. Nevertheless, using the Move in my opinion adds a fresh new experience to the shooting game genre.

NOT

Short Campaign

Sadly, much like most shooting games out on the market recently, the single-player campaign can be completed in a matter of a few hours. My first playthrough on Normal difficulty was roughly just over 6 hours long. This could extend to 7 hours if you’re playing on Elite, but still its short for a game that has 14 levels in it.

It would have been more fun if the levels were longer like the ones seen in the Halo games. Most levels can be completed in 30 minutes or less. If the levels were longer and more varied than I’m sure this would have extended the longevity of what is a short game.

Game Cannot Recognize Your Controls

Sometimes you teammates die and you’re forced to revive them. The game suggests all you have to do is walk over to them and press circle in order to do this. Bewilderingly I’ve done this multiple times and it didn’t do a damn thing! My character just crawled over him sitting there doing nothing. Thankfully other teammates can revive dead comrade automatically but it can be quite annoying when everyone else is dead too. It’s also annoying that it’s game over when you die – unlike in Killzone 3 where your teammates can revive you from death also.

Hiding dead bodies into the shadows during stealth missions can be a chore to do as well. You have to walk over their dead bodies at the precise position before you’re able to pick them up. It’s quite annoying to achieve this especially if you’re in a hurry not to be seen.

Linear

Missions in SOCOM: Special Forces are as linear and unimaginative as they can be. They’re your usual kill everything in sight missions while walking through levels that don’t offer much in terms of alternate paths. Even the stealth missions are guided by waypoints that blatantly tell the player where to go at all times.

It would have been better (and more challenging) is there were no waypoints in the game whatsoever. This will force players to think and strategize where to go using the map during the start menu.

Poor Hit Detection

There’s nothing worse playing a video game that has poor hit detection. SOCOM: Special Forces doesn’t have poor hit detection throughout the entire game but they’re certainly there. There was a time I’d shoot a bullet at the back of a bad guy’s head but he was still alive!

The situation got worse as he alerted the other guys of my presence and I failed the mission. This situation would not have happened if he died like a normal person. I thought headshots resulted in instant death…

Average Graphics

Recently many first party Sony games have churned out some pretty decent looking games. Games such as Uncharted 2, God of War 3 and Killzone 3 have all raised the bar and showed exactly what the PS3 is capable of. SOCOM: Special Forces sadly does not belong in this elite group.

The character models are detailed but the environments are bland and uninspired. The plants and trees are flat and almost PS2-like in quality. SOCOM: Special Forces looks like a PS2 game that has been upscaled in HD in lieu of being built from the ground up specifically for the PS3.

Verdict

SOCOM: Special Forces is a game that could have been great if it were released a few years ago. With the likes of other games such as Uncharted 2 and Killzone 3 raising the bar when it comes to PS3 shooters, SOCOM: Special Forces is nothing more than an average game.

That’s not to say it’s a bad game as there are moments in the single-player campaign where the action can become really intense and exciting. The addition of PlayStation Move and stealth missions are also great. It’s just that some of the game’s flaws dampen the experience somewhat.

Look out for JustPushStart’s review of the multiplayer section of SOCOM: Special Forces coming soon.

[Editor’s Note: SOCOM: Special Forces was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]