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Req.: P3 450, 128MB RAM, 16MB 3D accel. w/ OpenGL support, 8x CD, 1.6 Gigs
(!) Reviewed On: P3 800, 256MB, GeForce 2ti, SB, Win XP Pro | |||
Intro  Every
gamer’s favorite mercenary is back. John Mullins makes his return to the
battlefield as he tracks down a menace trying to use biochemical warfare. While
the story won’t blow you away, the action most certainly will as Soldier
of Fortune II easily surpasses the original and makes a spot for itself at
the top of the first-person shooting genre.Gameplay: 9/10 Starting off Soldier of Fortune II, I was a bit off-set by its 1.6 gig install – 1.3 gigs to install and 300 megs needed to swap – and going through the first level certainly didn’t raise my hopes. I had viewed the original Soldier of Fortune as a slightly above-average shooter with buckets of blood, and the beginning of Double Helix starts out very similarly. It’s odd to say now, but I had to make myself play it when I first started; the basic weapons, unoriginal level design and repeating enemies just didn’t get me. Things all changed once I started the second level. Gone was the feeling of ‘been here before’ as an action-packed sequence began were the player gets to utilize a machine gun mounted in the bed of a truck and let it rip at oncoming enemy trucks, complete with AK-toting passengers. After that level, I began to notice what was different; Soldier of Fortune II uses a combination of pacing that encourages stealth alongside run-and-gun techniques that mesh together perfectly. Unlike the original title or the rash of recent first-person shooters, Double Helix enhances stealth techniques with being able to crawl and walk slowly – complete with a sound gauge in the HUD to show how loud you’re being – along with Rainbow Six-esque peeking features, and thankfully, Mullins can shoot while doing so. Along with the noticeable change in play-style, the level design has improved as one especially long jungle level completely sucked me in and transformed me into Rambo. Yes, I was the one crawling on the ground, snipping tripwires, and popping up to throw a knife into the back of an enemy’s neck. Hell, I could have also ran through the trip wire with a shotgun ready, cause the explosion in my aftermath, and jumped into the fray with shots going off left and right. Other levels, including a ship, the streets of Hong Kong, the mansion of a South American ‘entrepreneur’, along with other hot-spots are generally designed well and require a mix of play styles. Essentially, while stealth is emphasized, sometimes the best tactic is to simply charge into a situation with guns blazing and find cover as quickly as possible. The A.I. can also make going gun-ho necessary as it proves to be random; sometimes an enemy will kick a table over for cover – requiring a slower technique, peeking around a corner and taking a steady shot – or they can just run in random formations. Sometimes these wild characteristics aren’t intentional as they will run right into gunfire or just back and forth, but more often than not, they will put up a good fight – not to mention that they are very handy with grenades. The shot radius is also an interesting element: the longer a weapon is fired, the larger the shot radius gets, causing the shots to become less accurate. This is also a major factor in keeping down a Doom-styled approach to all situations. This wouldn’t be Soldier of Fortune without excessive gore and badass weapons though, and the sequel tops the original on both counts. For the concerned parents out there, the gore level is adjustable, so little Johnny can kill terrorists without the mess afterwards. The weapons are exceptional; everything from the shotgun to the RPG all ‘feel’ great. I have found that few first-person shooters can convey a sort of weight or power to their weapons, but here, shooting someone with a shotgun will not only cause kickback, but will also cause the enemy to fly into the air and slump onto the ground. Equally fun are the secondary attacks that allow for pistol whipping, knife throwing, grenade launching, and so on. It’s fortunate that there are plenty of levels in which to use these tools of destruction as Double Helix oozes replay value with its lengthy single-player campaign, a solid multi-player mode, and an ingenious random mission generator that is perfect for a quick game. Soldier of Fortune II isn’t perfect though, no matter how positive the review is so far. Some of the missions can get a bit tedious as a few are simple strolls through a building or town, with no action, and serve only to extend a storyline that is already generic and too bogged down with dialogue. The enemies could also have been a bit more consistent; it’s difficult judging a situation when an enemy runs to the barrel of your gun and stares for a few seconds before firing, but in the room before, they bounced a grenade off a wall to your position and dove behind a counter for cover. Some of the missions also require John to go full-stealth, but since the guards seem to have super-senses, it was extremely aggravating trying to sneak past them time and time again I ofen ended up just killing everyone I saw and getting it over with. With all its negatives, Soldier of Fortune II manages to be one of the most action-packed and adrenaline-pumping titles I have played lately. It’s definitely in the top tier of first-person shooters and is an essential addition to the library of any gamer that has even the slightest fondness for the genre. In the end, Double Helix proves itself to not only be a true sequel in every sense of the word, but a damn fine title to boot. Graphics: 8.5/10 Sound:
8/10 Overall:
9/10 [ top ] |
