Gaming Target - Xbox: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder

Written by Bryan Montford on September 15, 2003

Full Review: If you're only going to buy one Ghost Recon game this year, this is itЕ

It's 2010 and the regime of Fidel Castro has failed to preserve the УrevolutionФ. A popular uprising has routed the Communist government and Democracy dimly glimmers in the hearts and minds of Cubans. The first elections in nearly a half-century are threatened by forces willing to do anything to twist the tiny islands' future to their own ends. Enter the GhostsЕ

This mission is more dangerous than the last, fueled by fountains of money generated from local drug cartels. Jungle, desert, and urban environments make a treacherous stage for the Ghosts. But if Cuba is to become free the elections must be protected.

The story isn't a particularly original one. In fact it's a lot like the original Ghost Recon for Xbox. But still it provides a powerful premise for a well-rounded game that offers impressive gameplay and awesome value. I've spent several hours with Ghost Recon Island Thunder and it's proven to be every bit as rewarding and addictive as the previous title.

I've been asked, УSo, what's differentФ? Well, not much, and a whole lot. That probably warrants some explanation, so here it goesЕ

The interface is nearly identical to the original GRx, as is the majority of game play. The graphics are good, the sound is wonderful, and the game captivating. If you played GRx you'll find immediate familiarity in GRIT. Every control and button is nearly identical. This is good. It took me a little while to learn the complexities of the command map and issuing team orders. If they had made changes, it would have meant more hours of trying to assimilate game controls, and that frankly becomes tiresome at times. I played so many hours of GRx that it took only minutes to get reacquainted with everything and only a few hours to get back my proficiency (how about 89.2% hit ratio with a sniper?). Single or multiplayer, it's like a set of well-worn shoes. Once you slip back in it's like you never took them off.

Unfortunately GRIT shares some of the same flaws as the original GRx. It's a painfully greedy bandwidth hog. It's difficult to host a match with more than 4 people without someone having serious lag issues. I know one or two guys that can host 6 people and have virtually no lag. But for most of us that just isn't a reality. It was a stinging disappointment, as I'd always felt like this was the only major flaw in an otherwise exemplary game. On the positive side it does look like they addressed some connectivity issues. I've encountered far less problems with players or NPC's jumping around or other odd artifacts induced by lag. It seems you either have a good match with little trouble, or it's bad enough people just start dropping.

Two particular changes felt like a step backwards; one not so bad as the other. Night vision is nearly useless on many of the new maps. Maybe this is the way it should have worked in the first place, but I really miss seeing every living thing in range lit up like they'd just taken a swim at Three Mile Island. The old maps are fine, works just the same, no difference. The maybe not so bad change is now only one person at a time can talk. Think about it. The last time you used a walkie-talkie how many people could talk at once? One, that's right. Some people will think this adds more realism. It probably cuts down on some bandwidth usage, and that's a good thing. But I've had more than once where whatever someone else was saying was not nearly as important as me telling them they were just about to get clobbered by a dozen angry and armed Ethiopian soldiers. (I've never been much for history, but where the hell did the Ethiopians come from? Weren't we in Cuba fighting Contras? Oh well, they fall down just as well as the Cuban soldiers do when they're shotЕ)

If you liked the guns in GRx then GRIT will not disappoint you. Not only are all the old guns you've grown to know and love so well still there, but there's a bevy of impressive firearms to make friends with too. Remember the 89.2% hit ratio I mentioned/gloated about? The SR-25 sniper rifle is suh-weet! I won't list all the new weapons and ruin the surprise for you. Trust me, it's exciting to find them on your own. Regardless of your favored soldier type there's bound to be some weapon that will more than trip your trigger.

Sound and atmospheric effects have both had some additional attention. The combination of these two does exactly as you would expect; it draws you further into the game and adds a lot of depth to the maps. Not that they weren't good before, but it's noticeably better now. And the graphics seem to have had a little tweak too. There's also now a leaderboard, for better or worse. I remember all too well chasing the leaderboard in Mech Assault and eventually becoming almost completely burned out on the game. Hopefully I learned my lesson, but I post a warning here to all: Stats don't tell the whole story. My recommendation is to play for fun and forget the stats. But, just in case you are inclined to peak at them, they do list some good information. It's a lot more detailed than some other games and that helps to make it more useful. The last enhancement I mention is possibly the most important. Downloadable content. New maps and missions will be available. I couldn't get any details on them from Ubi, but they promised that they would be welcome additions.