When Full Spectrum Warrior
was released a few years back, gamers were given a deep and meticulous strategy
game with some great team management elements. The sequel looks to improve on
the formula by going down the path beaten by its predecessor and adding a few
new tweaks like a cleaner interface and a smoother control scheme. Fans of the
first game’s engagingly realistic gameplay will find a lot to love in the
upcoming sequel, Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers.
Ten Hammers
shakes things up from its predecessor most apparently by giving you control of
several different troops of soldiers, each with their own skills and attributes,
throughout the mission. You can also split each team into groups of two, having
them separate to give cover, which can be a dangerous gamble, as this lowers
their effectiveness in heavy fire as they are separated from the group, but
makes for some interesting strategic planning situations. You can even send a
scout soldier to assess a situation before you send in your whole squad. If he
gets hit, however, you can also use your other soldiers to drag him to safety,
keeping him alive to fight another day.
You now have
access to vehicles, like tanks, in order to complete your missions. This is a
nice touch that adds to the dynamic of the game’s goals.
Another
great element is the game’s AI. The whole point behind the Full Spectrum Warrior
series is the focus on realism and authentic situations, and it’s apparent that
they cut no corners when it comes to the AI, in this regard. The AI is
completely non-scripted, making for a unique battle situation each time you face
it. The game requires you to be deliberate in your actions and to take things
slow, for if you run into the heat of battle with guns blazing, you’ll go down
in an instant.
The game has
been improved a bit graphically, also. The game sports some great lighting
effects, including bloom and sun glare effects. The character models are very
nicely rendered and sport realistic animation. While some of the textures look a
bit drab, this can be cleaned up before the game launches. All in all, the
graphical presentation looks great and should be solid when the game is
released.
The first
Full Spectrum Warrior was a deep and engaging strategy game that brought some
unique elements and a meticulous level of realism to the table, and the sequel
is looking to be a game that fans of the original will definitely enjoy. Look
for it early next year.
