Great game by goofy publishers…
Ok, so the title is a little bit misleading. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open world game published by Ubisoft. Ubisoft is a big company that gets a lot of hate for their: misleading trailers, over hyped games, generic games, season passes, micro transactions, and glitches. Now this may seem terrible, but despite this we still have some gems like, “Assassins Creed 2” or “Farcry 3”. This game has good parts and bad parts, but I believe it should be one of those gems.
What is this game about?
Here is the fun part, what is this game actually about? Well to give you the basics. You are member of The Ghosts, a U.S. Elite Special Operations team that is considered one of the most dangerous groups alive. They are led by Karen Bowman, a CIA officer that has been stationed in Bolivia for years. Alright, now that we have gone over who they are, let’s go over what they do. You are tasked with clearing Santa Blanca, a world wide drug cartel, out of Bolivia. Also, you must fight Unidad, which are the special forces of the Bolivian government.
What about the gameplay?
This game is relatively straight forward. It is an open world tactical shooter, with RPG elements. You have missions, side missions, and bonus operations that all let you progress through the game and level up. As you run, parachute, or drive around the various terrain you can find new weapons and attachments that give you the upper hand against Santa Blanca and Unidad. You gain skill points as you progress and these can be used towards upgrading your character and your teams abilities.
There are 88 guns total in the game, although a few of them are locked behind micro transactions, thanks Ubisoft. These guns have a variety of different attachments that you can use like scopes, laser dots, grenade launchers, grips, and more. Each gun has unique characteristics and you should find one that fits your playing style. You also have a set of equipment that you can use. This includes, but is not limited to: Mines, flares, grenades, parachutes, wing suits, night vision goggles, binoculars, and an upgradable drone. You also can’t forget about the many vehicles in the game. There are boats, cars, trucks, planes, and helicopters that are always available for your disposal. So yes, there are a lot of items in this game.
And with all of these items and options there are many ways to go about this game. You can be as stealthy as you want, or as loud as you want, the choice is yours. The stealth mechanics are relatively well done other than the random alarms, but who cares when you have a tank at your disposal?
What about customization?
Well, there is some customization, but in reality it is more like playing dress up. You can choose basic facial structures and hair/skin color, but there is no specific facial detailing like eye width or jaw shape. There are quite a few clothing options though. You can choose hats, glasses, shirts, pants, boots, masks, vests, and even patches or tattoos. From cowboy costumes to gillie suits, there are quite a few options when it comes to clothing.
So this is great, but what about multiplayer?
Oh boy, the the age old question, “Is there multiplayer?”. The answer is YES! The multiplayer aspect of this game is great. You can join or leave without reloading your game, you can do your own thing and not be held down by the host, and you can work on any missions you want. From completing the story to liberating towns, multiplayer can be whatever you want it to be. There is also a squad vs squad mode almost like Call of Duty’s demolition mode, but that is for another time…
Finally, the end!
There you have it, the basics of this game. Go ahead and form your own opinion on it, but first let’s give you ours. This game is very fun and can be stressful at times. It has a wide range of options from stealth to rushing and enough equipment to do it all. The story is well thought out, but seems to baby you and tell you EXACTLY what is happening. Here is a chart to wrap things up.
Graphics: 8/10 (Looks great, but requires good computer specs to run at high settings) Gameplay: 9/10 (A bit of a learning curve due to the strange, but customizeable keys) Story: 8/10 (Well implemented, but slightly TOO straight forward) Items: 9/10 (Many items, vehicles, and gadgets. Some locked behind microtransactions) Fun: 9/10 (So many options, but can be glitchy at times) Overall: 9/10 (Great game, but there is always room to improve)
Remember, this game is an OPEN WORLD SHOOTER, if you do not like shooters this game is NOT for you. If shooters are your thing, go for it. You will have a blast!
