Ghost Recon screenshots   The Final Say! Gameplay 8.4 Graphics 8.9 Sound 9.0 Value 8.8 Ghost Recon -  reviewed by Andrew B  Review Date: 20 December 2002 Review Score 8.8/10 Distributed By: UbiSoft

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, game of the year on the PC has finally reached the shores of the PlayStation 2 and it delivers that everything the PC version promised. You play the role of team leader for a highly specialised and elite group of special forces soldiers for a military organisation. Your team has been given the name of "Ghosts" because they appear out of nowhere like ghosts, finish the mission they were ordered and then vanish again. Your team consists of a variety of military specialists that include demolitions, infantry, rifleman, snipers and support whose combined skills make them one of the world's most formidable group of soldiers. Ghost Recon Features All the realism, sweat, and fear from the Game of the Year, with 15 missions, dozens of weapons and new secrets to unlock. Split-screen multiplayer action for two players. Squad-based combat in your living room. Standard and special-issue weapons like the M16A2, the M4 carbine and the fearsome and deadly OICW. Memory Card (8MB) Analog Control Compatible Vibration Control Dolby Digital Pro Logic II   Although Ghost Recon is almost a perfect port of the PC version, it features the 15 original levels from the PC and include the extra eight levels from the Desert Siege add-on. The main difference between Ghost Recon on the PC and the PlayStation 2 is the modified combat engine that include auto-aiming, auto-reloading and an enemy motion tracker that will show you exactly where enemy units are on your personal radars. Some hardcore gamers may find this a tad annoying but personally, this is ideal for the console because there is no mouse for pinpoint accuracy. The basic premise behind Ghost Recon is a first person shooter that is based in the not so distance future where terrorists are trying to recreate a cold-war Russia. Unlike other first person shooters that have players going into battle with guns blazing, Ghost Recon is the complete opposite. The game emphasises on camouflage, stealth and sabotage and is probably the most realistic shooter to grace the PlayStation 2.  Before engaging on the mission, gamers must select which military specialists will accompany them on the mission and it's vital that you choose the correct personal. If you must destroy a building, then a demolitions expert is needed, if you need to assassinate a known terrorists, a sniper is needed. Players control two teams of soldiers and can swap between members whenever they feel the need.

Players also have the choice to play a campaign mode that unfolds the story behind Ghost Recon or play stand-alone missions and a training mission that shows you the basics of Ghost Recon. The game also contains an awesome multiplayer option that lets you play either co-op or death match against another player via split screen. 

Graphically, Ghost Recon is almost identical to the PC version but is missing some of the high resolution textures. There is also a variety of special effects that have also made the transition from the PC to the PlayStation that include various weather effects such as falling snow and rain. The Ghost Recon engine also has some amazing lighting effects that really help on night missions when playing the game as you can use it to your full advantage. The infra-red goggles in the game are simply quite spectacular and are extremely realistic, check out screenshot number 2. All the characters in the game are extremely well animated and contain a fairly decent polygon count to help with the realism of enemy and friendly units. The texture detail on the character models contain quite a bit of detail such as uniforms and facial expressions to help add to the excellent gaming environment. 

The music score for Ghost Recon sounds like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster and its orchestral soundtrack really helps with the gameplay of the title. The developers have also gone to extreme lengths in giving all their gaming environments realistic sound effects, whether its the sounds of the winds in an eastern European forest or the sounds of a sniper rifle going off in the distance, it all comes together beautifully. 

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon is the perfect first person shooter on the PlayStation 2 and now console gamers can finally enjoy the success of the original in game in the comfort of their lounge chair. The game also features quite a bit of DVD content on the disc such as the making of Ghost Recon and various trailers for upcoming Tom Clancy games. Want a realistic shooter for the PlayStation 2? Then look no further and go out and buy Ghost Recon now! Highly Recommended!

- Andrew B