SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate
The expansion to the
smash hit SWAT 4, The Stetchkov Syndicate takes the player to the next
level in a thrilling sequel that in all ways is a fitting tribute to the
expectations of fans of the series.
As one would expect with an expansion pack, there are
a number of new additions to the game this time round that enhance the
overall game experience.. These involve new weapons for both SWAT and
Suspects and something that I enjoyed was the ability to delay orders
for my team when there was a need to split up and then clear a room at
the same time.
The game feels great to control and the actions runs
smoothly. For those of you who might have been considering this title
and are new to the world of SWAT, please make sure that you buy the
original game, play it through and then install and play this one. The
original game is required to play The Stetchkov Syndicate, not only that
but SWAT 4 is a brilliant experience in it’s own right.
Despite the fact that there are only about 7 new
missions in this game, a real strength of the title and the SWAT 4 world
is that you can go back and play them all through a number of times and
whilst the mission may rename the same, the enemy spawn points will
change, so you will not just simply memorise where they were last time
and give them the flogging that they deserve.
The intelligence built into the game also makes for
quite a random experience when playing. The suspects behave in all
different sorts of ways, and the game does not make it easy for you when
the people you are trying to catch may flee the room that they are in or
even burst into the one that you have just cleared with guns blazing.
The developers have made sure that throughout the whole game you really
have to make sure you are on your toes.
Multiplayer has also seen an addition called Smash
and Grab where you have teams of SWAT and Suspects who need to
coordinate to stop the bad guys and on the other end, make sure that a
briefcase is delivered to a particular location whilst trying to beat a
timer. SWAT operatives note that it works better for you to arrest than
kill as each successful arrest sees sizable chunks of time taken off the
clock. It’s a lot of fun and really shows the need for good team work to
make sure that your objectives are carried out as smoothly as possible.
SWAT 4: Stetchkov Syndicate also natively supports
Voice Over IP so you can really get into the title by actively
communicating with your team mates whilst playing online or LAN.
This is a worthy addition to SWAT 4. The graphics and
audio continue the high standard set by the series and really draw you
into the game. Attention to detail is a strength of the series and I am
more than sure that anyone who plays this title is going to have a ball.
Just remember once again that you need the SWAT 4 game already installed
to play this one.
Recommended. |