SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs
The reason to buy a Network Adaptor is getting a sequel. Impressions, details, and screenage inside.
Published: September 30, 2003
To say the first SOCOM was a hit would be stating the obvious. To say it was the killer app that Sony needed to launch the Network Adaptor would be no understatement. To say it was the console equivalent of Counter-Strike on the PC... well, that's probably about right. Imagine everyone's surprise, then, when - gasp! - a sequel was announced.
Okay, so it's not so surprising; developer Zipper Interactive, they of former U.S. military simulation roots, knew they had a good thing going, and while they wanted the first game to be as good as it could be, it did have the unfortunate time constraint of launching with the Network Adaptor, and so not everything that could have gone into the game actually made the cut. Certain things had to be axed, and while SOCOM II originally was planned as more of an expansion pack, it was fairly obvious that it would be pushed on the general public as full follow-up to the first game. The solution? Make a true sequel.
So, that's precisely what Zipper did, culling as much info as possible once again from our own Navy SEALs, but adding international flavor from groups like the UK's SAS and Russia's Spetznaz (among others). This adds a wealth of new goodies to play around with, most notably the indigenous weapons and equipment of the locals when... adventuring abroad. The collaboration actually goes as deep as allowing you to work with foreign special forces in the game, since it makes sense that the guys who live in the thick of it would be best equipped to gather and relay intel.
One of the biggest additions to SOCOM II that would have originally made it into the first game with a little more time were rocket-propelled weapons like a LAW (yes, you'll be using said LAW to wipe out tanks - remember take 'em from the back) or RPG when a hand-lobbed grenade just won't do. These weapons are available in multiplayer as well, including online, though it's possible to limit what weapon types are allowed in a match before they're started.
Multiplayer was obviously a big focus, seeing as it was one of the main reasons the PS2 has an online footprint right now. SOCOM II will include 12 new maps that show off some of the more urban or organic environs that the upgraded graphics entire is capable of pumping out. 10 maps from the first game will also make their return, though they'll be updated slightly with slight tweaks and the addition of mannable turrets - another omission from the first game that will make it into the sequel.
The voice chat that was such a kick in the first game returns, albeit with some slight improvements. Anyone using the voice chat will have automatic voice modulation applied to their voices, so smaller grunts will sound like their pipsqueak digital counterparts and bigger, burlier commandos will reflect their size aurally. The modulation can be turned off, but it actually does make for interesting sonic atmosphere.
Of course, the single-player game is still very much a part of the overall experience (more people bought the game for and play in the single-player mode than online, after all), and to this end significant changes have been made to both squad and enemy AI. Boomer, after all his mindless antics, has apparently been washed out of the SEALs, leaving you minty-fresh and moron free, so squadmates actually listen to orders this time, and behave more realistically with less interference. You can still issue orders (including a handful of new, more natural ones rather than the cascaded verbal versions you can access with a press of the O button), but your team will be much more on the ball, as will enemies, who will more readily communicate with their comrades and behave more intelligently while under fire.
SOCOM II isn't a huge leap over the first game (in fact, unless you knew them like the back of your hand, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two), but the changes that have been implemented are solid ones, and only serve to make the game that much more impressive. We'll have more detailed online impressions from the public beta in a bit, so keep your eyes peeled.
Okay, so it's not so surprising; developer Zipper Interactive, they of former U.S. military simulation roots, knew they had a good thing going, and while they wanted the first game to be as good as it could be, it did have the unfortunate time constraint of launching with the Network Adaptor, and so not everything that could have gone into the game actually made the cut. Certain things had to be axed, and while SOCOM II originally was planned as more of an expansion pack, it was fairly obvious that it would be pushed on the general public as full follow-up to the first game. The solution? Make a true sequel.
So, that's precisely what Zipper did, culling as much info as possible once again from our own Navy SEALs, but adding international flavor from groups like the UK's SAS and Russia's Spetznaz (among others). This adds a wealth of new goodies to play around with, most notably the indigenous weapons and equipment of the locals when... adventuring abroad. The collaboration actually goes as deep as allowing you to work with foreign special forces in the game, since it makes sense that the guys who live in the thick of it would be best equipped to gather and relay intel.
One of the biggest additions to SOCOM II that would have originally made it into the first game with a little more time were rocket-propelled weapons like a LAW (yes, you'll be using said LAW to wipe out tanks - remember take 'em from the back) or RPG when a hand-lobbed grenade just won't do. These weapons are available in multiplayer as well, including online, though it's possible to limit what weapon types are allowed in a match before they're started.
Multiplayer was obviously a big focus, seeing as it was one of the main reasons the PS2 has an online footprint right now. SOCOM II will include 12 new maps that show off some of the more urban or organic environs that the upgraded graphics entire is capable of pumping out. 10 maps from the first game will also make their return, though they'll be updated slightly with slight tweaks and the addition of mannable turrets - another omission from the first game that will make it into the sequel.
The voice chat that was such a kick in the first game returns, albeit with some slight improvements. Anyone using the voice chat will have automatic voice modulation applied to their voices, so smaller grunts will sound like their pipsqueak digital counterparts and bigger, burlier commandos will reflect their size aurally. The modulation can be turned off, but it actually does make for interesting sonic atmosphere.
Of course, the single-player game is still very much a part of the overall experience (more people bought the game for and play in the single-player mode than online, after all), and to this end significant changes have been made to both squad and enemy AI. Boomer, after all his mindless antics, has apparently been washed out of the SEALs, leaving you minty-fresh and moron free, so squadmates actually listen to orders this time, and behave more realistically with less interference. You can still issue orders (including a handful of new, more natural ones rather than the cascaded verbal versions you can access with a press of the O button), but your team will be much more on the ball, as will enemies, who will more readily communicate with their comrades and behave more intelligently while under fire.
SOCOM II isn't a huge leap over the first game (in fact, unless you knew them like the back of your hand, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two), but the changes that have been implemented are solid ones, and only serve to make the game that much more impressive. We'll have more detailed online impressions from the public beta in a bit, so keep your eyes peeled.
