“There aren’t any new game concepts.” I hear that
way too much. I reply by asking them if they’ve played a few specific, highly
innovative games. One of the titles I mention is Full Spectrum Warrior, a
real-time, on-the-ground-and-in-your-face strategy game that blew me away when
it was released last year. I was so impressed that, at the end of my review, I
said that the developers might as well have called it “Full Spectrum
Brilliance.”
Awaiting a sequel but not thinking I’d get one
(yet), I didn’t go into E3 with full spectrum anticipation.
Shortly before the show began it was confirmed
that a new FSW game was on the way – Ten Hammers. I rejoiced but at the same
time wondered: can they pull it off? Can they make a grand sequel that quickly?
My question was answered when I arrived at THQ’s
booth, and that answer is yes.
Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers doubles the
number of teams you can control. The new teams – the third and fourth teams –
include new gameplay mechanics like controlling a special forces sniper team (!)
and driving a jeep or tank (!!!).
No limits apply to when teams can be selected.
Any can be chosen at any time with the press of a button. Each team member has
his own weapon, his own strength, and his own way of attacking. These elements
were present before, but now you have a legion of new, more sophisticated
enemies to worry about. There are more places to hide, and more firepower on
both sides of the war.
Tanks are awesome because of their versatility.
Almost nothing can touch them. You can literally use it as a movable shield.
Follow behind the tank and stay clear of oncoming bullets. Staying behind might
also protect you from a well-targeted missile, but you’d better not be standing
too close to the tank when it hits. Otherwise you’ll get to find out what it’s
like to emulate the actions of your favorite Mortal Kombat fatality.
Ten Hammers’s graphics have not yet reached the
level of realism that the original offered. The animations are in place, the
camera is reliable, and the frame rate is solid, to say the least. Some of the
new locales are narrower than the wide-open cities players are used to
navigating, but the game held up well. New areas present new challenges, both to
the players and the developers, and right now they’re very satisfying.
New to the series is the ability to infiltrate
buildings and coordinate attacks from there. With a sniper team in place, have
your other teams move toward the target. The sniper can keep watch over the area
and take out anyone who poses a threat to your unguarded soldiers. This could
end up creating the most exciting scenarios in the game, forcing players to
frantically switch between teams, scan the area for danger, and make sure that
everyone is covered at all times.
