December 9, 2006 - I've always loved the SOCOM series' strategic methodical gameplay based on real world events set realistic environments. The original Fireteam Bravo, released last year, was a very solid shooter with several noticeable flaws, primarily in its overly difficult controls and simplistic targeting mechanism. Fireteam Bravo 2 doesn't really address these issues, but builds on the experience of the original and offers up a few new features along the way.

The presentation is as good as the best titles on any system. I was absolutely blown away by the initial cutscenes that bookend the core missions in campaign mode. The graphics are gorgeous and the voice acting is just as good. I would even say that the initial presentation rivals that of its distant PS2 cousins. The interface is as slick as they come, making preparation for battle appropriately complex, without delaying getting into the game needlessly. This is both good and bad for the title as it boded well for my initial perception of this being a quality title, but served to highlight some of the more glaring oversights as well, namely game design and gameplay.

Those who've completed Fireteam Bravo are probably wondering what's new this time around? In an effort to make it worthwhile to tactically maneuver through a level rather then blowing everything to pieces, the developers have implemented a pair of new reward systems that are designed to introduce a more tactical experience. The first of these is Command Equity, which is attained by completing secondary mission objectives. As you earn points you'll eventually be able to call in a bit of support to help you on your mission, one of these being air strikes that will clear an area of threats. The second reward system is Local Influence, as you rescue civilians and generally treat them well; they'll help you out with obtaining weapons or providing the locations of enemy soldiers. For the most part these features are well-conceived, but I didn't find either one of them to be a dominating factor that changed the dynamics of the game all that much. For those who prefer the run-and-gun style of play then these features will likely go overlooked, otherwise it adds a more tactical dimension to the gameplay formula.

With that said the gameplay mechanics of Fireteam Bravo 2 haven't changed much from the original, and carry along many of the same problems. During my first exchange with the enemy I fired two well-placed rounds into my target from a fairly close range, with absolutely no reaction. He was then alerted by my backup, whom I had commanded to follow me, which resulted in me taking some damage, before said wingman could drop the baddie. It's worth mentioning that my back up was able to dispatch the victim from the same distance that I tried from, causing me to wonder what was up with the collision detection. I then continued down an extremely linear path, leaving my trusty teammate to hold his position while I scoped out the next enemy. I engaged my scope, lined up the enemy's head using the reticule and fired twice with no result. Moving forward a few feet alerted the enemy who had turned around and spotted me. Shooting this time produced the desired result, finally. Eventually you learn to live with these issues and even come to expect them, but they are still somewhat detrimental to the game.

As with the original SOCOM Fireteam Bravo release on the PSP last year, this game also features an overly generous lock-on system which pretty much means you can drop and enemy even if your reticule is 20 plus degrees off of the target, which removes the challenge of lining up that precise shot. Another tactic that is regrettably unnecessary here is stealth, again due to the aforementioned level design and the incredibly odd behavior of the NPC's in the game. With the exception of certain more expansive levels later in the game, you'll find that there is a real lack of choice as to how you approach certain levels. That's because, as mentioned earlier, most levels have a set path to your ultimate goal from which you cannot stray. Want to hammer out that sub objective before moving on to the bigger goals? You can't. You'll simply have to go through the scripted motions before moving on to primary objectives. Want to sneak in the prone position past that unsuspecting enemy? Sorry. Paths are narrow with no discernable hiding spots save for a bush or a rock here and there. Even in more urban areas, you aren't really given much choice as to which structures you can enter or how you will go about dispatching foes. The extent of the stealth elements here boil down to not getting too close to an enemy you've spotted as to avoid moving into his line of sight. The threshold between remaining undetected and being spotted is more akin to an on off switch, as if there is a piece of angel hair pasta separating being fully concealed or in open sight.