Preface
As I wrote previously, I played the open beta of Ghost Recon: Wildlands, and it was a blast. So, I got the game just after it’s release, and I’ve put a couple of hours into it.
So far, so good
I’ve made a new custom character and I’ve re-done the first mission from the beta. But that’s where it stops, I’ve not experienced this game the same way as the beta.
So far, none of my friends have the game, so I’m playing solo (I could be match-made into it, but I’ll try that later on). This means testing out the AI allies and trying to be stealthy, whilst commanding 3 people that all follow the same command (not easy to set up an assault when you can’t move individuals to different spots….).
Sync shots work really nicely, having your ghosts take out folk after you’ve tagged them with your drone is a really nice mechanic that works pretty well.
I’ve been mopping up a few side-missions on the first area of the map, so lieutenants, weapon parts, supplies etc, and honestly, it’s been a great way to settle into the rhythm of the game. Choose an approach, mark out the enemies, clear the area, get your objective, simple! When you have a good, stealthy assault, you feel like you’ve really accomplished something, when it goes wrong…….well, the enemy AI is aggressive! Even on normal difficulty. I like the challenge, but when your allies are running around like morons, it’s hard not to get frustrated!
I’ve been enjoying the couple of hours I’ve played, and look forward to some proper co-op and actually advancing the story.
Gut reaction
With most games, you get a “feel” for how you’re going to enjoy it, and whether or not you think it’s worth your time and money.
I can see this getting repetitive with just AI, but I think it’ll really shine with co-op.
The game looks wonderful, it sounds really nice (I even got some of the soundtrack from uPlay) and apart from the awful vehicle controls, everything feels really tight, mechanically speaking.
I can see me playing this right through to the end, probably not 100% completion (I never do!), but I’m looking forward to giving it my time, and to experiencing it with others, whether they are strangers in match-making, or with friends.
Let’s see how it goes!