SOCOM 3 Multiplayer Hands-On
We check out some of SOCOM 3's new multiplayer features as we get in on the game's multiplayer beta test.
The PlayStation 2's signature modern combat shooter, SOCOM 3, is just weeks away from release. Some of the most exciting changes to the game are showcased primarily in the multiplayer environment. Instead of just 16 players, the game will now support up to 32 players on a server, along with vehicles. We had an opportunity to participate in SOCOM 3's ongoing, online multiplayer beta test to see how the online aspects of the game are faring.
When the game ships, there will be 12 multiplayer missions included in the game, all of which will have day and night versions, and each will support from three to seven different game types. For the beta test, only one map was available, called Harvester. But if the Harvester map is any indication of the quality of the rest of the maps, then PlayStation 2 owners should finally get a taste of what true vehicle/shooter action is really like.
In order to account for the increased number of players, Harvester is almost twice the size of an average SOCOM 2 multiplayer map. We're told that the other maps in SOCOM 3 will be around the same size, but many of them will also be designed to be subdivided for smaller matches. Harvester is set in the grassy hills of a rolling countryside, with lots of winding roads for vehicles to drive along. There isn't much in the way of trees, but there are plenty of tall grasses in which snipers can use to lie prone behind and stay hidden. Farmhouses, which can be entered and used for cover are also scattered about the map, along with some ruined stone buildings and even a windmill. There's also a small river that winds around the center of the map--heavily armed boats can ply the waters or you can choose to go swimming if you like. The new swimming feature in SOCOM 3 has its advantages and disadvantages. You obviously move a lot slower, and you're not allowed to fire from the water. However, you are allowed to submerge for a period of time, which renders you all but invisible, as the water is fairly opaque. You can't stay submerged forever, though; when you run out of breath you'll be forced to surface.
Vehicles won't necessarily dominate the map, as a number of narrow footpaths crisscross the various roadways. These serve as shortcuts, so if you know what you're doing you can still get from point A to point B quickly, and more importantly, without being seen by heavily armed vehicles. The footpaths can also lead to elevated areas that simply aren't reachable by any vehicle, so those who enjoy the more personal feel of on-foot combat don't need to worry about the vehicles dominating all the gameplay.
That said, the vehicles in the game are a definite highlight. We noticed that the SEALs have two kinds of vehicles on the Harvester map. One is a Humvee with a mounted machine gun on top, with room for four men inside. Another smaller vehicle includes door-mounted guns, which let the passengers shoot while riding (you normally can't fire your weapon as a passenger). But this makes them more vulnerable to fire without having the slight protection of the door. The terrorists on Harvester only get technicals, which are basically pickup trucks with a machine gun mounted in the bed. These vehicles can be destroyed by concentrated fire from other machine gun turrets or even machine guns like the M-60. Grenades and antitank rockets can also take out the vehicles in one shot.
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