SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals: Mobile Recon is undeniably a clone of Gameloft's Rainbow Six mobile strategy games, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown. The isometric visuals, cursor-driven user interface, mission structure, and weapon selection are almost identical. Shamelessly copying a couple of solid action strategy games wasn't the worst move Jamdat could have made, as the end result is a very enjoyable game. If you've already played the mobile R6 games, think of SOCOM as a worthy expansion with a lessened focus on stealth.
In SOCOM, you command a pair of elite Navy SEAL operatives, Wraith and Bronco, who seem to be more effective and deadly than the heaviest of artillery. You command these war-hardened heroes primarily with a green cursor, which commands your troops to move and to perform context-sensitive actions, like opening doors or shooting at people. Additionally, you can use a short-range sniper rife to pick off foes from a distance, or command Bronco to throw grenades and place C4 explosives. A typical level objective involves killing enemies and destroying their vehicles and machine guns. Hostage situations exist but are infrequent.
While you've got a big ol' combat knife, you won't use it as much as you may have in the mobile R6s. Executing stealth kills and moving undetected through SOCOM's Middle Eastern towns will increase your score at the end of a mission, but it's not a mission requirement. If you're seen, an alarm will go off at the top of the screen, and that's the last you'll hear about it. This emphasis on action is fine and dandy, but the interface seems built for strategic play, which isn't a necessity in SOCOM.
On the other hand, some forethought can ease your advancement through the game. A tactical map, showing friendly and hostile units in the area, helps you plan your attack. If you see that a sniper is placed on a nearby rooftop, you'll want to whip out your own sniper rifle to dispatch him. If there's a machine gunner ahead, it's better to take cover and command Bronco to toss a grenade than to attempt to engage in an all-out firefight. Finally, if you're about to face enemies stationed behind a door, you can plant C4 explosives at the threshold, then stand back and watch havoc unfold. This won't always kill hostiles outright, but it'll damage and disorient them quite a bit. Of course, the kinds of tactical maneuvers in which you can engage are determined by how you kit out your troopers. There are several options, and real-world weapons have been included. So, even though you're not forced to be stealthy, there's a fair amount of strategic gameplay to be enjoyed.
SOCOM looks quite good in motion, and there's a decent variety of hostiles. You'll face guard dogs, RPG-wielders, grenadiers, machine gunners, and generic infantry. These troops are easily distinguishable, thanks to clear and appealing sprite work in the LG VX8100 build. Clothing, hung out to dry, sways slowly in the breeze, dancing synchronously with palm tree canopies. SOCOM animates very fluidly and is probably a greater technology piece than its obvious inspiration (although we were playing on a very high-end phone).
SOCOM's sound effects comprise voice samples and weapon reports. The SEALs under your command say typical navy things, like "moving out!" at the beginning of levels. When you eliminate a target, he'll let out a satisfying scream. After completing an objective or reaching an extraction point, you'll be rewarded with a militaristic drum roll.
SOCOM is an unapologetic rip-off, but it's also just as fun as the games it's borrowing from. Given how alike some PC strategy and first-person shooters are, perhaps these striking similarities aren't so egregious. We would have liked to see online play, as network multiplayer is what defines the PS2 SOCOM experience. In all, though, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Mobile Recon is a very good game, with more to keep you interested than the common scrolling shooter.
