The definitive Modern Tactical FPS.
It don't have history and every mission are independent and have it's own "surprises". You're a leader of one Swat Squad, compound by four men divided in two teams (blue and red). In the briefing of each mission, you can change your gear and your squad gear to make the best adjustmens before go in to the mission that your team were called.
Also, Swat 4 isn't that kind of game that you just have to shoot everything in sigh, mainly because for the highest mission in Swat isn't kill, but save lives. And together with the bad guys, in the middle of the chaos, you'll encounter many civilians and, kill one of them, is the best path to fail any mission.
Swat 4 also uses a system that work very well and can give it some arcade characteristics but that will rise its replay value: a score system. Every action that you make, can count positive or negative points to you and, depending of the difficult level, you need a minimum of it to reach the next mission. So, if you just kill one suspect, you probably will lose points because you used unauthorized use of lethal force. First, you need to try make all the suspects (and even the civilians) comply, before start to think in shoot anyone. Swat give us many options to do our job without killing, like shooting in the legs or arms, using the Flashbang or the Beanbags ammunition and you can also neutralize an armed and dangerous suspect with the pepper spray. The game only allow you to shoot to kill only in two situations: 1) if any suspect threaten you or anyone of your team and civilian; 2) if any suspect fight back.
The gameplay can be a little strange in the beginning, because you have many options to do many things. But the complexity of the missions will increasing in a slow pace, giving to you time to get used to the commands in the first missions. Make your red team breach one door and drop a CS gas and clear a room while the blue team make the same in another room and you cover their back is an option; or you can also breach a door and make the blue team enter and clean making the red team cover their back.
The movements is also limited too. You can't jump, and shoot while running will make the weapon more difficult to control and will make the aim be worse. If you're shoot in the leg, you'll cannot run anymore. And you can only perform a sidestep walking, so, lean through corners and doors is a safer option than a sidestep through the same corners and doors.
And Swat 4 have another "system" that put the replay value to the highest levels. Everytime that you start a mission, all the suspects and civilians will be randomly re-spawned in the level. So, if in the first time you had play in some specific mission, that room to the left was two suspects, the next time, maybe have more suspects, hostages or even no one inside. And they can be in the next room or in the hallway. Maybe there's no one there. The number of suspects and civilians also changes too.
And when you're tired of the Carree mode (the normal single player mode), you can edit any Swat 4 mission, with many customizable options.
The graphics remember a lot the graphics of Fear, but with less shadows and lights. The game can be a little unstable, mainly when using textures and the bump map in high settings. Also, the movements of the characters can be a little strange, but I think that fit perfect in Swat 4. But the weapon design leave much to be desired.
The sounds make their job. Special attention to the explosions effects, that really shine here. The voices are a little repetitive too.. but well interpreted. The music means nothing here, and sometimes can flurry you in some ways.
But, for me, only one reason separates Swat 4 for 10: it's AI. Not that is bad, it's great, but, sometimes, can be a little idiot. Idiot enough to make you give up for sometime to play it. And the worse? because of your teammates. Almost always, they will give you many headache. I always had to stay close to them, giving orders and taking care of them, looking if they were doing everything right or they can be just shoot down without even retaliate the suspects.
Swat 4 have a great Multiplayer. I played for sometime, and I had much fun playing it. Have four modes, including the Cooperative mode (my favorite). The lag can mess a little with gameplay, but I think that is only matter of time to get used to it.
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