Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike is the stand alone expansion to one of the best Xbox live games out there. For only $30 Summit Strike is packed with tons of high quality content that will satisy any fan of Ghost Recon 2 as well as newcomers. I'm not going to get deep into the gameplay since it is identical to that in Ghost Recon 2. But for those of you who are new to Ghost Recon, Summit Strike is essentially an outdoors military tactical shooter set in the near future that can be played in either a 3rd or 1st person perspective (though I think 1st person in Ghost Recon games sucks because you can't see your gun on screen). The single player campaign takes you through 11 missions in Kazakhstan. The levels are huge and you can tackle the objectives in different orders, so the missions are pretty open-ended. There is a healthy diversity of environments, ranging from snowy mountains to cities to deserts. The weather effects like sandstorms, rain, and falling snow are all very nice. Most of the missions will have you leading a four man squad, but there are a couple where you go it alone with better weapons and equipment. The campaign can get pretty tough at times, but luckily you can save at any point in the mission. You can also replay single player missions in different modes, including Helo Hunt, where you must survive against waves of enemy helicopters. Overall the campaign is highly enjoyable and superior to the linear and shallow one that was in Ghost Recon 2. But the online multiplayer is by far the best meat of the game. There are 24 diverse and interesting multiplayer modes, and approximately 24 maps. All the levels from the single player campaign are availible as maps in multiplayer, and there are also some fan favorites back from Ghost Recon 2. The maps are diverse and come in all different sizes. There are also various co-op modes, but I haven't tried those yet. The tactical shooter gameplay works especially well on live. In order to survive online you must have a keen eye, good aim, and be able to proceed using caution and cover. In team games you have to use communicate and cover each other's back. It all turns out to make a very fun, addicting, tension-filled online game. There is a large array of weapons to choose from, both in single and multiplayer. There are plenty of assault rifles, snipers, machine guns and more that are all modeled after real life military weapons. All the weapons from Ghost Recon 2 are included along with a handful of new ones. The game is also graphically impressive. The ragdoll physics are realistic, and the lighting, colors, and textures are all very good too. The natural background audio in the game, such as the wind, birds chirping, rain falling, and snow crunching as you walk on it all sound very nice and add to the immersive quality of the game. The guns sound and feel powerful and realistic for the most part, and the voice acting is solid but nothing special. There isn't any music in the game other than the title theme. Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike is a must have for anyone who enjoyed Ghost Recon 2. If you've never played any game in the Ghost Recon series, then Summit Strike is a great place to start. It's hard to pass up at only $30, but I would have gladly paid $50 for it.
Other Helpful Reviews for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike
WOW, Ghost Recon has come so far since 2002. I Love the very first Ghost Recon when it released on Xbox but I never really got the full experience til I played online for the first time back in 2003. Tom Clancy has of... Read Full Review
Gameplay -------------- its pretty much the same as al lthe other ghost recons accept you have the 3rd person view instead of being stuck in the first person view not being able to see any gun what so ever. The third p... Read Full Review
