A solid addition to the Ghost Recon series, Desert Siege provides additional weapons and maps to test your skills on.
User Rating: 8.4 | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Desert Siege PC
Ubi Soft Entertainment has done it once again by releasing the first action-packed expansion for Ghost Recon. Gameplay has not changed much from the original Ghost Recon, but a few changes can be noted. First off, in the soldier selection screen, you have the opportunity to add an extra four skill points to any attributes of the soldier, to signify that time has passed and that they have received more experience within that time period. A few specialists from the original game will be returning, such as Nigel Tunney and Lindy Cohen. One new specialist is available, wielding a PKM support class machine gun, and is of Eritrean background. All in all, this expansion pack really sets up a whole new scenario for the Ghosts, and I’m sure that you’ll have fun playing through every tense moment. Much of the music in Desert Siege is similar to that of the original Ghost Recon, which is still being composed by Bill Brown. I am however disappointed that there aren’t any new melodies to accompany the switch from the Georgian theatre in the original Ghost Recon to the Ethiopian-Eritrean atmosphere in Desert Siege. One new thing that is problematic are the conflicts with the sound compatibility between the game and the computer. It will usually result in popping or crackling noises in the game, which are very subtle, but over time might start to become annoying. Overall, the soundtrack still remains solid and supplies the game atmosphere nicely. But the sound compatibility conflicts will downplay the rating a bit. Like any other expansion pack, Desert Siege will be adding more maps to the multiplayer gameplay, and gives you the capability to select from a wider array of weaponry when loading out for battle. There aren’t any outstanding new features that come along with Desert Siege, mostly maps, weapons, and a few new multiplayer features that build upon the first multiplayer system of the original Ghost Recon. The hardware requirements for Desert Siege are the exact same as the original Ghost Recon: Intel Pentium II 450MHz, 128MB RAM, 16MB 3D Accelerator, 4x CD-ROM drive, 1GB disc space. Like I said in my review for the original Ghost Recon, these requirements are very good, as they can broaden the player spectrum since not all gamers have an excellent PC to run games with. This game can be supported on older PCs, thus allowing more to enter the battlefield as the Ghosts. Now the story shifts from the Georgian theatre to the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict. The year is 2009, one year after the original Ghost Recon takes place. The conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea has escalated, and both nations are now at war. The Ghosts are called in to assist the Eritreans after their desperate cry for help. The story in Desert Siege is somewhat easier to follow than in the first one, but it’s still more for the people who understand global politics. Yet again, another classic Tom Clancy storyline that involves military, politics, and a sense of darkness. In general, the storyline is tweaked a bit better, so you can understand it more, but most people still sit down and play Desert Siege for the action and realism. The types of graphics that are in Desert Siege are not too much different than in Ghost Recon. Though the developers at Red Storm still haven’t mastered ‘rag-doll’, as I occasionally still see a guy floating four feet off the ground after I’ve killed him. The only massive change that is noticeable is, of course, the desert environment. It is extremely well portrayed, as the developers do their best to make the environment look real. In some daytime environments, you might not be able to see extremely far due to the sand that usually shrouds the area. Other times, however, it might be so clear that you can even feel the scorching desert sun beating down on you. The African environment is extremely nicely portrayed, and I can definitely say with confidence that Red Storm has raised the bar again with realistic first-person shooters.
