Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers Update

Pandemic reps were on hand today to show off a work-in-progress version of Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers, the follow-up to 2004's unique military tactics game. The game features a host of changes from its predecessor, although it still challenges you to take care of business in a fictional Middle Eastern country. Though the first game's methodical pacing turned off some players, there was much to appreciate and expand on, which is what Pandemic looks to have done.

The game's narrative has seen a good measure of improvement thanks to the use of some dynamic storytelling techniques and a unique perspective that changes as you play. The game will tell the story of the taking of a strategic bridge, code-named Ten Hammers, but it will do more than just provide a linear experience. This time out you'll take control of different squads, each with slightly different attributes, to reach your ultimate goal. The various chapters in the game will be broken up into different levels that will each offer a different perspective on taking the bridge.

The gameplay in Ten Hammers has been expanded in a number of different ways due to the fact that Pandemic has developed the game on its own, sans the US Army. Though some purists may worry that the game will lack the original FSW's authenticity, Ten Hammers still sticks closely to the key pillars of its predecessor. The fundamentals of "fix and flank," which found you guiding your forces to outmaneuver your opponents, are still core to Ten Hammers' experience, however, this time out they've been beefed up to give players more options. You'll be able to split your squad up into smaller two-man teams that you can better coordinate to take out enemies. The catch is that your soldiers' combat effectiveness, a rating that determines how well they perform under fire, will play a decisive role in how missions play out, as it will fluctuate fairly dramatically as you play (depending on the situation). The tricky aspect of all this is gauging how your soldiers will hold up in the adverse conditions you'll face.

Besides their unique attributes, your soldiers will all have subtly different reactions to combat that will cause their combat effectiveness rating to change. Getting to know your soldiers' limits will be key to success. If you happen to lose a soldier in combat, you'll lose him for good and will be provided with a replacement. The catch is that the replacement will perform differently from his predecessor, forcing you to learn his limits on the fly. While this is a doable challenge during the early levels of a chapter, it will be pretty challenging if you have to do it at the end of one.

Losing soldiers can happen, but thanks to the new set of options, Pandemic has provided players with ample tools to prevent it, should you choose to take advantage of them. A scout option will let you send out a lone man to let you assess the general layout and safety of where you're about to deploy everyone to. If he happens to get taken out--a pretty clear sign that it's not so safe--a drag command will let you retrieve your other men before you lose them for good. Splitting your teams is also a useful way to safeguard the group, as the small two-man squads can be used to both cover an area more effectively and take out enemies. The balance issue some players may find is that these new features speed up the game's pacing quite a bit over the original game, so it may be tempting to try to power through spots. This is especially tempting now that Pandemic has done away with the "fog of war" mechanic, which used a blurring effect to obscure areas outside your group's field of vision. We'll offer you a pro tip now: Don't rush. The game's script-free, dynamic artificial intelligence will provide a more unpredictable challenge that will require you to be alert at all times. You'll find yourself using just about every one of the new gameplay options over the course of the game. The experience will still be faster than the original, but it will still require you to be methodical.

The visuals are looking sharp and sport some improvements in detail. The new setting, a different section of the fictional country seen in the original, has allowed for greater variety in the game's color palette and terrain. More importantly, the new indoor gameplay offers all-new places to explore. As with the original game, you can expect a hefty amount of physics on display and smooth animations for your troops. The frame rate is holding up, despite the additions to the visuals, and it should please fans.

The audio is on par with the rich, immersive experience provided in the original game already, and it should match, if not surpass, FSW. You'll hear a good amount of ambient noise as you make your way through a level, as well as unsettling bits of silence. The chatter from your group should offer some comfort during the stretches of uncomfortable silence, in addition to offering cues to impending danger...if you're alert.

From the look of the game so far, Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers is shaping up to offer a more accessible experience than its predecessor. The improved pacing and increased number of gameplay options should address a good amount of the original game's rough spots. The multiplayer modes should provide the game with the replayability its predecessor lacked.