SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs (16+)
Verdict: AI without the I
Platform: PS2.
Rating: 3/5
How many games these days don’t require complex controls and memory requirements that are no longer just referring to your computer’s RAM? Very few, which brings me to SOCOM 3, a game that at every opportunity trys to squeeze as much information into your brain and on the screen at one time.
There is a reason for this though - it’s a strategic, squad based military shooter. Third in the line for refinement and tweaking it offers vehicles as its reason for existence as you have plenty of opportunities to tear it up in jeeps and boats with your balaclava wearing posse.
As leader of an elite squad of Navy SEALs you are sent on varied missions throughout the world, issuing commands to your team mates on the fly and leading the fight with your customised tool set of weapons. The game is solid, if uninspired and the ability to hand pick your weapons allows for your own play style to shine through (that’ll be the semi-automatic rifle with added x4 scope and frag grenade launcher please!).
Unfortunately whenever I think i’m just about to really start enjoying it one of my elite squad members will start running into a wall or fail to notice the combatants shooting him in the back. Thankfully the enemy are of equal intelligence so they get on quite well. Seeing as i’m (debatably) sentient however I can’t help but get frustrated as I run down countless soldiers with my jeep because they don’t know i’m there (perhaps SOCOM 4 can introduce a horn so I can give them a quick beep before running over their surprised expressions). It’s as if the squad commands aren’t there for strategic control but to make up for the lack of AI, not that they actually help. I play games for fun and to test myself, SOCOM 3 only tests my patience and subconcious knowledge of guns.
Online and LAN play however are its saving graces, offering countless hours of tactical multiplayer fragging - just hope your team mates are a tad more intelligent than the artificial ones.