Ubisoft's Xbox Live™ hit Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon™ 2 has, to date, been missing only one thing: downloadable content. And, true to form, the first content forGR2 is a doozy, and, wouldn't you know it, it's totally free. This is not a simple map bundle—though we do get three new maps. Ubi's also polished up eight new weapons, two new multiplayer skins (Korean gear and digital camouflage), five new kit restrictions, and even a couple of new game types.
Check out the new digital threads.
New Game Types Not content (Get it? No? Probably for the best …) with playing the original modes in GR2? Here are the new ways you can play.
Assassination This is your squad-on-squad kill-the-leader-style match, a two-squad affair where each squad has two basic goals—eliminate the enemy officer, or defend him. The game is on a clock, and you're scored on how long the officer lasts if you're defending or how long it takes to whack him if you're on offense. (Can you really say "whack" when writing about a Clancy game?)
Recovery Capture the Flag. What, you need more? All right, how about Capture the Flag soaked in delicious strategic gameplay that requires sharp team communication, stealthy tactics, and high levels of coordination? Besides, it's Capture the Flag. It's what online multiplayer was practically invented for.
The Train Yard Interior map is GR2 film noir.
New Maps Naturally, the new maps go with the new game types, as well as original flavors like Seek and Destroy. They all have railroad tracks, so beware of men in top hats with funny mustaches and nasal voices.
Railway Valley A sniper's paradise of boulders, winding ravines, and scattered areas for cover. Only problem for all you potential assassins? It's broad daylight. Step softly and consider one of those funny hats with the branches stuck on the top.
Train Yard Forest Squad games and massive solo games are well-suited to this Lon Chaney Jr.-esque hunting ground, which has only a few areas with decent lighting, with enough shadows to hide an entire squad of Larry Talbots. The first of two Train Yard spin-offs, making this one huge contiguous map, the forest is nice and expansive for the big firefights.
Train Yard Interior We're talking full-on film noir: You're pretty much going to be in total darkness or dashing through terrifyingly bright open areas, with very little in between. I mean, challengingly bright. I'm not terrified. This map is tight, in case the name didn't clue you in, and the polar opposite of the Forest. Go in with a small team or alone.
New Weapons And last, but certainly not least, the new toys:
AS56 SA W An M4 on belt-fed steroids.
FAMAS G2 Quick-firing standard weapon of the French army. Don't even, Chester.
FAMAS/M203S France plus, now with explosive grenades.
M8 Compact Exactly what you'd expect—an M8 designed for close-quarters fighting, with lousy long-range accuracy, but it's easy to get around with.
Mk 48 LMG An Mk 46 with bigger stuff in it. Nothing wrong with that. As long as you're not trying to prove anything.
MP5 SD An SMG that's not quite as quiet as Sam Fisher might prefer, but is plenty quiet for GR2.
MSG-90 A German sniper rifle based on the G3. (Which is not the German version of E3; in German, Germany starts with a D.)
S9 SD Sniper This high-tech version of the G36 rifle (I'm thinking these last two are custom-made for Railway Valley) uses subsonic ammo and also boasts suppressive fire.
