Objective Completed

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™ has the most amazing graphics I've ever seen, but that's not what I'm here to tell you. Actually, I'm here to tell you about the in-game features that make Advanced Warfighter interesting and challenging.

A Core of Action
Despite everything else I plan to mention in this article, the core of the game is the action that happens directly at the character level. You command your team and all your support vehicles, but at the end of the day, it's your shooting and staying-alive skills that count. In this game, you carry more than one personal weapon, have to reload, and are responsible for acquiring cover when it's necessary. Put on your ground-troop helmet and get yourself in the right mindset. This isn't backgammon, ladies.

Press Y for most of your actions. Depending on your location, the actions available to you change. Crouch next to one of your wounded comrades and press Y to heal him. Stand next to a barrier and press Y to climb over it. Approach an ammo locker and press Y to refill your supply. You can even pick up discarded weapons or ammo with a press of Y. The simplicity is elegant.

You're at the core of the action.

Tactical Map
Set in the near future, Advanced Warfighter takes advantage of technology currently in the development or conception phase. You have your standard weaponry, but you also have special, futuristic weapons and tools that greatly enhance the fun and challenge of the game. One such tool is the tactical map.

The tactical map serves a number of important game functions. You access the tactical map by pressing the Back button. A three-dimensional display appears, showing you the surrounding area, including all solid structures. The tactical map display reminds you of your current objective.

You can point using the left stick to move the cursor to whatever location you'd like to select. Press up on the D-pad to order your cell mates to the indicated location. You also give move out orders to vehicles and direct the unmanned aerial vehicle—a surveillance drone (see below) that scouts the area for you—through the tactical map

Cross-Com
The Cross-Com feed comes directly into your helmet. Through it, you receive video news reports and communications from your superiors and others in the field. They relay your orders as well as status reports and updates on the location and number of enemy troops in your vicinity.

The addition of the Cross-Com to the game mechanics provides dimensions that greatly enhance gameplay. Through it, you command your troops, allied vehicles in the area, and surveillance drones. The command display of the Cross-Com appears in the upper left portion of the screen. The video display appears in the upper right.

To scroll through the options available to you at a particular time, press left or right on the D-pad. Your options appear in the command display. Your options change based on which support vehicles or troops your superiors have deployed in your area. You usually have access to your cell mates, three seasoned soldiers who follow your orders. Sometimes you may also command ground assault vehicles or helicopters equipped with heavy-duty machine guns.

The command display directs your orders.

Command Your Cell
Select your cell by scrolling through the options in the command display (D-pad left or right). With the left stick, aim the crosshair in your HUD (heads-up display, central to the screen) at the spot where you want to send your cell, and then press up on the D-pad to give the command for them to go there. Press down on the D-pad to recall your cell and have them regroup at your current location. They follow you until you give them the command to move ahead (aim and D-pad up).

You can also direct your cell to actively fire at all enemy targets, or to hold their fire. Use the left bumper to alternate between recon and assault modes. In recon mode, your cell becomes passive and won't shoot unless shot at first. In assault mode, they aggressively initiate contact with the enemy.

Command a Vehicle
Select the vehicle in the command display. Vehicle mechanics work differently than your cell mechanics. To order the vehicle to move, you must use the tactical map (see above). To shoot, aim your HUD crosshair at your intended target and then press up on the D-pad. This commands the vehicle to fire on the selected position. Vehicles typically fire more slowly than foot soldiers, so be prepared for a delay between when you issue the command and when it is actually carried out.

This kind of targeting works through obstacles as well. You do not have to have a clear shot yourself. All that matters is that the unit you're ordering to fire has either a clear shot or the firepower to get through the target's cover. The unit moves to where it can follow its orders (within the limits of realistic movement). As you can imagine, this puts helicopters at a distinct advantage.

Some vehicles pack a wallop!

Command the UAV 3 Cipher
This drone flies around and performs surveillance for you. It scouts enemy territory or covers your behind. Select the UAV in the command display when it's available to you; it may not always be at your disposal. Press the left bumper to switch to detection mode. In your video display at the upper right of your screen, you'll receive an image of what the UAV sees. Unfortunately, the UAV has no weapons and little defense other than its metal shell.

I could go on and on mentioning all the intricate details and intriguing features in Advanced Warfighter. As you make your way through the missions, you'll undoubtedly find many that I didn't cover here. Consider this a preliminary report; your mission is to go into the game and learn the strategies available to you as commander of a team of well-trained soldiers, killer support vehicles, and cutting-edge surveillance equipment. This shooter has dimensions that test your mettle. Ready, soldier? Engage!

Article by Angel Leigh McCoy

• The Ghost Recon home page.