Any game boasting the Clancy name can be expected to provide unique and immersive multiplayer game types and options, but Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™ brings this tradition to new heights. Let's dive into some of the most compelling options available and then unravel the game modes you can expect to encounter.
Charge! Wait, wrong game.
Game Modes Before messing about with unbelievably detailed customization options, you must first decide the basic structure of the game you want to play. You can select from:
Elimination: At its most basic, this is the deathmatch mode. The goal is to eliminate as many targets as you possibly can to either reach the set goal or find yourself on top when time runs out.
Territory: Whether solo or with teammates, you need to control specific points on the map for the longest amount of time possible. It's very similar to the Halo® 2 game type of the same name. The strategy required (solo or with a team) is unique as you try to trick and bait opponents into making mistakes while trying to protect yourself, even as you attempt to control a position for a few seconds more.
Objective: In opposition to the straight deathmatch of Elimination and the more centralized strategy in Territory, Objective requires you complete specific objectives on each map in opposition to the opposing team or players (for example, placing sensors without alerting the enemy).
Campaign (co-op only): Playing cooperatively with fellow gamers, you battle wits with the A.I. in more mission-style objective gameplay. Not copying levels from the single-player experience, Campaign mode online introduces whole new missions and scenarios to play out with friends.
Wait, where's Unpro?
With the exception of Campaign mode, the game types are available for solo, team, and co-op play. It's also important to note that each game mode features unique rules that change the way the game is approached. For example, when playing Elimination matches solo online, you can choose from:
Bounty Hunter: You're given a target at the beginning of each round with the goal of only killing whoever is currently your target. If you kill anyone else, your score is penalized.
Sharpshooter: This is more basic deathmatch, with everyone being fair game, and everyone worth one point when you take them down.
Thief: Whoever has the most kills is designated the Thief. If you kill the Thief you score two points, while everyone else is worth just one.
Seek and Destroy: The player who tags the first kill is given a special weapon and is designated the target. The target gets points for killing everyone else; however, everyone else hunts the target only.
Further Customization
Of course, even beyond the sub-game-types are literally dozens of different options. Standard options (like number of players, voice channel, respawn wait timer, and map rotation) are all available, as can be expected, but here are a few unique options to consider:
Method of Player Assignment: Picking and organizing teams can be a tricky business, but you have the following options:
Player Control: This lets each player decide which team they play for.
Host Control: Much the opposite of Player Control, this puts the onus on the host to decide who plays with whom.
Random: If cooler minds don't prevail, stick it on Random and let chance decide.
Class Modifiers: Four different classes each posses different strengths and weaknesses. For example, you want your Grenadier wielding the big weapons rather than on sniper duty. However, in multiplayer matches, you can choose to turn the modifiers on or off, either ensuring that each class functions differently or that everyone is on a level playing field, with no specialties or major weaknesses.
Kill Camera: This feature has been used before (think Battlefield 2: Modern Combat™), letting you spot just where your attacker is after they kill you, but Advanced Warfighter lets you decide whether to keep the camera on or turn it off.
Allow Weapon Pickup: Turn this option on to let players swap out their primary weapon for that of their fallen enemy.
Respawn Invulnerability: No one likes spawn campers, and if you're worried about them ruining the experience, you can make sure that players that have just spawned get a moment to collective themselves before getting shot at. Don't worry, the players that just spawned can't shoot until their invulnerability has worn off.
Perspective: The host can choose whether the viewpoint is locked into either first person or third person. Of course, they can choose to lock into neither and let the players decide.
Ally/Enemy icons at work.
Edit Identity The glut of customization options doesn't end there. A few options affect only your player. You can:
Choose Default Class: Specify which class you always want to start out as.
Class Appearance: You can customize some basic appearance options to create a unique look for each class. For example, you can swap out different hats, sunglasses, facial types, and even camo-face-paint patterns.
Controller Setup: Everyone has their own personal pet control configuration, and you can set yours under Edit Identity so that you're always set to go with the arrangement you like.
With three basic game-mode structures customizable with different sub-types and a host of more specific tweaks and changes, there's nearly no end to the unique experiences you can play out in Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. Now you have a solid idea of what to expect, but, remember, we haven't listed every last option, nor have we discussed the ten different maps available. There are plenty of little surprises left to discover.
