With SOCOM II, the increased richness of the missions makes it difficult to just sit down and play a mission while you are waiting for your dinner to heat up, or your favorite TV show to begin. This makes for a better game, but also one that will take much more of your time, which could be a big distraction. With this though, the game always remains very challenging as you can try to beat missions using various techniques and strategies. For example, you can try to beat a mission by capturing as many enemies as possible, stealthily shoot enemies at a distance, or you can go all out with a Glock Model 18.

In terms of technical advancement, SOCOM II is more like a service pack to the first edition. The graphics are a little bit better, but there aren’t many new 3D techniques or effects. There are improvements in the details of the environment, but they are subtle. If anything, the responsiveness of the controls is reduced with SOCOM II, with a slower transition between changing weapon firing modes, all in the interest of making the game harder and more realistic.

There is never a shortage of games available for purchase this holiday season. If you enjoyed SOCOM I, you should definitely add SOCOM II to your holiday list. The designers have responded to fan input, by making the game more difficult, making your team members and the competition smarter, a richer graphical environment, and overall a better gaming experience. The only downside is that if this is your first SOCOM experience, you will need to purchase the headset separately since a headset is no longer available as a bundle.

Description:

ADVERTISEMENT