I have found the perfect PlayStation 2 game. That's quite a bold statement when reviewing a game, is it not? Let's not lie to each other here; I generally do not like to express my opinions of games in the beginning, yet here I am blurting praises in the opening paragraph. Honestly it took me a very long time to even figure out how I was going to open this article, and only one statement could be pooled from my collective thoughts: I have found the perfect PlayStation 2 game. Now, let me clarify one factor in the overall scheme of how my gaming attitude works: I've never played a military-based title. Oh, I own a copy of Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, and even Counter-Strike, but I've never played them, nor have I understood the fascination with real-world scenarios these games approximate. Had SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs not included Internet capability I probably would not have played that title either. I'll admit that concept is rather prejudice of me, and I certainly ask for forgiveness, for I was extremely wrong in shunning military-based titles prior to my experience with SOCOM. Thank Sony and Zipper Interactive for that revelation, as SOCOM has completely opened new doors for me in the gaming genre. Will SOCOM appeal to everyone? That question I cannot answer, but this title has a few perks that should catch any gamer's attention. The only drawback to SOCOM is its price: a whopping $60 if you plan on using the cool headset (and I insist that the headset package be considered). The vanilla version will cost around $40, so spending the extra $20 is not bad considering what the headset offers. I must say the headset feature literally blew my pants off (and nearly caused my eyes to poke out according to the Wife), however, there's more on that aspect in a bit. First, there's no doubt in my mind that this is one of the last reviews of SOCOM to be published, so I'm going to assume that gamers are already aware that SOCOM is the game to play online where the PlayStation 2 is concerned. Every time I think of the game, I picture the TV commercial where a group of friends is playing online, frantically yelling at each other through their headsets as they are ambushed by another aggressive team, finally losing and talking about how good that other team was. The next shot of the commercial reveals a few Navy SEALs sitting in front of a PlayStation 2, grinning and saying: " it's like shooting fish in a bucket." That single commercial completely illustrates the frantic gameplay of the online component found in SOCOM, however gamers will need to subscribe to a broadband Internet service in order to experience it. Obviously the PlayStation 2 Ethernet adapter is necessary to play. The adaptor is not hard to install, and it even comes with a few playable demos and a free copy of Twisted Metal Black (you have to mail in a certificate for that however). While going into installation details was not my intention in this review, it will take a few moments to set up, and will also require a small amount of space on the PlayStation 2 memory card (for network / dial-up data storage). Gamers with only a dial-up connection should not even bother trying to play online, as SOCOM supports broadband connections only.

With the actual connection issue out of the way, now would be a good time to suggest using Logitech's Netplay Controller (source) as the primary input controller, as this device combines the Playstation 2 gamepad with a keyboard, eliminating the switch between devices. Although having a USB keyboard greatly enhances the game (but it's not required like EverQuest Online Adventures), it's still rather awkward moving from keyboard to gamepad. The Netplay Controller eliminates that annoying switch, keeping everything needed to play SOCOM in one hand-held unit. With that said, it may take some time to get used to, as gamers are required to hold a full-sized keyboard throughout the game. In essence, this is the peripheral to buy if switching between gamepad and keyboard gets annoying. I love using the Netplay Controller; it should make online gaming easy (even with games like Unreal Tournament and the upcoming MMORPG Final Fantasy XI). Still, the $69.95 price might scare away some consumers. As just mentioned, using a keyboard is not really necessary to play SOCOM, however they make for fast communication while hanging out in the SOCOM chat rooms despite the fact that a software keyboard is provided in game. Whether using the Netplay Controller or the standard PlayStation 2 controller, the actual controls of SOCOM were easy to use and not hard to figure out at all. Taking the reigns of a SEAL Commander, the player moves by hitting the left analog stick, and uses the right analog stick to look around and aim weapons. The Commander will either stand, crouch or lay prone by hitting the "Triangle" button while the "Square" button allow him to jump. The game is played mostly in a 3^rd perspective point-of-view, positioning the camera slightly behind the SEAL player's control. However, the point-of-view can be changed by hitting up or down on the directional button; this also cycles through the weapon scope and night vision goggles as well (when available). The actual weapons are fired using the R1 button, and if players have other tools in hand (such as a timer or grenade), this button will trigger those devices as well. Weapons and other devices are cycled by hitting left or right on the directional button. The "O" button activates the command menu, displaying a list of different commands that can either be chosen with the controller or –better yet- spoken with the headset. As an example, I could hit the "O" button and say: "Team" then "Attack To" and then "Charlie." After those commands are spoken, the other three members of my team will voice their acknowledgement and proceed to the designated area. I cannot stress the utter coolness of this eye-popping feature: commanding SEALs by speaking orders through the headset. Gamers who play SOCOM without the headset are missing out on half the fun, as SOCOM brings an interactivity I have never experienced before. There's no doubt the headset feature boosts my ratings through the roof, but let me add this one little tidbit before moving on: I didn't use the headset until the very last time I played prior to writing this review. With that said, I deemed SOCOM to be the perfect PlayStation 2 game even before I donned the headset. If the name hasn't really implied what SOCOM is about, then let me clarify things: players are in charge of a four-man unit sent into various terrorist scenarios. In one instance, my group had to sneak aboard a ship as it floated in the ocean, clean out all the terrorists and then plant a few detonators in order to sink the ship. In another scenario, we had to infiltrate a shrine occupied by terrorists and rescue a very important man. Generally the missions consist of rescues, ambushes, Intelligence gathering, and even all-out assaults. We have traveled through swamps, snow-covered fields and even exotic locations. We are the U.S. Navy SEALs, and we are doing our job to protect the United States by slinking into locations and taking out the enemy. As the Commander of the squad, it is my duty to carry out each mission with speed, precision, while incurring the least number of non-hostile casualties. And you know what? SOCOM makes me feel like a bad-ass, sniping fool throughout all twelve missions. Honestly, I have no idea what the storyline behind SOCOM is about. On one hand, I'm the commander of a small group of SEALs sent into various locations to deal with terrorists, however all twelve single-player missions are tied together with an overall light plot. The first mission my group was assigned took us aboard a freighter that contained valuable intelligence. Once those documents were retrieved, the freighter had to be destroyed. Once that was completed, the next assignment took us into a ghost town where we have to extract a captive named "Pincushion." Information supplied by this man led us to an oil platform, as terrorists had taken hostages and planted three bombs throughout the site. All of this spanned three entire missions in Alaska (Operation Frostbite), however gamers will also travel to Thailand, the Congo, and finally Turkmenistan where the plot ends hunting down two Al-Qadi leaders: Kitten and Fat Cat, the masterminds behind all of the game's terrorist activities.

Players taking control of the Commander are not alone during the missions. There is a briefing before each mission begins, detailing the many objectives needed to complete before the mission can be called a success. Hitting the select button will bring up a Tactical Map of the area (via satellite) and a checklist of objectives to complete. [ala Operation Flashpoint – ED] Arrows show players exactly where to go, taking them from one objective to another in the entire mission's process. Specified navigational points are labeled as well, enabling the player to tell team members exactly where to go. For example, if I wanted my squad members to head to an area marked on the map as "C," then I would tell them to "Stealth To Charlie." The map is essential to completing missions, and keeps players from getting lost in the woods or swamps, and allows players to keep track of their squad members. While the scenarios (or levels) are not boundless, they are quite large and will take a while to complete. I believe one mission took around thirty minutes to accomplish, however there was quite a bit of stealth involved, forcing me to take my time. Being sneaky is a necessity in SOCOM; after all, you're there to take out the enemy quickly and quietly without acquiring a bullet to the head. Once each mission is completed, players are graded on performance; whether this affects the outcome I have no idea, but it definitely makes me want to play the mission over just to see if I could do better. After a mission is completed, the progress can be saved to memory before the next mission begins. If players are killed during the mission, then that failed mission begins again unless aborted. Getting back to the point, the actual scenarios are awesome to look at in the visual department, and could deem the game to have some of the best graphics found on the PlayStation 2. I tend to say that quite a lot lately, as I've seen many impressionable games as of late. Still, SOCOM is a beautiful game from the moment it loads the impressive opening sequence to the cold mist emanating from characters in the icy, cold wind. The lighting and textures were great, thrusting me into the virtual world with fluid framerates and detailed, immersive environments. My group of SEALs could hide behind blades of thick, tall grass, or sink down into the swamps and quietly wade towards an enemy outpost. Detailed textures enhance well-constructed, believable models whether they are trees waving in the wind or accompanying SEALs squatting in front of the player. Throw in the standard environmental effects like fog, rain, and falling snow, and SOCOM presents a realistic world that should surely pull any gamer in. Complimenting the visuals is a well-done audio aspect, throwing in environmental sounds and leaving out the dramatic soundtrack found in many other PlayStation 2 titles. I cannot stress enough the importance of the headset, and gamers will hear comments and instructions up close and personal. If a team member gets shot, you'll hear him grunt in pain. Still, even without the headset, the audio effects immerse gamers into the missions, throwing gunshots in every direction or hoisting the whirling of propellers above their heads. While there is a soundtrack of sorts, it was completely forgotten as my squad fought to complete the assigned missions. While I've basically revealed what the single-player campaign is all about, SOCOM isn't much different online. However, rather than playing with the game's AI (team members and enemies), real people are fighting along side and against the player. Once a login is created, players are given a list of choices: News/Messages, Briefing Rooms, Autoplay, Player Ranking, Clan, Invitations, Refresh List, and Options. Autoplay eliminates the manual connection by thrusting the player into the best-optimized game available. The other online options are self-explanatory, so I'll just leave those alone. However, Briefing Rooms are basically servers, and there is indeed a long list of them. Each "room" holds 256 players (I think), and once entered, players can chat (hence needing the keyboard), create a game or join a game. Once a game is joined, players enter a lobby where primary weapons can be assigned and teams assigned (either the SEALs or the Terrorists). When everyone is ready, the "host" player launches and the game begins. The headset is a useful tool in communicating with members of the other team as well as hearing everyone curse at each other. [this process is very similar to the Rogue Spear game set-up – ED]

To be honest, I'm not sure if I really illustrated as to why I think SOCOM is the perfect PlayStation 2 title. Perhaps that task is impossible without boring the reader to tears. Notice that I have not complained one bit; a miracle of sorts coming from a whining gamer such as myself. Not only did SOCOM have to impress me initially, it had to pull me into a genre that I would not have touched prior to this review. SOCOM has impressed me beyond words nonetheless, and hopefully I've conveyed in some part as to why this game is such an awesome title. I must admit that the inclusion of the headset really knocked my socks off, however that was just icing on the cake. SOCOM was an awesome, intense experience even before I discovered that I could talk to my fellow SEALs. With engrossing graphics and sounds, easy controls and a robust online component, SOCOM is definitely the perfect PlayStation 2 title in my book, and will no doubt etch itself into history as a "must-have-must-play-must-worship" title like Counter-Strike and Halo. The Scores: Fun Factor: 10
Once upon a time I snubbed my nose at sniping terrorists, but now I can't seem to stop the killing offline or online. Verbally commanding virtual and organic teammates has to be the coolest thing invented since toilet paper.

Gameplay: 10
The action is definitely intense in the single-player campaign and the online battles. SOCOM forces players to use their instincts as well as learning to be part of a team. Controlling the urge to storm the enemy is a huge factor on how the mission fails or succeeds.

Graphics: 10
Beautiful, detailed environments should suck players right into SOCOM. The game can get dark in some spots, but that's what the night-vision goggles are for!

Sound: 10
There wasn't much of a soundtrack; instead, the game relies on immersive sounds. The headset feature compliments the game by allowing voice commands and character reactions straight into the gamer's ear.

Value: 10
I think a perfect value stems from the online component, as once the single-player campaign is completed, playing online will be the factor keeping this title alive. Of course, gamers can replay missions over and over again to better their evaluation, however it doesn't compare to sniping real people.

Related Links:
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