SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault

Another year, yet another generic fledgling democracy to protect.

As in every other game that features a gun, the sniper rifle is a deadly piece of weaponry. Provided your aim's good enough.

As in every other game that features a gun, the sniper rifle is a deadly piece of weaponry. Provided your aim's good enough.

The SOCOM franchise has always had a strong polarizing effect on gamers: you either loved it or hated itthere was no middle ground. The fourth entry in the aging series, Combined Assault, is only going to widen this divide to a Grand Canyon like length (or width, as the case may be), because, for better or for worse, it's pretty much the same old game you've come to love or hate.

Killing Fields

American-style democracy has taken tentative root in the fictional country of Adjikistan, and the rebel thugs aren't thrilled about being told to give up the lucrative opium trade, creating plenty of opportunities for a SEAL team to make an impact. While the objectives you pursue are clearly defined, the sprawling landscapes give you ample opportunity to explore and plan. Oftentimes, you'll reap huge rewards from simply taking the time to skirt a site to determine its weak points.

Such choices and other dynamic events keep the campaign interesting. For instance, let an arms shipment get away in an early mission, and you'll see those same weapons pointed at you later on. You also have the option to kill everything that opposes you, or you could use non-lethal rounds to incapacitate and capture opponents. The basic concepts and design philosophy are as sound as ever, but a number of problems drag the whole business down a few pegs.

Herding Jarheads

Even the most ardent fans of SOCOM have long complained of the sheer stupidity of the comrades they're forced to operate with. You can tell your men to follow you until you're blue in the face, but it won't help one bit if one or more of them manage to get stuck behind an obstacle (such as their own feet). Too often, it seems that your only options are to wrestle endlessly with unheeded orders, or do your best as a one-man army. Neither option is terribly appealing if you're looking for a compelling squad-based experience, and given the improved AI the enemy is blessed with, this sort of monkey business is ridiculous.

Thankfully, Combined Assault introduces a third option: online four-player cooperative assaults are finally a reality, and it makes an enormous difference as it is the only truly enjoyable way to experience the main campaign. You'll likely want to drum up some friends instead of putting up with the foul-mouthed strangers you'll run into in competitive multiplayer, but even that and occasional lag spikes can't keep this from being a wonderful addition.

Shooting the Moon

This is the best-looking of the SOCOM titles, but it's still a bit ratty around the edges. Over-the-top military themes and competent sound effects can only draw so much attention away from pixelated textures, sharp-angled slopes, and a frame-rate that sometimes struggles to stay above 25 frames-per-second. Even with the sub-standard imaging, it sometimes seems like the game is too busy rendering to respond to button presses. Trying to stand, crouch or hit the deck in the middle of an intense firefight is a crapshoot at best, and there are only so many times you can take one in the neck before a controller gets broken. Even worse, it's entirely possible to have a clear line of fire to a target in your scope, and expend round after perfectly aimed round without effect thanks to pitiful collision detection. We'd gladly give up snow effects, pyrotechnics, and improved vehicle controls if it meant accurate targeting and more responsive controls on foot.

Ultimately, Combined Assault has spent too little time improving the problems that have plagued it since basic training. The multiplayer experience is sure to satisfy hardcore fans' need for new maps, and the return of the popular Crosstalk goodies introduced in SOCOM 3 and Fireteam Bravo are welcome, but this series needs to try a lot harder if it's going to stay relevant in the years ahead.

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