Full Spectrum Warrior
- December 11, 2003 16:50 PM PST
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Dabble in the art of war, courtesy of some people who know a thing or two about it.
Bold, sweeping, hyperbolic statements such as ?it?s unlike anything you?ve played before!? aren?t true very often, but here?s an exception to the rule: Full Spectrum Warrior from Pandemic Studios. Its roots are as unique as its gameplay; it?s a ?game? originally commissioned by the U.S. Army roughly three years ago as something to provide soldiers with both recreation and ?field training? in their downtime (if you?ve ever read Ender?s Game, imagine a real-life version of The Giant?s Drink).Full Spectrum Warrior is best described as a very up-close-and-personal real time strategy game in which you control two independent squads of soldiers (though never directly) in a dangerous Black Hawk Down-styled situation, set in a fictional town in the Middle East. The goal of the game is to simulate the act of small-squad command, so your men behave smartly, though you can tell individual team members to ?cover? different areas visually if you feel you might be taken by surprise from behind. Commands are issued by moving a context-sensitive cursor to various parts of the game environment; your squad then automatically follows order and gets under cover.
In the demo level Pandemic had set up, getting through the town?s streets with your men intact involved carefully planning your movements so that one team was moving while the other had any potential enemies engaged and distracted. Making use of broken walls, cars, and corners was absolutely essential. Speed isn?t of the essence in FSW, and the game isn?t really an action game at all despite the intense amount of activity. There are no med kits to pick up and no real weapon upgrades to get along the way.
Pandemic emphasizes that Full Spectrum Warrior, despite its Army roots, is not an Army game or recruitment tool like the America?s Army game. If something ?realistic? turns out not to be fun, they?re removing it from the game. For example, the original FSW had you securing bodies and enemies after they were wounded and on the ground?that?s not in the game anymore. Pandemic is also adding a story that plays out over a 24-hour period, and giving the soldiers personality so that they become characters you know and care about. (Black Hawk Down is cited as a major influence for the game?s 12 missions). And while there aren?t any deathmatch or other multiplayer modes, Full Spectrum Warrior will support 2-player co-op via Xbox Live?one player plays Team Alpha, the other Team Bravo, coordinating their efforts via the Xbox Live headset.
