SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs – The Review

We waited, SOCOM 4 arrived, and PSN went offline for a month. Now it’s back and that means we’ve finally had the time to spend online with SOCOM 4, a flagship title for the Sony PlayStation brand. Has Zipper made a game to bring players back to the SOCOM franchise, or does SOCOM 4 disappoint fans like previous games in the series have done in recent years?[nggtags gallery=SOCOM4Review1]

SOCOM 4 is a full package unlike its predecessor, SOCOM: Confrontation, which featured only online play on a handful of maps along with overpriced DLC that came too late after its release.  In this latest rendition of Sony’s tactical third-person shooter franchise, players can fight through a 14 mission campaign, create custom campaigns featuring takedown or espionage style gameplay, play co-operative missions with your friends, and of course you can take the battle on to the [new & improved] PlayStation Network for up to 32 player competitive battles.

The campaign itself is the weakest portion of the game is the campaign as expected. The 14 mission campaign can be completed in approximately 5-7 hours on the standard difficulty level so the games length is on average with most shooters available in today’s’ market. The downside to the campaign is its gameplay which basically has you progressing through a level while fighting waves of enemies. Being an avid fan of the original SOCOM titles on PS2 I really wanted to see a quality campaign in addition to the multiplayer addition. SOCOM used to be able to be played in full stealth mode or you could go loud and play it like an action title. Now when you’re in the campaign, you can be prone moving slowly through the grass, and once you hit the ‘trigger point’ all enemies will automatically know your position and bombard you with gunfire and grenades – there’s no avoiding it. I think its lazy game design, or maybe Zipper just didn’t care because SOCOM is considered primarily a multiplayer title.

However, complaints aside, the campaign is a decent mode if you want to take a look, and there’s a full range of statistics you can track from the main menu. You’ll take part in some challenging gun battles, protect missile launchers, destroy enemy bases, and more. The story takes play in Malaysia and you’ll be trying to take down the leader of the militants who is planning to cripple the Strait of Malacca which is a popular shipping channel. Beyond the typical action missions mentioned above, you’ll often play as a Korean NATO soldier known as ‘Forty-Five’ and with her you play stealth-based reconnaissance missions. While these missions are quite fun, there’s some hitches with the enemy detecting you, and if that happens you’ll likely be restarting from the most recent checkpoint.  The stealth missions are fun, but I do wish every mission could be played in either style, rather than having these restrictions on a per mission basis.

Online co-op can be played with 2-5 players over six maps and allows you take choose from custom missions basically ripped from the campaign. The more players you’ve got for this mode the better because enemies can easily and quickly overwhelm you. Ammo resupply boxes are a good place to hide and you can restock at any time. Checkpoints are somewhat distant and you’ll often have to fight through thirty plus enemies before you can reach a checkpoint so don’t rush it.  An upside to this mode is that it seems to run lag-free, a pleasant surprise knowing past history of the SOCOM franchise.

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The competitive multiplayer is truly what Zipper focused on with SOCOM 4, and the 32 player battles can be extremely frantic. There are nine maps to begin with, plus the recent addition of Abandoned which is a free offer to all PlayStation users. A free addition which is Zippers contribution to the PlayStation “Welcome Back” program comes in the form of three new maps that will release soon – Red Line, Double Cross, and Driftwood. Some maps can be re-sized to play games as small as 8vs8 if you prefer a slower pace of gameplay.

You can play in Standard Mode, Classic SOCOM mode, and custom mode.

Standard Mode

• Best out of 3 Rounds.
• 30 Minute Time Limit for each round.
• Respawn
• Air Strikes
• Blood Splatter

Classic Mode

• Best out of 11 Rounds.
• 5 Minute Time Limit for each Round.
• No Respawn
• No Blood Splatter
• Faster Movements

Custom Mode

• Zipper Created Ranked Rooms
• User Created Clan/Friends list only Joinable Unranked Rooms

The game modes have been completely revamped from the ground up for SOCOM 4 and you’ll no longer see breach, demolition, or *shudder* Escort/Extraction amongst others. SOCOM 4 modes include Last Defense, Uplink, Suppression, Bomb Squad, and a handful of custom game types.

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Last Defense is a challenging mode that relies on team communication heavily as each team battles to control three control points simultaneously. If an enemy captures a point, you’ll need to fill the ‘capture bar’ twice to gain control of the point and this really increases the difficulty as it already takes a lengthy amount of time to fill the bar once. The battle can end in a stalemate if you don’t work together, but if you manage to gain control of each point and hold it, you’ll unlock the location of the enemy base. Plant a bomb in one of the two demolition markers in the main base and it’s over.

Uplink plays out in a style similar to a mix of Capture the Flag/Headquarters (COD franchise) where the attacking team has to steal data from the defending team from random locations on the map. Both teams can see the locations on the HUD, so once you’re near the key points the action gets pretty hectic and you’ll find yourself needing teammates to help flank the enemy.

Suppression is straightforward – kill or be killed. The team with the most kills wins. I prefer classic rules for suppression personally, but if you want to play for a while and rack up experience then suppression is a great mode to do it.

Bomb Squad is easily my favorite mode in the game, and while it heavily relies on teamwork, most people seem to work well together from the community. One player on the attacking team spawns as a Bomb Squad member, fully decked out in heavy armor and armed with unique weapons. While you move noticeably slower you can take more explosive damage and gunfire before being killed. Your team has to protect you and help you reach three bombs on the defending teams’ side of the map and disarm then. If you disarm all three bombs in a round you earn a win. Only the bomb technician can disarm the bombs though, so if other team members are going off on their own then it can be a detrimental factor to winning.

Custom game modes for competitive play include SCRUM, Sniper Alley, Last Defense Run ‘n Gun, and Community Day Classic.  These modes can feature weapon restrictions, faster maneuverability, reduced weapon damage and more. The Community Day Classic alone offers a medley of 8vs8 “Classic” variations on the main game modes of SOCOM 4, but they feature faster movement and no ranged explosives.

For the most part the online play has been lag-free with the exception of 1-2 games, or brief moments within a game.  The gameplay varies depending on the mode but it’s usually quite fast-paced rather than a leisurely stroll through the jungle.  Some modes prove more difficult than others, and playing without a headset (or a competent team) isn’t really recommended but I’ve yet to find myself becoming frustrated with the game which happens quick with those other shooters that people seem to enjoy.

Maps vary in terms of design, but for the most part everything looks astounding. The level of detail is very impressive in the jungle, and it carries into the city-based maps too. Battered building, destroyed vehicles, and impressive draw distances make it a treat for the eyes. Textures can be weak at times but its nearly unnoticeable thanks to all the extra detail in bringing the levels to life. Add in the very motivating soundtrack that dynamically changes based on the objective in game and it proves to be a very presentable package. The soundtrack itself was composed by Bear McCreary who is best known his work on the recent revival of the Battlestar Galactica TV series. During the battles the gunfire sounds quite realistic for most weapons, but unless you’re using a quality audio system you may not hear what you’re supposed to hear.

Is SOCOM 4 worth taking a look, and has Zipper finally brought justice back to the franchise? Definitely! It’s a fresh take on the franchise the new gameplay modes are a blast to play. The online play appears to run smooth and doesn’t have any major hindrances, and controls are easy to pick up once you determine the sensitivity settings that you’re most comfortable with. Note that the PlayStation move and Sharp Shooter works as well, but it may not be the best choice against seasoned veterans when playing competitively.

With the nine maps out of the box and the upcoming free DLC, Zipper has a great package for fans of both the franchise and the genre.  Say welcome back to PlayStation Network by picking up a copy of SOCOM 4 if you haven’t done so already – it’s got endless hours of entertainment and you can find a copy in the $40-$50 range easily (Hint: Amazon.com).