SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo
Score: 68% ESRB: Mature Publisher: SCEA Developer: Zipper Interactive Media: UMD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action
Graphics & Sound: SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo isn’t the prettiest gal on the block, to say the least. While the PSP is known to be able to pull off some crazy polygons, the way they are implemented here is just trash. The textures look like they have been puked out by someone who eats a lot of dirt. Most of the locales are bland looking, and while the setting is supposed to be in a third world country, I’m not so sure if the looks have pulled that off very well. Sound-wise, you get what you might expect. Recorded dialogue plays a fairly large part here, and the speech is clear and understandable. Most of the time you will hear nothing, save for a little chattering from nearby enemies or allies. When the action picks up, the tinny sounds of gunfire fill the speakers. While they’re not bad, they certainly don’t do that great of a job at immersing you into the firefights.
Gameplay: SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo is basically a stripped down version of the PS2 game. In it you lead a two man team called Fireteam Bravo along run-of-the-mill missions. The same stealth-like action is present here as in the console version, as well as the emphasis on commanding your teammate to carry out various tasks. While the formula may have worked on the console, it doesn’t conform well to the PSP. First off, the missions are lengthy, predictable, and boring. Everything about them screams "standardized". You have a set of objectives which lead you around a map filled with bad guys. The objectives begin to get arbitrary after a while; they are simply there to string together a lot of shooting or sneaking. It is usually up to you which method you prefer, either to sneak or to shoot, but you will find the only reason to alter your method is to relieve the monotony. Before each mission, you can customize your team’s arsenal and equipment. Fitting out a grand total of two people doesn’t quite lend a hand to make the game much more dynamic, but at least you have some options to play with before each mission. There are various types of close and long-range weapons, as well as grenades, suppressors and scopes. However, like in the console version, these are mostly for show. Finding the biggest gun will more often than not be the best solution for any given mission, as they generally degrade into shoot-em-up action. In hopes of squeezing some connectivity out of the dying PS2, the developers have included a feature called Crosstalk. By completing certain objectives in either game, you can earn bonuses that unlock new objectives, weapons and skins. In order to do this, you need a USB cable with a Mini B type connector, as well as SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALS. By plugging up to the PS2, you synchronize your files and unlock the goods. As was the case in the console version, Multiplayer plays as much of a significant role here as the Single Player Campaign does. SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo provides support for up to 16 players via the infrastructure mode or up to 10 players ad-hoc. A headset can be used here as well, and is almost a necessity when playing online in order to communicate with your teammates.
Difficulty: SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo would be a relatively easy game if there were a checkpoint system implemented in Single Player. Navigating the maps is simple, shooting the enemies is almost child’s play, but you can and will occasionally become overwhelmed, make a wrong step, or make some other human error that will result in your death. When this happens, you begin smack dab at the beginning of the level. Nothing is more frustrating than being within seconds of the end of the level, only to have an overlooked enemy pop you in the back of the head, negating all of the effort you put into completing the level.
Game Mechanics: If you think about the PSP, you’ll soon realize that FPS games aren’t going to work the same here as they do on a console. The controls are only half of what you need to come anywhere near to a controllable game. A single analog stick simply does not cut the mustard, no matter what gimmicks are employed. Unfortunately, the developers were spurred on by passion, curiosity, or a gun and tried to do just that here. Your ability to freely look around can only be activated when you are standing still. All other times your crosshairs move along a horizontal plane. Enemies are targeted using an auto-target system, practically taking all of the skill out of shooting. Things are livened up a bit in SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo with the addition of your AI controlled teammate. Your brother-in-arms follow you around like a faithful puppy, and can even do your bidding. The menu interface used in the console version to give your teammate orders is employed here and thankfully is just as easy to use. Your teammate can be given move orders, can be told to move stealthily or to employ a more violent approach, and can even be given the order to breach doors. He is mission critical however, so he must be used sparingly or it’s back to the beginning with the both of you. SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo is a shining example of a franchise gone awry. Just like the Medal of Honor series, this one is going down the dark path of redundancy. The ability to play over the internet or ad-hoc at first seems like a saving grace, but it quickly turns into a novelty. The game is far inferior to an already aging game on an aging console. Purchase this one at your own risk.
-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications AKA Andrew Horwitz
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