Sony's PlayStation 3 military shooter, SOCOM Confrontation, takes the series in a drastic new direction. Instead of including a single-player campaign with multiplayer options, it's strictly an online only affair. That'd be fine if it wasn't ruined by numerous glitches.
Like Warhawk before it, SOCOM Confrontation provides multiple options for PlayStation Network users including detailed maps, a mixture of five new North African-themed settings and classic SOCOM favorites from previous games. You also choose between various International Special Forces teams, multiple uniform types and other options, such as facial and physical features. From there, you can jump into an online match and work alongside others to complete missions. There's even leaderboard, tournament and clan ladder support, so you can see how you measure up against others.
Despite these modes, glitches ruin the fun. Constant freeze-ups force you to reset your PlayStation 3, and the long load times and slow menu navigation certainly don't help either. This results in tedious waiting just to get a match set up, if it ever occurs. It looks as if the problem regarding exiting a match and checking its time limit were remedied, but other issues still remain.
Developer Slant Six made some changes for the better, including a bigger emphasis on team play (you can't win a match by yourself) and removing vehicles. However, manual weapon switching sometimes leads to an early death in the heat of combat. For instance, if you have a rifle and need to throw a grenade, it's slightly more complex than just tossing it. This small delay takes just enough time to turn the tide in a battle, leaving you vulnerable to enemy attack. Furthermore, even something as simple as changing gun views takes a little longer than expected. This is one of those times in which realism should've taken a backseat to efficiency, even for SOCOM.
It's sad that these problems occur, because the rest of SOCOM Confrontation is superb. The visuals are surprisingly crisp, with a steady frame rate (even with 32 players at once), gorgeous map designs, smooth character models and realistic lighting effects. It all unfolds at 1280 X 720 resolution, so you've always got a clear view of what's ahead.
Sound quality is also unparalleled. Weapons go off in all directions and bullets whiz past. If you fork over the extra $20 for the bundle, you'll also get the excellent Bluetooth headset. This device works magnificently, not only delivering crystal-clear sound but also blocking out unnecessary background noise.
SOCOM Confrontation has a solid presentation, but the lobby options are severely broken, weapon switching is a chore and the lack of a campaign mode hurts. This is one tour of duty we'll decline until the proper patches are in place.
Reader Comments (48)
Yea, cop out now. And congratulations on showing a clear double standard by comparing Warhawk to Socom...which BOTH games launched as online only games on the ps3. Socom was never stated to have single player, and made it loud and clear when it was first announced that it would be online only. *Round of applause*. And if one of those *things* you have to do is go back and edit or possibly delete your posts to make you seem as if you're more knowledgeable than what you really showed, then get going... times a wasting.
Curve balls? Perhaps you should study facts. Warhawk on the PS One had single player missions. Warhawk PS3 DOES NOT. And they're "working on it", but didn't give a date of repair. Could be weeks, months, next year, no idea. When they do, fine, we'll revisit. Till then, enjoy your flawed game. We're done, done and onto the next one.
You obviously don't know what the hell you are talking about. Warhawk started off as a single player and multiplayer game when it first launched. I don't "online" only games would have been really successful on the PS ONE. Also, you might wanna check this out. http://socom.us.playstation.com/ If you look on the site, you'll clearly see that they've addressed the issues. They're trying to focus on fixing the servers before anything else they're going to add to the game. But I shouldn't have to say that since it's clearly listed on the link... But hey, that's only if you read it. And just so you know, some people buy cars, just so that they can fix it up to a state that they can drive it. Not that I'd like them to that with an actual game.. but not a good analogy. Keep trying to throw some curve balls... I'll hit em back all ***ht.
The lack of a single-player campaign IS a knock against the title -- a severe one. If this was a series that launched with an online-only campaign right from the start, like Warhawk, it'd be a little more understandable. The fact of the matter is that all SOCOM games, including the PSP titles, have BOTH single-player and online components. THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. And you're telling me that for the launch of a PS3 game, the best thing SCEA could offer was an online-exclusive game with online that wasn't even fully functioning at launch?! Never mind the smaller things like menu issues (which WERE present at time of play), this is clearly a matter of what works and what doesn't. You don't buy a race car just to look at the engine, you buy it to run it through. Again, we WILL re-review it once it's fixed...if it's fixed. SCEA hasn't even addressed anything outside of trophy support.
Yea, and their review was still more sensible than yours. I see you had to leave a comment on 1up's comment section as well to make yourself feel even better for your asinine review. What you don't seem to be getting is that no one is disagreeing with you about the fact that servers are dismantled. Let's get that straight. They screwed up. But the fact that people are pissed off is that you're putting out information that is anything but true. You said that the game won't allow you to exit once you're in a game. However, when you press start *in game* you'll see the option to quit. You even said that there's no indication that the game you may be trying to enter is currently under way. When the moment you try to enter, it sends a pop up message giving you a warning that the game is currently going, and you can join if you still want to. And even more mind boggling is your assertion that there's no time limit. Maybe if you didn't notice, but in the bottom corner of your screen, it clearly states, how much time is left in the game. And it's really funny to see how you call foul and call everybody who don't agree with your statements a fanboy on another site's comment section. A lot of the people are obviously pissed, but you fail to discuss ANY actual legitimate arguments that people may have said. What does that say about you as a supposed *professional* reviewer? You're not afraid to voice your statements in the comments, but you won't at least admit when you're clearly wrong? 1UP did a MUCH better job of explaining what the game is like in it's CURRENT situation. And clearly stated that they will leave their review open for a re-look. The only thing you did was spit falsities, and clearly neglect the major aspect of the game...the game play. And you have got to be kidding me that the lack of a single player experience is a knock on the title. I hardly hear people complain about games like God of War not having online. So why should a game mainly focusing on online have to get blasted for excluding single player? I can understand probably a 7 or something... a 6 might be pushing it (unless you really just didn't like the gameplay), but a 5? Mainly because of server issues that CAN and WILL be fixed? If you can play the game and see what it's like gameplay wise, and it's strong in that aspect, but everything else is slowly but surely coming, then I can understand a few knocks, but nothing detrimental.
BTW, 1up review just went up. http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3170791&p=37 Glad to see I'm not the only one disappointed in the online action. And I'm glad he left the door open for re-review as well.
As stated, if online patches do manage to stop the freeze-ups and other issues in the game, we'll happily re-evaluate it. For the time being, though, the fact that the game ships with this many errors is ridiculous. That's what testing IS FOR.
I'm sorry, but I have literally just made an account on this website solely to comment on this dire review. By no means do I mean this to be a personal insult, but honestly, please don't tell me you were paid to write that review? Can I ask have you actually played previous Socom games? Do you realise what signifies a realistic, skillful game? Or are you stuck in the common, latest generation of easy to play CoD4, RFOM etc? Socom Confrontation returns to the games core values, dependency on aim and teamwork, and using your head to be able to out think the opponent. It seems to me as if you either have not played the game, or simply got too nailed to really see what makes Confrontation's gameplay so good. As has been said, yes it is a shame that server related issues do plague the game, yet these are things that can be rectified. Thinking about it though, please state a game which has been released on the PS3 which has not had server issues at the beginning... Not to mention Confrontation has a user base of thousands of core fans, and with the media coverage the game has received, it is hardly suprising that such issues have arisen. Commendation must go to Slant Six though, seeing as they have kept in contact with the gaming community, and through the beta have released numerous patches (also working on user feedback) in order to improve the game. 5/10, I'm sorry but that is a SHOCKING evaluation. Not to mention it's hardly a 'review', more of an 'overview'. I'd seriously suggest you take this review off the net and put up another one which actually justifies this game.
Wouldn't be the first time gamedaily gave a blatantly false review. http://www.n4g.com/gaming/News-218795.aspx
This Review is GARBAGE!!!!! so biased & he obviously hasn't really played this game...... Hopefully someone else can submit a less biased review, there is NO WAY this game is a only 5.0, """Online problems and glitches make this a Confrontation worth avoiding""" All these can be fixed via online patches.... you're so full of crap Robert Workman