Jumping into the multiplayer thrills of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (GRAW 2) requires a great deal of skill and patience. Ghost Recon has a reputation for being pretty tough, and nothing exemplifies that better than getting taken out with one or two shots, or the rifle rise caused by recoil, spoiling an otherwise perfect kill.

GRAW 2 comes with a number of multiplayer modes, including the traditional death match, however the most popular setting puts Ghosts against Rebels in team vs. team combat. The Ghosts must work their way through a small, burnt village and attach explosives to anti-air defense vehicles called Adats. The Rebels have the task of repelling the Ghosts using deadly force, so only Rebels may respawn when killed. Both sides must work as teams in order to be successful, following along the edges of the map and running into buildings or behind walls for cover. Sniper and assault rifles have very good range and accuracy, so every step must be taken with caution.

Winning each round earns veteran points, which equips players with more sophisticated weapons. Players can go up to supply posts to outfit themselves, but they will usually be more concerned with immediate survival, since the game doesn't offer much down time. When spawning, either after a death or at the beginning of a new round, players come automatically equipped with the latest gear. However, veteran status doesn't stay permanently, like it does in games like Battlefield 2. Disconnecting from the game resets the player status, and players will need to work their way back up the ranks with each new game.

Graphics look excellent, even at this early stage of development. Smoke from exploding cars and grenades cloud vision, while fires move realistically on burning Adats. The game requires some optimization to support more modest computer systems, and the shadows clearly look broken and disjointed, but GRAW 2 still looks great overall. Similarly, the excellent audio quality comes in quite useful, with the sound of distant gunfire or bullets bouncing off metal and stone, letting players know how close they stand near the edge of death.

All things taken into consideration, it looks like GRAW 2's multiplayer could rival Counter-Strike Source for realistic team based online competition. Expect more coverage in the near future.

Related Links

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Game Guide

Official Website

Ubisoft