• Posted November 8th, 2008 at 00:05 EDT by
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Review Score

SOCOM US Navy Seals: Confrontation

PSU Review Score

8.5

Avg. user review score:

7.5

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Summary

Slant Six has done a great job in bringing SOCOM to the current generation.

We like

• Realistic weapons
• Responsive controls
• Intricate map design

We dislike

• Player movement is sometimes awkward
• Lack of online communication the majority of the time

See PSU's review on Metacritic & GameRankings

      [Editor's Note: Due to SOCOM: Confrontation receiving its much anticipated patch, we have decided to update our review. This isn't something we normally do, but we felt it was necessary to give a proper representation of what to expect with Confrontation.]

SOCOM: Confrontation has been anything but smooth sailing for fans of the series. The game launched with a laundry list of technical issues, but it has finally been patched, and therefore deserves a second look. In my original review, which can be found below, I initially gave SOCOM: Confrontation a 7.5. While some readers found this to be a ludicrous score for their beloved tactical shooter, it was something I still stand by as "fair" at the time. Since then, I've seen SOCOM take a great stride forward.

My biggest gripe with the launch edition was the atrocious scope glitch. Thankfully, this issue is fixed and scopes now correctly display what you're aiming towards. This makes sniping a joyous experience which all fans of the series should be happy about. Furthermore, all technical issues have been corrected. No longer does the main menu lock up the entire console forcing you to perform a hard reset.

As many fans experienced, server loads were often the cause of being unable to join games or connect properly. Combined with the fact some players seemed to warp from one spot to the next, this almost crippled the title. Fortunately, this was corrected with the patch and the game now plays properly.

Due to these major overhauls and fixes, SOCOM: Confrontation is now the quality experience that gamers were hoping for. In light of these drastic changes, I feel compelled to update our review score from a 7.5 to an excellent 8.5.

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I find it hard to think back to the PlayStation 2 and its definitive online titles without subconsciously reminiscing about the SOCOM series. As such, you can imagine the excitement and anticipation that must have been going through me as I waited for the opportunity to get my hands on SOCOM: Confrontation. While the wait may have been painfully slow, it almost feels as though it was all for naught. As many of you know, Confrontation released with a slew of problems and lost promises. Not only are features missing within the game that happen to be clearly printed on the case and in the instruction manual, but also the servers have been unbelievably atrocious. According to Slant Six, you can expect a patch to resolve these issues, which is why my review score will not reflect these technical aspects of the title. Instead, I will cover the customization and gameplay aspects.

The first thing you need to do upon booting up SOCOM is customize your Commando and Mercenary characters. Each character has a different set of items to select from and it helps give each unit its own identity. You have the choice of selecting primary weapons that range from standard assault rifles to sniper rifles. On top of this, you have the option of placing specific add-ons for each weapon type. This can include scopes, laser sighting, bi-pods, and many other items that make your weapons all the more potent. What sets the two character units apart is that the Commandos have your standard government issued M16s while on the flip side the Mercenaries are going to work with AK47s.

Customization continues from this point by giving you the option to select a secondary handgun and of course your standard gear. Standard gear is going to include: rocket launchers, RPGs, grenades, smoke bombs, claymores and more. Considering all of the items you have to choose from, it’s safe to say that there is a strong sense of ownership and uniqueness for each character created. It also allows you to play in a style that is most comfortable to you. One of the most important aspects to military combat though is camouflage. Not only is the color choice important, but also the ability to blend in with your surroundings. Thankfully, Confrontation has a plethora of options to choose from. Included in the game are three types of camouflage: Urban, Desert, and Night. Each suit of camouflage has five or so categories to select ... (continued on next page)