Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix

"Once it gets going, it's hard to stop playing."

Soldier of Fortune 2 is one of the hardest games I've ever played. It kicked my ass, made my hands sweat, and frustrated me quite a few times. And I loved it.

Story: You are John Mullins, a mercenary working for a secret anti-terrorist agency. You are hired to travel the world and eliminate terrorist threats. When a deadly virus is about to be unleashed, it's your job to stop who's behind it. The story itself is pretty good for a FPS. It won't blow your mind, but it's interesting enough.

Graphics: Based on the Quake 3 engine coupled with Raven's Ghoul 2.0 technology, the game looks very nice, for the most part. Indoor and urban environments looked stunning, although the jungle looked like ass. Characters are decent, and the weapons look good too. And yes, there is lots of gore. It's hard to score the graphics due to the game's age, but unless you've been spoiled by F.E.A.R. on max settings, they hold up pretty well.

Sound: Overall, this game does well in the audio department. Weapons sound great, and bullets connect with good effects. When your AK74 connects, the thud sound is almost sickening, in a good way. Voices are a mixed bag. Some characters like John and Sam sound perfect, while Taylor and others are pretty dull. Enemies communicate during battle which adds to the immersion, and the 3-D positional audio makes for some intense firefights (I strongly recommend headphones).

Gameplay: As mentioned, this game is HARD. Experienced FPSers will struggle on even the easiest setting. Much of this is due to the enemy AI. They lean around corners and hide behind desks, effectively blocking your shot. What surprised me a few times was when after killing a few guys, their friends would be hiding right around the corner waiting for me. The assortment of weapons is nice, although they are terribly inaccurate. Definitely disable "Weapon Inaccuracy" or else the game is impossible.

Level Design: Hit and miss. Some missions had great settings, clever objectives, and an overall great feel. Others, while not horrible, seemed to drag (one mission takes forever). Also, there were a few times I got completely lost for 15 minutes until I opened the right door. Stealth missions, however, are not stealth missions (save the first). Treat stealth missions like regular missions and just run in guns blazing. It's basically the only way.

Although not perfect, this game has a lot to offer for the hardcore shooter fan. Tons of action, smart enemies, and great pacing make for a hell of a ride. Don't give up if you hate the first 2 missions, the later levels are worth it!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/30/07