SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs

"Accelerate your life with Socom II U.S. Navy Seals"

Introduction – Socom 1 was a massive hit. It was a great game both online and off. So I was really excited when I first got this game almost two years ago. This is the best review you'll see of this game because I have been constantly playing it since it's release date, and it's still as good as it was. Many reviews I've seen say that socom 2 doesn't really bring anything that's new to the table. That's correct, but since when do games get graded on innovation? Don't people love Halo although it is the same rehashed sci-fi FPS? After playing more than 3,000 hours on this game, I can tell you this is, without question, the best online game ever made. For any console or PC. Why is that? It's hard to explain to noobs (Socom slang). It's just that after you become a Socom veteran, you don't really feel like playing anything else. This games simply grows on you like none other. Those reviews on Game Informer and other magazines are reviews done on first impressions. To truly appreciate Socom U.S. Navy Seals, you must play it online for a while.

Graphics – 9/10- I don't know why people think that the graphics are choppy. They're not Xbox 360 graphics but they are still excellent. Player models are done pretty well. Backgrounds are nice and pretty, and maps are perfect size. Socom 3 maps are too big, and online it takes too long finding your enemies. There were some glitches online, but online some players took advantage of them. Plus, patches came out that fixed them easily.

Sound- 9/10- It's not as good as some World War II games, but guns make pretty accurate sounds. Explosions also sound pretty good. The little bit of voice acting is average but it doesn't play that big a role in the game.

Gameplay – 10/10- This game is very realistic. I don't like the new health bar, the original Socom worked much better. It had a green dot for doing well, yellow for injured, and red for dead. But other than that the gameplay is great. The single player is very good but a little too short. But it does challenge you, and thus makes it worth the play through. AI isn't the greatest, but it's not that bad. But even with the lack of good AI, you still need to use strategy to beat the game. Your teammates don't always follow your orders like you ask them to but this game is an upgrade from the first one. Overall, the gameplay is fun, challenging, and realistic.

Online Play- 10/10 – Let's get to the point. This is where the meat of the game is and where most players will spend hundreds if not thousands of hours on. Socom had a great game interface. Socom 2 builds on that success to create the greatest online game ever- Any system, or PC. I am not exaggerating and I'm not a fanboy. The Friends list is easy to use and you can find friends almost immediately. Clans are just so fun to join- if you join a good one. You can have no social life, but Socom 2 will make you friends. During my two years as a Socom addict I made friendships and had a great time just sitting in the lobby socializing. Most players grow with the game and stick together as a family. There are also individual reasons to play. You get your own ranking and a lot of stats on how you play. Most other reviewers don't consider this aspect of the game, but I believe it's vastly underrated. I have played a lot of games online, on the PC and Xbox Live, but in none of them do you make unbreakable bonds as you do in Socom. There is some lag online, but it's worse if you have a bad connection. The gameplay online is also solid. You can play unranked respawn games that help you warm up or practice on weapons yo don't normally use. Ranked games are even more fun as you work to impress others, make your stats look good, and win games. But the best thing is getting together to play clan wars, which always involve some form of “dissing” the other team. All in all, if you invest your time and money into this game, you'll receive an experience unlike any other.

Play Time/Replayability 10/10- If you have online capability, this game will be worth hundreds if not thousands of online hours. If you don't have online capability, I feel sorry for you. Just go out and connect to the internet. Trust me, you'll love it.

Final Recommendation – 10/10- You can pick up this game for $20, and if you have a ps2 and an Ethernet cable and haven't played this game, you should. It's the best online game ever made that is likely going to change your social life. This game will probably make you want to join the SEALS, but you're probably not going to make it. Sorry for being honest. Accelerate your life with Socom II U.S. Navy Seals.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/12/05