SWAT: Global Strike Team

"Great Game, Not Enough Exposure"

Ok let's get a basic overview of the game. You are the s.w.a.t team leader. You have 2 teammates. A sniper, and a techie. They are very useful and you need them throughout the game. There are a total of 21 single-player missions. Once you have experienced that, grab a buddy and fight your way through 10 multiplayer-exclusive missions.

Graphics: 8.5/10
This game had some amazing graphics. They were crisp, with great texture and shadowing. Although, in some places the graphics were a little dull and choppy, but overall they are are good graphics. The facial expressions on the characters are great.

Gameplay: 9/10
The gameplay in this game is just incredible. There are so many features that make the experience great fun. My favorite feature is the voice recognition technology. If you have x-box live, you can use the headset to shout commands to your squadmates. You can yell things such as, "Breach door!", "Cuff em'!", "Operate!", and many more. My favorite command is, "Enter!". When you say this, your 2 squad mates both count down from 3, and they kick the door down at the same time and yell "get down!". It just makes for such a real-life experience. You can also use these commands using your x-box controller, with the directional pad. Assuming you do not own a headset. With 21 levels, you'd think that the game would become repetitive, but your wrong. With new enemies, challenges, obstacles, and objectives; no 2 missions are alike. Your able to breach and clear rooms, crack computer systems, disable alarms, drill holes through walls and place fiber optics cameras inside. The gameplay is truely the standout feature of this game.

Sound: 8/10
The sound effect are great. The sounds that the guns make are incredibly realistic. By pressing the "X" button, your character shouts commands to the bad guys such as," get down"; or,"SWAT! Hands in the air!". Also, your cheif commander gives you breifings before every mission, and he is a totally beleivable character. He has the voice of a real-time hard ass police cheif and he's always riding your ass about doing things wrong. The sound is great.

Weapons: 7/10
The only problem I have with the weapons is the limited selection. There are 4 to choose from. The good thing about the weapons are that there are 5 upgrades for your weapons, and for each 5 upgrades, there are 4 divisions of that upgrade. Such as you can upgrade your bullet types that can penetrate armor and cause additional damage. You can also get scope upgrades and recoil dampeners; which leads to less kickback for more accurate shooting. You can choose from an Assult Rifle, a Machine Gun(Personal favorite), and a Shotgun. Also, when in multiplayer mode, you can choose a sniper rifle. It helps for stealth-propelled missions.

Gear: 7/10
The gear selection is about average. You can use a gas mask, night vision goggles, glow sticks, and 4 types of grenades. Nothing special, but not bad overall. The night vision goggles are needed in alot of missions. So I'm glad they're there.

Overall: 9/10
Despite the weapons and gear, this game is too good to pass up. I got mine for 25$ Canadian, so it's a great deal. If you have some extra cash, and are looking for a cheap game, this is the one for you. You'll have so much fun, especially with the headset.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/30/04