Most importantly, the game naturally adapts and lends itself to your play style. At the reloading stations menu, suggestions as to which weapons and squadmates you should pick when advancing to the next area are offered, but the player can choose to completely ignore the given intel and make his own preferred selections. A bit of a pyromaniac? Pick a weapon with a grenade launching attachment like the SCAR-L/EGLM and a collection of satchel charges. Something a little more subtle? The MR-C LW is a camera gun that’ll allow you to shoot accurately from behind cover; use it with smoke grenades coupled with enhanced vision goggles for even stronger protection. Not much for the close-up? The SR25 SD silenced sniper rifle will take out your enemies from 500 yards out with a whisper.

The game’s a visual and auditory wonder to behold, from its variety of environments each with unique lighting (mountains at day-break to a cemetery in the dark of night) to teeth-rattling explosions. The voice-acting is appropriately militaristic, the music selections characteristically epic, and the sound effects fittingly deafening. Character animations are extremely well-done and those noticeable little touches, like when characters take a running slide to get behind cover or turn-away and cover-up slightly when rocked by a nearby explosion, pay off in spades.

(Continue to Page 3 >>)