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| Summary: An enjoyable stealth-based FPS
92
I rented Fireteam Bravo at the local Blockbuster, and I must say, I quite enjoyed it.
Gameplay
I've never played any of the original SOCOM titles, so I can't compare it to that. Either way, as a SOCOM n00b, I enjoyed the game quite thoroughly.
SOCOM: FTB demands a bit of stealth. This isn't the run and shoot style of game that Halo. With only two of you, and no sci-fi shields, or überweapons. Just you and your partner, and your health disappears frightfully fast when shot at. The solution? Take our your enemy before he sees you. The entire design of the game takes you through this aspect. The stealthometer, the different positions you can assume (standing, crouching, prone), the ability to customize your weapons (different scopes, silencers, etc.), and the commands you can issue to your AI partner (breach, clear, go to (with stealth), fire at will, etc.).
Controls
Unfortunately, the PSP's controls only seem to agree with this set-up due to the expert engineering in the game's software. Ordinarily, one would expect a dual-stick set-up, but it looks like the SOCOM guys have made due. The Lock-On ability is a great help, but it's no substitute to manually aiming. In other words, it's good for an encouter with an enemy at close range, but it's not a cheap kill. Online play will teach you that really quickly.
A problem that's specific to the PSP's hardware is sniping. The springs in the PSP's A-Pad aren't designed for subtle movements and slow drifts. The A-Pad is more suited to quick snaps and immediate turns. As such, getting an accurate snipe takes quite a bit of getting used to, especially if you're used to sniping on a console where the A-Sticks are a lot more sensitive (I.E. every console with analog). Luckily enough, the enemy AIs aren't all that bright, so you'll have enough time to line up your shot, before firing and hitting a post.
Graphics
The graphics impressed me. When they made FTB, they didn't cheap out and reduce the poly count in order to get good gameplay. Instead, they reduced the color level. With that, you get a very solidly designed appearance, with little interference from the hardware limitations. The levels feel very large, and well designed. Not so large, however, that they seem to go on forever, with no end in sight. From the first level, you'll get a good sense of space and depth.
You will notice that 16-bit color level, however (Your average PC, and I believe the XBox and some PS2 games, run at 32-bit color, which is believed to provide as many colors as the human eye is able to see) when smoke appears. Dithering is very apparent as the smoke starts to fade. Fortunately, however, the PSP's small screen makes it really hard to tell that the game is running at 16-bit color, without squinting at the game, examining it pixel by pixel.
Online Play
Online play is a totally different beast from single player mode. Generally, players don't like to hide out in the bushes and snipe each other. Most people prefer to run around with Kalishnikovs, shooting everything that moves. Theoretically, you can change weapons by pressing Select after you die, but I've never managed to come up with anyhing besides my AK-47.
The servers are quite populous, players with microphones aren't too hard to find, and the chaos is bound to entertain. One thing that I found quite impressive, was that I didn't have to decrypt my WiFi AP to play the game. That's right, FTB supports WPA encryption, in-game! Now you don't have to sacrifice security for gameplay.
Sound
I'm not going to lie. While playing FTB, I didn't care a whole lot for the sound. I was too distracted by the gameplay and the graphics to really pay attention. However, the voice acting is just as you'd expect it, you can hear detailed sounds (people chattering, bullet shells hitting the ground), and even bits of conversations between the enemies. I especially loved the drunk guy moseying around the first level, who claimed to invent the Macarena. The game had enough little touches like that to make it enjoyable, and to remind you: it's just a game.
Overall
If you're looking for a PSP game that you and all your FPS-craving friends want to play, FTB is it. It's quite a difference from games like Halo, Red Faction, and Time Splitters, but it's still an enjoyable one. With multi-player mode, you're given more than enough freedom to run about like crazed weasels, shooting everything in sight. Single player however, you do as the game says, or you'll find yourself eating a lead sandwich. However, that being said, you may want to rent it before buying, just to make sure the different game type sits well with you.
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