Conflict: Global Terror was developed by Pivotal Games and published by EU SCi Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Previous games in the series have been relegated to staying within the limitations of their title locales. Last year’s game, for example, Conflict: Vietnam, took place almost entirely within the jungles of Vietnam. Thankfully, Conflict: Global Terror allows gamers to jet set across the world, fighting battles in a variety of settings. This goes a long way toward alleviating the repetition of the environments of previous games.
Conflict: Global Terror the Most Refined Game in the Series
Conflict: Global Terror is a tactical action shooter played from a third person “behind the character” perspective, very reminiscent of the Ghost Recon games. Characters can stand, crouch, and drop down onto their stomachs for complete control. Each member has a variety of weapons and explosives. Characters are also able to select from two vision modes–night and heat–which will prove useful depending on the time of day or the available light in any given mission.
The underlying foundations of the Conflict series haven’t changed. In the single-player mode, the player is responsible for controlling four operatives of an elite team of counter-terrorists. Each member has their specialty: Connors is the heavy artillery expert, Jones is the go-to explosives guy, and so on. While the player is in control of one character, the others don’t do a lot to help out. They will stay primarily in the same spot, sometimes taking a moment to shoot an advancing enemy.
Enhanced Control of Teammates
Commanding teammates is an essential tool, and each member will be given enough time to do so in the heat of battle. For example, Jones, your explosions expert, will be required to use C4 on various objects. The player will need to switch to Jones to set the C4. Then issue a command to either hit the deck (get them out of the way first) or follow so that the team can get out of the zone before the charge detonates.
Conflict: Global Terror Enemy Interaction
The enemy AI isn’t much more advanced. While Conflict: Global Terror takes a step in the right direction, many of them will still run directly into the line of fire like an enemy in a Rambo movie. Some will actually duck and use cover to return gunfire, but it’s far from a universal trait. In any case, the player meets up with lots of them as Global Terror relies too often on the sheer overwhelming number of enemies within a given level.
Since this is the fourth game in the series, the control configuration is spot on. The only slight annoyance in regard to the button configuration is the context-sensitive action button. It does everything from healing a teammate to exchanging weapons to opening a door. Sometimes when these opportunities present themselves within close proximity to each other, the player might find yourself doing something you didn’t intend to do.
High-Quality Graphics and Sound
Visually, Conflict: Global Terror is the best-looking game in the series. A higher polygon count is noticeable in both the main characters and the enemies encountered. Environments boast a wide variety of little details that add to the overall sense of being there. Walls and signs will show cosmetic damage to let the player know that they have hit them with something big. However, they will remain standing as there are no truly destructible environments.
Aurally, Global Terror is a mixed bag. The voice acting isn’t particularly strong, but the sound effects such as explosions and gunfire are decent. Custom soundtracks are supported, which is a welcome addition so the player can listen to whatever they want while in combat.
Great Fun in Co-op
The single-player game consists of 14 levels that can be played on three difficulty levels. The user won’t be able to fight against real human opponents but can play through the campaign without having to worry about the pitfalls of AI teammates. The single-player levels are instantly unlocked online (with multiple difficulty settings) so players can play through their favorite levels. One little bone of contention is Pivotal’s lack of creating at least one new level to enjoy online. Those who don’t have online capabilities can play Conflict: Global Terror’s co-op via split screen.
Final Thoughts
The Conflict series has had its share of bright and weak spots, but always does a good job of keeping your blood pumping. Conflict: Global Terror continues that tradition, and Pivotal is definitely on its way to creating the perfect tactical action shooter, which is evident in this game, their best to date. The single-player game will hold the player’s attention. If players can’t play online, they might want to consider a weekend rental, but all Conflict fanatics can rest assured that this game is well worth your time.