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The Plot:
"Island Thunder" is an expansion of "Ghost Recon", the popular military simulation that became a best-seller last year. In this game, you play a team of elite marines who are sent on missions in a near-future Cuba in order to protect the country from druglords who are looking to swing the new elections in their favor.
"Ghost Recon" is very realistic and, as a result, difficult. However, that does have a good deal of appeal. The game is a strong mix of action and stealth - there's a need in the game for both smart planning and quick thinking, especially since the threat can suddenly come from anywhere around the player. The player enters each mission as the leader of a six-person team. Players can move each soldier at a time, or move entire teams to a certain point on the map. Beyond moving to a certain point, teams can also be told to hold, advance or advance at all costs. They can also attack, suppress, or recon. Each member of the team has his own skills and can go with different weapons. Before the mission begins, players can choose their squad one-by-one, or allow the computer to auto-assign.
"Island Thunder" is a smaller game, with eight missions. However, it does cost $10 less than the usual XBOX game. It does also offer XBOX Live, which allows players to play against one another online, as well as - eventually - hopefully download new content such as maps. Despite the fact that XBOX Live use holds the greatest appeal for XBOX players of "Island Thunder", the game offers a very enjoyable single-player game, too.
Given the sheer size of the maps included, the amount of replay value for a single-player is fairly high, as there's different ways of approaching most battles. There's also "quick missions", which include "mission", "firefight", "recon" and "defend" versions. The AI of the computer-aided team members is generally very good; sometimes they get a little too bunched up and sometimes they don't make the best decisions, but if employed/lead right and used smartly, they provide superb backup. Enemy AI is also not to be underestimated, as although some soldiers are easier to spot than others, enemies often do make good use of cover.
Overall, "Island Thunder" is a fine effort that provides something for both multiplayer fans and those just looking to lead a team of elites on their own.
The DVD
Graphics: "Island Thunder" offers fairly enjoyable graphics, but there are still some issues present throughout the game. Character models are good, and stand up under closer inspection. However, other aspects of the game can appear a bit rough, and there are times when some fairly major landscape elements pop in in the background as you walk forward. Sometimes the game's fog is a little too thick; maybe it's realistic, but in a game like this, it becomes rather frustrating at times. Level design is excellent, though, and while it's not all smoothly rendered, there are plenty of details in both the indoor and outdoor areas. Despite the fact that there's a lot going on fairly often, the game's framerate stays smooth.
Rating: 8.5/10
Sound: "Island Thunder" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. The game's 5.1 soundtrack is one of the most - if not the most - stunning I've ever heard on an XBOX title. The level of ambience is remarkable and remarkably convincing: winds whip across barren desert areas; bird and insect calls are heard in the jungle, rain falls and thunder rolls overhead in some of the jungle areas and street noise can be heard in a populated town. Other details - a car starting, people talking - can also be heard. The soundtrack's strong level of envelopment lures one into a feeling of calm - that is, until the battles begin. The gunfights throughout the game rachet up the level of tension in the game to a stunning level, as gunfire can be heard all around the viewer - those who can enable a back rear surround should, as it turns the game's soundtrack into a completely 360 degree experience. The sound effects during these battles are fierce and startling, while the soundtrack's aggressive nature makes for a suspenseful and terrifying experience. Voice acting is also first-rate. I can't imagine not playing this game in 5.1 - it just makes for much more enjoyable gameplay.
Rating: 10/10
Gameplay/Controls: Despite the amount of things to keep track of, "Island Thunder" makes everything largely seem a breeze. Switching between soldiers in a group of six takes one button press, as do firing and reloading. The main map makes it fairly simple to get an idea of the area and to send a team to one specific spot. Controls are well-placed on the controller and easy-to-learn. An additional training level goes over pretty much everything, as well.
Rating: 10/10
Rating Issues: "Island Thunder" is rated "M" for violence.
Final Thoughts: An intense military simulation, "Ghost Recon: Island Thunder" is a superb effort, with excellent maps/level design, gameplay and audio presentation. Obviously, the biggest draw of the game is multiplayer (either split-screen head-to-head or via XBox Live), but there's enough of a single-player experience here that will likely satisfy those looking to venture into these missions by themselves. Recommended, especially to those who play XBOX games in Dolby Digital 5.1.
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