12DOVE Verdict
Pros
- +
Vehicles and swimming
- +
Double the players online than before
- +
Two games in one: online and offline
Cons
- -
Brutal learning curve for newbies
- -
Rough graphics
- -
AI and voice recognition
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The SOCOM series is one of the PS2's most popular, so it's no surprise that Zipper Interactive is taking us on another tour of duty. What is surprising is how much more has been added -- considering predecessors were pretty comprehensive, and the fact that it's still relying on the old console workhorse, the PlayStation 2.
Rappers aren't the only ones riding around in Hummers. The addition of vehicles to SOCOM 3 is a no-brainer, from 4x4s with turrets to speedy boats with even more turrets. Driving is easy, and best described as GTA-style. When playing single-player, you can instantly switch from driver to gunner and back again. Swimming is welcome, too; after all, that's a huge part of being a SEAL. It doesn't necessarily add more fun to the missions, but it does give them a dose of realism.
More info
| Genre | Shooter |
| Description | SOCOM 3 really takes the PS2 to its limits. We can't imagine a better team-based military game for the console, so hopefully Zipper is already hard at work on a PS3 version to give us both lots of players online and great graphics. If you're an experienced SEAL, this is an automatic purchase. |
| Franchise name | SOCOM |
| UK franchise name | SOCOM |
| Platform | "PS2" |
| US censor rating | "Mature" |
| UK censor rating | "16+" |
| Release date | 1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK) |
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