Where you’re going, there is no backup
Ghost Recon Wildlands is the next big step for Ubisoft, after the success (or limited time of) The Division and hopes to continue to make strides in the open world co-op gaming landscape. But does it truly live up to the hype it was given? Well, let’s find out. For those who are unfamiliar with GRW, it takes place in a Cartel filled Bolivia as you and up to 4 friends (or NPCs) to infiltrate, disrupt and dismantle the drug Cartel Santa Blanca. GRW is different than The Division as you are able to play the game the way you want and not have to follow a linear story to remove the head of the Cartel from power.
Story
Just as described above, you play a member of an elite fighting force called The Ghosts that are sent into Bolivia under the mission “Kingslayer” to dismantle the Santa Blanca Cartel in any means you want. However, there is no support coming for you and your team so it is up to you to take them down. I can say that this type of freedom is nice to have as I am not stuck to a linear campaign which unfortunately makes it hard to score it. This means that within the Cartel you have Trafficking, Influence, Security and Production that you can target through a series of 5 or 6 missions which allow you to get to the head of that region in order to cause chaos within the organization. However, I have seen little that allows you to really affect the outcome of which ever section you decide to target. But there are a lot of side missions and ‘Rebel Ops’ that you can do along with collecting new weapons and accessories, skill points, dossiers and Kingslayer files to keep you really moving forward in the game.
I give the Story an 8.5 out of 10. It’s a great concept but some promises made have’t been up to snuff.
Story
Gameplay
The gameplay of Ghost Recon Wildlands plays similar to The Division but with some differences, where The Division was power based, Ghost Recon Wildlands is more stealth based. As portrayed by an old colleague, things can go very wrong very quickly. But when it comes to the controls, the don’t feel as refined as in The Division but some little things like bullet drop makes the combat interesting. However there are other issues that I found in the controls of vehicles. Just like we described in our closed beta article, vehicles for me and others such as jeeps and trucks are still driving slower than a retiree at 7am going to Tim Hortons for coffee. But helicopters, planes and cars drive normally which leaves me baffled. Nothing is worse than the A.I. teammates you get, from only 4 commands, your A.I. counterparts are completely literal and will leave you going at it alone rather than calling them in, unless you have your friends going you (or random people because they at least play with some depth).
I give the Gameplay: 6.5 out of 10. There are bright spots that are marred by stupid things that should have been addressed after an alpha and 2 beta tests.
Gameplay
Graphics
An ambitious open world game such as Ghost Recon Wildlands might have some spots that look rough and unfinished, but I have found that there is more good than bad. From the bright blue sky to the clear water, Ghost Recon Wildlands is a cornucopia of beautiful landscapes, from afar. When you get in close, grass looks like clip art from MS Paint, buildings are a mix of well designed shantys and the hired help look like they have been taken from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. There are bright spots in the game with Night Vision and Thermal VIsion, as well as explosions and weather but all this is mute when you are crawling through the grass towards your intended targets.
I give the Graphics: 8 out of 10. Good from far but far from good up close.
Graphics
Ghost Recon Wildlands was a massive concept that looked to take what made The Division a unique win and go farther but seems to be something that would not achieve that feat. However, Ghost Recon Wildlands is still a great trip that is better with friends.
I give Ghost Recon Wildlands a 7.7 out of 10.
Final Score
