SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs

Wow. SOCOM: US Navy Seals is the first PS2 title to be fully online capable. On top of that, SOCOM doesn't suck, a normal expectation for a 'launch' title. This game offers a highly realistic experience that you can play with your friends online, or by yourself at home.

SOCOM has one of the nicest interfaces I've ever seen. Easy to use and very simple, I only had two problems. First, the mission briefings won't let you skip audio, and read text only, and it can be a little frustrating trying to find the headset volume adjust. The headset (included) is one of its better features, as it lets you communicate with your teammates in an online game, or with your AI backup in the single player game. Although the headset was a little temperamental, the voice recognition software worked very well.

In the audio/visual department, I was again, quite happy with SOCOM. Each character model is well detailed, the settings are realistic, and cover usually makes a SEAL invisible to the enemy. In the tradition of films like Patriot Games, and Crimson Tide, SOCOM has a slightly over the top heroic soundtrack, which matches well with the game feel.

On the bad side: The single player game isn't easy to learn, or play. Your teammates (as well as the enemy) frequently act in a bizarre way. The AI seems unable to deal with certain situations, like following your character. Multiplayer can be a lot of fun, but the maps are quite big, even for the sixteen-player maximum SOCOM allows. Finally, sometimes the controls leave something to be desired, and a lot of precision work is necessary. It's a good game, and while normally I'd say it's too specialized (highly-realistic FPS) to get a recommended rating, it's also the first online game for the PS2, and seems to deliver pretty well.

These crafty Navy SEALs have been lurking in the shadows ever since this game’s playable debut last May, but Sony CEA’s first online title should finally storm the PS2 this summer. You can command a squad of elite soldiers through 17 missions in four real-world locations. The best part? You can spray the jungle with bullets alongside your buddies via a LAN or over the Internet.