Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers

When Full Spectrum Warrior was released a few years back, gamers were given a deep and meticulous strategy game with some great team management elements. The sequel looks to improve on the formula by going down the path beaten by its predecessor and adding a few new tweaks like a cleaner interface and a smoother control scheme. Fans of the first game’s engagingly realistic gameplay will find a lot to love in the upcoming sequel, Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers.

Ten Hammers shakes things up from its predecessor most apparently by giving you control of several different troops of soldiers, each with their own skills and attributes, throughout the mission. You can also split each team into groups of two, having them separate to give cover, which can be a dangerous gamble, as this lowers their effectiveness in heavy fire as they are separated from the group, but makes for some interesting strategic planning situations. You can even send a scout soldier to assess a situation before you send in your whole squad. If he gets hit, however, you can also use your other soldiers to drag him to safety, keeping him alive to fight another day.

You now have access to vehicles, like tanks, in order to complete your missions. This is a nice touch that adds to the dynamic of the game’s goals.

Another great element is the game’s AI. The whole point behind the Full Spectrum Warrior series is the focus on realism and authentic situations, and it’s apparent that they cut no corners when it comes to the AI, in this regard. The AI is completely non-scripted, making for a unique battle situation each time you face it. The game requires you to be deliberate in your actions and to take things slow, for if you run into the heat of battle with guns blazing, you’ll go down in an instant.

The game has been improved a bit graphically, also. The game sports some great lighting effects, including bloom and sun glare effects. The character models are very nicely rendered and sport realistic animation. While some of the textures look a bit drab, this can be cleaned up before the game launches. All in all, the graphical presentation looks great and should be solid when the game is released.

The first Full Spectrum Warrior was a deep and engaging strategy game that brought some unique elements and a meticulous level of realism to the table, and the sequel is looking to be a game that fans of the original will definitely enjoy. Look for it early next year.