Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon

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The Red Army is back. Now that Russia's government has collapsed, a hardline leader is bent on taking over the republics. Enter Ghost Recon, an advanced, futuristic squad of U.S. Army soldiers. Unlike previous Rainbow Six games, the setting is much more focused on the military instead of anti-terrorist maneuvers. Next-generation inventory and weapons will give players a glimpse into the real U.S. …

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Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 956 reviews

story53 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

A classic tactical shooter that emphasizes strategy and careful planning, rewarding players for thoughtful gameplay.
Still enjoyable and challenging after more than 20 years, with a strong sense of nostalgia for fans of the genre.
The game features a unique permadeath mechanic for squad members, adding weight to player decisions and enhancing the overall tension.

The graphics and AI have aged poorly, making the game feel clunky and frustrating at times, especially for new players.
The controls can be unintuitive and require significant remapping to suit modern gaming preferences.
Multiplayer functionality is largely non-existent due to server shutdowns, limiting replayability for those seeking online experiences.

story
341 mentions
16 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story in this game is generally viewed as minimal and formulaic, primarily serving as a backdrop for the tactical gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. Players engage in a series of missions set against a realistic military conflict involving Russian ultranationalists, but the plot lacks depth and emotional engagement, often feeling like a series of disconnected objectives. While some appreciate the grounded context and the strategic elements of mission planning, many agree that the story is not a significant draw, with most focus placed on gameplay mechanics and tactical execution.
- “The story context is close to reality: Russia attempts to grab a part of Georgia and former Soviet regions, as the Russian government falls under the influence of ultra-nationalists.”
- “The game's graphics and presentation are definitely showing their age, but the narrative is surprisingly very well done and holds up as a believable Tom Clancy story.”
- “The story is about Russia invading Georgia in 2008, which actually ended up happening in 2008.”
- “The story is a military story like any other, and not important in the slightest.”
- “As for the story, it is there but not really a story, more like a formality.”
- “The story is nothing special, just a forced scenario with no real meaning.”
gameplay
163 mentions
25 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is characterized by its slow, methodical pace and tactical depth, requiring players to engage in careful planning and positioning rather than relying on reflexes. While the controls may feel clunky compared to modern standards, the game offers a unique and challenging experience that emphasizes realism and strategy, making it a standout in the tactical shooter genre. Despite its dated graphics, many players find the gameplay to be timeless and rewarding, especially for those who appreciate hardcore, tactical gameplay.
- “Nothing like deep immersion in the gameplay to get you invested in its setting.”
- “The gameplay is difficult and requires either good tactics or good communication among the players.”
- “The gameplay is realistic; even on recruit difficulty, your squad members can die in one bullet, but so can your enemies.”
- “Basically nothing about the game is good except the story/lore (maybe), because the graphics, gunplay, visuals, enemies, AI (mainly teammates, applies to enemies as well) and mechanics are absolute dogshit.”
- “However, the game's controls and mechanics may feel a bit clunky to players who are accustomed to more modern shooters.”
- “The gameplay is hard at first but I rapidly got used to it.”
graphics
154 mentions
26 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 2001 release, but many players emphasize that the gameplay remains engaging and enjoyable despite this limitation. While some reviews note that the visuals were impressive for their time, they do not hold up to modern standards, leading to a consensus that the game's strengths lie in its mechanics rather than its aesthetics. Overall, players recommend the game for its tactical gameplay, urging potential players to overlook the outdated graphics.
- “The game's graphics and sound design were also impressive at the time of its release, with detailed environments and realistic sound effects.”
- “Overall, Ghost Recon is a very good tactical FPS with very good graphics, gameplay, and sound design for its time, including the expansions.”
- “Despite being old (2001), the graphics are still good.”
- “The graphics are rather inferior, but keep in mind that this game originally came out in 2001.”
- “The graphics are the pits but all in all it's well worth the investment.”
- “Graphics are crazy outdated and did not age too well.”
replayability
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through various modes, including quick missions and a full campaign, alongside a wealth of unlockable content and dynamic missions. Players can enhance their experience with mods, which further increase replay value by introducing new challenges and objectives. While some reviews suggest that its replayability may be lower compared to other shooters, the combination of tactical gameplay and modding potential keeps players engaged for years.
- “Besides this, the game offers 'quick mission' which includes 3 game modes: 'mission', 'firefight', and 'recon', with the addition of the 15 unlockable campaign maps and one multiplayer map for more replayability value.”
- “With the Heroes Unleashed mod, this game is infinitely replayable due to the 'black ops' mission mode which uses a random mission generator to have different objectives every time you play.”
- “There are a ton of mods for this game that add so much new content, too, so replay value is pretty much endless.”
- “The replay value is probably on the low side compared to other shooters, but this will play on just about any computer.”
- “Endless replay value and challenging enough to keep me coming back for years.”
- “10 years after release, it still beats the living shit out of most 'modern' shooters in terms of suspense, replayability and immersion.”
atmosphere
17 mentions
65 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive realism, detailed environments, and effective sound design, which collectively create a tense and engaging experience. Players appreciate the attention to detail in military equipment and procedures, contributing to a unique and strategic atmosphere that enhances the tactical gameplay. Despite some criticisms regarding pacing and occasional bugs, the overall ambiance and intensity of the game are considered its standout features, making it a compelling choice for fans of slow-paced shooters.
- “The atmosphere is absolutely wonderful, and the gunplay, sound design, and tension are incredible.”
- “It holds up very well now for a game of its age; not everyone's cup of tea as it is quite slow-paced and very unforgiving, but its great strength is the atmosphere as you spend considerable time creeping through the forests and hills with the ambience around you.”
- “The graphics and mechanics are brilliant, leading to a really creepy, dangerous feeling atmosphere.”
- “It creates a completely different atmosphere - planning would be important.”
- “Overall this is a game that, while it has some issues (a little clunky with a few minor bugs), is an unparalleled tactical shooter with an impeccable atmosphere and timeless gameplay.”
music
17 mentions
35 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic and epic qualities, likening it to the works of Hans Zimmer, while others find it generic and sparse, primarily consisting of military fanfare. The absence of music during missions is noted as a positive aspect that enhances the game's atmosphere, creating a tense and realistic experience. Overall, while some players celebrate the soundtrack as one of the best in gaming, others feel it lacks variety and depth.
- “This game is amazing in every way for its age and the music is epic, better than any game I've ever played to date.”
- “Once I booted it back up for the first time in over a decade, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia from the game's menu music, which plastered a big fat smile over my face without me initially realizing.”
- “Great music, tense perma-death gameplay, a cool story, and a 'set in reality' setting really give this game a classic Tom Clancy feel.”
- “The sparse music that is in the game is mostly just your typical generic modern military fanfare.”
- “This game is the complete opposite - the only music is the loud, kind of harsh military-type stuff in the menu and missions are silent, other than birds chirping or the breeze flowing by.”
- “The music is bland as are other sound effects.”
stability
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
63 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed, with some players reporting smooth performance on Windows 10 and Linux, while others experience significant bugs and glitches, including freezing issues and AI problems. Although many have managed to run it without major crashes, the presence of various graphical and gameplay bugs detracts from the overall experience. Players suggest that tweaking and mods can help mitigate some of these issues.
- “As a side note, considering this game is now old enough to drink and vote, props go to the people who got it running seamlessly on Windows 10 in 2022, with almost no glitches.”
- “Runs great on Linux!”
- “Old school tactical FPS... runs great on Windows 10.”
- “Also not to mention that this game is super buggy.”
- “Leaving how pretty the game is, there seems to be some weird bugs and glitches related to the game and graphics: at times stuff can be seen weirdly clear through the fog, both enemies and allies trying to shoot people through walls, parts of enemies clipping through solid objects and more of the same kind of stuff.”
- “I click on one of the buttons on the main menu and the game freezes up and I have to force quit the game or restart my PC.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurdities and inconsistencies, particularly in AI behavior and game mechanics, which often lead to comically illogical scenarios. Players find themselves amused by the contrast between the game's serious tone and the ridiculousness of its "hardcore" gameplay, where common sense is frequently upended. Overall, the humor adds a layer of enjoyment, especially when playing with expansions that enhance these comedic elements.
- “I mean, I am patriotic as much as the next guy, but this is so funny that I lose all sense of seriousness the game tries to convey.”
- “However, given its age, there are some pretty darn funny moments with the AI.”
- “Ghost Recon also suffers from a hilariously insane case of video game logic: suppressed weapons somehow are closer to peashooters unless you're really close to the target, carbines may require several shots to the chest at range to even tickle them, while a mere rifle instantly nukes them by simply clipping their toenails.”
grinding
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to the cumbersome squad mate switching and ordering mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game offers diverse environments and varied mission goals, repetitive objectives across missions contribute to a sense of monotony. Additionally, the individual soldier leveling system enhances the grinding feeling, even though it provides strategic advantages.
- “Squad mate switching and ordering is tedious.”
- “You also lose some combat effectiveness, but it's so tedious maneuvering your squads that sometimes it's easier to send one squad scouting around the map until it's slaughtered.”
- “Unfortunately, the game also has a sort of 'level' system for individual soldiers, which increases the feeling of grinding despite the fact that it's advantageous.”
emotional
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the emotional impact of the game can be inconsistent; while some players feel detached due to a convoluted story, others experience significant emotional weight from the consequences of their decisions, particularly in high-stakes scenarios. Overall, the emotional engagement varies widely among players, with some moments eliciting strong feelings of loss and responsibility.
- “I almost got emotional that I lost my guys all because of me.”
- “The story in Desert Siege is less thorough and pretty boring, which really detracts from the emotional experience.”
- “The mission objectives are poorly communicated, making it hard to connect with the narrative.”
- “Timed objectives add unnecessary pressure, taking away from the emotional engagement of the game.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for its generic enemy design, which lacks meaningful performance differences despite varied appearances. However, it features an RPG-like system that enables players to enhance their ghosts with personal attributes, potentially improving gameplay performance.
- “There is also an RPG-like system that allows players to develop their ghosts and apply personal attributes that will improve their performance.”
- “Enemies are generic, with several different sets of clothing, but as far as I can tell, there is no real difference in performance (admittedly, I didn't investigate too deeply).”
- “The optimization of character development feels lacking, as the RPG-like system does not significantly enhance gameplay or performance.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a significant lack of character development and exposition, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters, despite having an emotional investment in them.
- “There is absolutely no character development or exposition whatsoever, and I actually cared about the soldiers.”
- “The characters feel flat and one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with their stories.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of growth in the characters; they remained static throughout the game.”