SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 – PSP

SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 - PSP

Taking control of Calvin ‘Wraith’ Hopper, you have to lead a SEAL team in a covert operation involving the apprehension of a former KGB agent known as Vasyli Gozorov – an individual who is believed to be withholding information regarding an forthcoming attack involving weapons of mass destruction.

As you start each level, you have to equip your squad with their inventory – from a potential selection of over 70 weapons (including grenades, claymores and C4 explosives). Each squad member’s weaponry is fully customisable, allowing you to give them different jobs for the benefit of the mission.

Sadly, this mechanic isn’t explored any further in the game, as each level pretty much has the same objective. Get from A to B and shoot any antagonists you may encounter.

Occasionally, you may be challenged to change your tactics – with certain moments of the game encouraging you to adopt a more stealthy approach.

During these moments, you can use a silencer on your gun, but that won’t prevent you from being noticed as the antagonists appear to have a sense of hearing not seen since Superman came to Earth.

It’s also odd that a sniper shot in the head won’t take out your opponent. They simply take a hit and start running towards you – making the sniper rifle a little redundant considering that your position has now been compromised.

For the most part, the level design is pretty linear and the game doesn’t really offer any tactical options. The single-player campaign could have been improved greatly, had the option to take a different route to your objective been included.

Ultimately, what you are left with is a standard third-person shooter, with some very minor tactical elements.

The developers have spruced things up a bit, with the inclusion of night vision goggles and a variety of weapons to use, but ultimately it can all become a bit repetitive.

The tension of the previous games is lost due to the fact your character now comes with regenerative health. So if you find yourself getting shot, you simply have to duck and hide out of the firing line and wait for your health to improve.

Playing the game through the four-player co-op adds a little bit of fun to the proceedings, however it makes the game a hell of a lot easier and only by ramping up the difficultly level will it prove itself to be a bit more of a competitive challenge.

At first the controls feel like a complete mess. If the game had a control mechanism like Resistance Retribution, Bravo Team 3 would have been a much more enjoyable affair. As it stands, the handling is somewhat clunky.

The left analogue stick controls both the direction and the movement of your character and the d-pad enables your inventory and your aiming (a case of zoom in and zoom out). The x button is your firing button and the square reloads your weapon.

Pressing the circle button will instruct your team to position themselves in the area you happen to be pointing towards at the time. This can be quite irritating as if you hit the button by mistake it could potentially give away your cover.

Ultimately, the game mainly suffers because the PSP format just isn’t designed to handle third-person shooters like this and until Sony adds a second analogue stick to the PSP it’s going to stay that way.

Graphically, the game is as strong as you are going to get on the PSP. While the textures are a little saturated, they fit the atmosphere of the proceedings perfectly. The animation is also very impressive, with a nice focus on the movement and reaction of the various henchmen you take out.

The sound also does its job well. While the standard sound of the guns and explosions can get a bit repetitive, both the musical score and the voice acting prove to be quite exceptional.

Overall, SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 is a bit of a mixed bag. While the single-player campaign lacks the punch of its predecessors, the multiplayer does offer the title some longevity.

Offering matches of up to 16 players, this is where the real fun of the game is to be had.

Verdict: 6.5 out of 10

The Good
Nice graphics
Impressive cut scenes
Lots of weapons
Good multiplayer

The Bad
Controls take a while to get used to
Little variety during mission