SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals: Combined Assault

Combined Assault feels more like an average expansion pack. The new multiplayer maps are welcome and well designed but there are only 10 of them, making it feel like you're playing SOCOM 3 1/2 instead of the legitimate sequel you paid for. Combined Assault does introduce a 4 player co-op mode into the mix, but why would you opt for that when 32 player matches are going on all around you?

For those seeking good online play on the PlayStation 2, Combined Assault is the best there is, for better or worse. Anyone seeking a strong single-player game is strongly advised to look elsewhere.

A solid sendoff for the console that made it great. Just be sure to bring a few friends with you when you sign up for this tour of duty.

Combined Assault feels much more like an expansion pack than a full sequel. The single player game once again doesn’t show much improvement, while the online play shines.

Stomach-churning graphics and bad AI undermine an otherwise solid tactical shooter. Has "For Hardcore Fans" written all over it. [Apr 2007, p.89]

As sturdy as ever but you'll feel like you've seen it all before. [July 2007, p.80]

The single-player is decent, but relies on its co-op functionality to pull you out of its twitchy gameplay troubles. If you can get around that, Combined Assault is worth sticking your head out in the firing line for.

At its core, you’re playing the game with the SOCOM 3 engine making it seem like an expansion pack with new levels and such. It’s a shame they couldn’t completely fix some of the problems with the AI but it’s still SOCOM and if you’re a fan you’ll find enjoyment through the various gameplay options available.

I enjoyed quite a few lengthy gaming sessions on this title; the online ranking helps you quickly team up with fellow elite Seals and you can easily while away the hours negotiating the many maps available.

Crap squadmate AI and a lack of advancement online. Got any other SOCOMs? Then don't bother. [Apr 2007, p.70]

Last year's realistic military-shooter SOCOM 3 was great, but I felt tricked after popping in the so-called sequel, Combined Assault. The game is a lot like the previous one, with a key difference: the "combined assault". [Jan. 2007, p.104]

It isn’t for people who own "SOCOM 3," either, because they already own all the best SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault has to offer. It is for everyone else, though, being the best comprehensive shooter package available for the PS2, thanks to the beefed up missions (and in spite of the moronic A.I.).

What's even more annoying is that like in previous SOCOMs, the characters have a bad habit of getting stuck on the environment.

It’s not that Combined Assault is hard. It’s more like the game is very impolite, barely introducing itself to new players. The control and game interface are showing their age, too. They weren’t very good even back when the first SOCOM came out. It’s probably time to rethink the way this game plays.

For fans of the series, you'll feel like the developers ordered the series to "hold its position" because it hasn't gone that far from the previous SOCOM. And unfortunately for us, unlike your teammates in the game, it actually obeys every order.

The story's less interesting than SOCOM 3 and the levels, objectives, bonus objectives, enemies, prisoners and hostages all blur together into one big brown blur.

Whilst the whole package is graphically very dated and lacking in originality, there is an undeniable depth to this tactical shooter that knows exactly what its target demographic wants, and it's nice to see Sony continuing to support the PlayStation2 online community.