SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs

A decent game, way better than Confrontation, especially for the multiplayer part. Unfortunately the main campaign is short and it's not so thrilling and challenging as it should be. It works, but is so bland and plain such that only the hardcore fans of the franchise can fully appreciate it.

SOCOM 4 doesn't make the once-amazing franchise shine. Instead, it stands as just another shooter among others, whether they're tactical or not.

SOCOM is nothing different from the series. The game has tactical aspects that can "make the day" of the hardcore gamer, single and multiplayer (thanks to the brand new Bomb Squad mode). Some AI problems and poor graphics prevent the game for being a must buy.

SOCOM: Special Forces has left us with mixed feelings. The singleplayer doesn't live up to today's standards but the varied multiplayer and co-op modes save this game from its doom.

Successfully plays on the strategy roots of the Socom series with impressive results. [Issue#109, p.96]

The team-based multiplayer is undeniably good. [June 2011, p.108]

Your enjoyment of SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs will depend heavily on what you're expecting from the game. Those looking for a great single-player experience won't find it here because of some bad AI and a focus on gunplay as opposed to tactics. Those looking for a strong multiplayer game will be disappointed to find that while the new modes are fun enough, the old modes that made SOCOM unique are gone, making the game stand out less in a rather crowded genre. New players may be fine with what's here, but for fans of the series, it is a disappointing entry that should be relegated to rental status.

It's a stark contrast to the uninspired single-player campaign, but SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs' online exemplifies everything we love about the series. [June 2011, p.69]

The single player campaign is not the strongest out there, and lacks intelligent AI and an abundance of tactical options. Coop and multiplayer has a satisfying focus on teamwork, which is refreshing in a genre where most players only aim for a high kill/death ratio. Zipper Interactive haven't forgotten their core fans, and the Pro-mode is a good way to please long time SOCOM players.

Considering the fast-paced action of the singleplayer campaign and its rich multiplayer, the only ones who might be disappointed of Zipper Interactive's work are those looking for a really hardcore strategic experience. Compared to older iterations of the franchise, Special Forces is in fact much more simple and accessible.

SOCOM: Special Forces is a game that may cause disappointment to most classical players, but attract those who want a game with more action and spectacle.

Most of the time, though, it just sort of is, existing as a weirdly generic, blandly acceptable compromise between casual and hardcore that doesn't really go far enough to please either set of fans.

Zipper Interactive returns to the development of its franchise in order to let us forget about Confrontation. SOCOM: Special Forces offer two different mechanics, tactics, giving orders to the members of our team, and stealth, using the korean soldier "45". A solid gameplay is followed by an amazing multiplayer mode that includes cooperative missions and lots of options for customization of the competitive modes. We wished Zipper Interactive had pushed a little bit more to reach the level of other PS3 exclusives like Uncharted or Killzone, but it is still a very unique and action packed experience.

When I sat down to write, I was prepared to be more positive about SOCOM 4. Multiplayer and co-op make for a ton of fun and the game is built solid from the ground up, but don't waste your money if you only plan on playing SOCOM 4's single-player campaign.

The multiplayer for SOCOM 4 is solid, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. I wish there were more game modes and maps to make my purchase feel worthwhile.

This is a decent online shooter with a fairly bland and mildly repetitive single-player component added on.

There is fun to be had here, but by being unable to connect past distinguishing features and moderns sensibilites, SOCOM: Special Forces is unable to do enough to stand out of the crowd.

The campaign is short and pretty uneventful, with a completely ignorable story. [Issue#205, p.84]

SOCOM 4 is a light and breezy third-person shooter that's pretty good by genre standards, but perhaps a bit lacking in comparison to SOCOM 2.

Slightly above-average game with dull campaign and relatively distinctive multiplayer, which is ruined by unpleasant mistakes.

Seemingly ordinary shooter that does not deviate from the range of other pieces from this genre. Its charm lies in multiplayer. [Issue#204]

If you want a battle simulator with support roles and a grand tactical battlefield, play MAG. If you want an old-school test of reflexes and headshot-ing skill, SOCOM 4 is just what the grenade spamming sniper doctor ordered.

The reintroduction of the campaign in the new SOCOM doesn't manage to offer anything memorable -save for the inclusion of the Korean female character- along with the disappointing absence of the co-op option. Fortunately, the multiplayer portion of the game succeeds in providing well designed maps that deliver intense battles.

After some hit-and-miss experimentation, SOCOM needs refreshing, and this more aggressive approach is aiming in the right direction, even if it isn't a direct hit. [June 2011, p.93]

SOCOM: Special Forces is, by some distance, the best SOCOM game yet, although it still lacks polish in comparison with the likes of Call of Duty and Crysis 2.

Sony wants SOCOM 4 to be COD in "tactical" clothing, but all they ended up with is an utterly bland amalgam of missions and cutscenes that lacks any soul.

Unlike his predecessors Socom Special Forces is filled with action. Its strong multiplayer mode makes up for its disapointing campaign.

Quotation forthcoming.

Zipper aims high but fails to make the title stand out. Socom just isn't what it used to be on the PS2.

SOCOM 4, like any new game in a series that has a near-and-dear fan base, is going to rub some people the wrong way. But it's really not a bad shooter; its biggest issue is going to be whether there's a there there, to quote Gertrude Stein.

Zipper Interactive promised one of the most tense and strategic action games ever, but we didn't get any of that. Still it's quite fun in multiplayer.

Special Forces is not without its moments of drama and excitement, but ultimately there is an overriding sense that you are simply going through the motions – Move or no Move.

Whilst its hordes of mindless, generic, evil kamikaze AI make for great target practice, there isn't much else on offer if you're a veteran third-person gamer.

Not a terrible game, just a terribly average one - and in the busiest genre around, that makes it as good as pointless. [July 2011, p.95]

SOCOM: Special Forces was obviously designed to be a more accessible experience than its predcessors, but I suspect this will prove to be a mistake. Long-standing SOCOM fans are likely to protest against the changes to the mechanics, while those new to the series are going to wonder what all the fuss was about.

The problem with a game like SOCOM is that it can't fully commit to either its tactical roots or the more action-oriented demands of industry trends-the result is less interesting than the sum of its parts.

As a tactical shooter, it starts out rather well, but quickly goes down hill. The AI is bad, the level design disappoingly linear and overly reliant on scripted events, the story is entirely forgettable. And as for the gameplay, it quickly devolves into a mediocre cover-based shooter rather than tactical variant it claims to be.