SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Apr 19, 2011
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 133 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 69 out of 133
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 133
  3. Negative: 34 out of 133
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  1. Skytop
    Aug 26, 2011
    0
    With SOCOM 2, Zipper had a near perfect title, Fantastic Multiplayer, Epic Soundtrack, and Amazing tactical squad based single player. Now, They are planning on re-booting the franchise with SOCOM 4. So what is their definition of reboot? Take out EVERYTHING that made SOCOM 2 good, and then improve the graphics, and while their at it, focus on some motion control fad then the actualWith SOCOM 2, Zipper had a near perfect title, Fantastic Multiplayer, Epic Soundtrack, and Amazing tactical squad based single player. Now, They are planning on re-booting the franchise with SOCOM 4. So what is their definition of reboot? Take out EVERYTHING that made SOCOM 2 good, and then improve the graphics, and while their at it, focus on some motion control fad then the actual gameplay as even more of a slap to the face to SOCOM fans. Squad control interface? Dumbed down to the point where it is as broken and useless as the RPG elements in Mass Effect 2 (Don't get me wrong, Mass Effect 2 was a good game) Smart Squad AI that makes you feel like a leader, rather then a baby-sitter? Gone. Stealth play? Gone. Open environments that give you tactical options that aren't 'Obvious sniper rifle on the high balcony'? Gone. All the characters from the SOCOM Franchise? Gone. Difficulty? Gone. US Navy SEALS? Even THOSE are gone. That's right folks, You don't even play as the US Navy SEALS, You play as 'NATO Special Operations'. The combat is clunky and feels broken, Your squad mates seem more interested running in single-file formation into enemy fire rather than following orders. Did Zipper make this game just to slap SOCOM Fans in the face? Bottom line: Game tries to be just any other shooter, and even fails at that, resulting in a broken mess of a game. You would get a better use of your hard-earned money by wiping your ass with a $50 bill.… Expand
  2. Coolade
    May 16, 2011
    0
    I am going to keep this short and simple. Zipper abandoned the expectations that come with the name "Socom". Terrible camera, terrible gameplay, no recoil, no grenade arc, no lean, no lobby or party system, terrible leveling up system for weapons and mods, no push to talk, no escort or breach medley, only 8 maps. What is this? A terrible modernization for the "casual" gamer. Avoid at all costs.
  3. Kazumaru
    Apr 22, 2011
    3
    As a fan of the original SOCOM's on the PS2, this game totally strays far from its original roots. A very poor OTS Camera view with tons camera collision, random bullet spray instead of actual recoil, and a cover system that promotes heavy camping. This game was meant to cater to the semi-retarded ADD players of COD. That is not what SOCOM is about. The previous SOCOMs were all aboutAs a fan of the original SOCOM's on the PS2, this game totally strays far from its original roots. A very poor OTS Camera view with tons camera collision, random bullet spray instead of actual recoil, and a cover system that promotes heavy camping. This game was meant to cater to the semi-retarded ADD players of COD. That is not what SOCOM is about. The previous SOCOMs were all about teamwork, communication, and skill. I do not see any of these in this installment of SOCOM. Currently, the game makes it almost impossible to play with your friends. Include that with a shotty mic system that hardly works and a socom engine where gunfights are determined by luck rather than skill, this game just simply isn't SOCOM. They simply added the SOCOM name to it to improve their sales because we all know this game wouldn't sell if it was called "Third Person COD and Every Other Shooter Out There Rip Off"… Expand
  4. NATOrounds
    Apr 23, 2011
    2
    This Socom is the biggest disappointment in the once very popular, very strong Socom franchise. Its lacks the very essentials that help make a team based strategy game. The game was released before it was even completed and there are a whole host of patches needed to fix the many glitches and errors in the game. No Lobby system, no party systems, camera angles are terrible, the OTS andThis Socom is the biggest disappointment in the once very popular, very strong Socom franchise. Its lacks the very essentials that help make a team based strategy game. The game was released before it was even completed and there are a whole host of patches needed to fix the many glitches and errors in the game. No Lobby system, no party systems, camera angles are terrible, the OTS and cover system have completely ruined the game while they have managed to remove essentials like d-pad lean and "jump to climb". There only half the number of maps in Socom 4 as there were in other socoms, and they are symmetrical and geared towards the respawn based gameplay, not traditional socom modes.

    If you are looking for a new game to keep you entertained, look elsewhere. This is simply a 3rd person Call of Duty gone wrong. Games modes are not entertaining either. If you buy this game, make sure you have enough gas in the tank to make a trip to Gamestop the next day because this is a game you will definitely be returning.    … Expand
  5. solid_snake3656
    Apr 24, 2011
    0
    One of the greatest playstation franchises has officially died, and socom 4 is the final nail in the coffin. The key features that made this franchise stand out amongst everything else, leave you asking WTF? The single player is no longer a tactical mission, it plays out like any other shooters SP. Where you walk into an area as quietly as possible, yet the enemy some how knows you areOne of the greatest playstation franchises has officially died, and socom 4 is the final nail in the coffin. The key features that made this franchise stand out amongst everything else, leave you asking WTF? The single player is no longer a tactical mission, it plays out like any other shooters SP. Where you walk into an area as quietly as possible, yet the enemy some how knows you are there. The cover sysem is a nice addition to the game, but again its nothing innovative since so many other shooters are using it as well. And as for the multiplayer, its a total nightmare. There will be times in classic mode as soon as the match starts, everyone spawns, than about 15-20 seconds later it allows you to respawn. And by the time you even leave your spawn, you are hit with a nade or gun fire. The camera view doesn't do this game any favors either, the over the shoulder view blocks out any peripheral vision that you have. And going around objects makes the camera zoom into the back of your characters head. Lack of weapon customization and character customization really hurt this game as well. All in all socom 4 is a mediocre game, that tries to imitate all the other shooters out there. Not worth my $60… Expand
  6. pre_-cision-_
    Apr 21, 2011
    4
    If you purchase this game expecting a "SOCOM" title you will be SEVERELY let down. This game has gone away from the true roots of the series and has moved the title to be more casual player friendly. Features found in shooters such as call of duty, uncharted and rainbow six debut for the first time in this "SOCOM" titled game. All aspects of this game are changed for the worse from singleIf you purchase this game expecting a "SOCOM" title you will be SEVERELY let down. This game has gone away from the true roots of the series and has moved the title to be more casual player friendly. Features found in shooters such as call of duty, uncharted and rainbow six debut for the first time in this "SOCOM" titled game. All aspects of this game are changed for the worse from single player, co-op and online multiplayer as I will now explain to you.

    Singleplayer in SOCOM 4 is an mediocre experience at best. The storyline is extremely cheesy as it is you and your squad versus an entire country's army with generic plot twists.. Rambo would be jealous because I racked up 1000+ kills on hard mode right before the game ended (I know this because I got a trophy for that). The acting is very b-movie like where it shines for a few moments and then drowns miserably for the rest of the show. However the voice acting is a tad bit better during some moments. To beat the games 14 lackluster missions on hard it took me a total of 7 hours and 14 minutes. Your AI teammates range from being useful as bullet sponges to being borderline retarded during the entire length of the campaign. The best part of singleplayer is when it solos you through four stealth missions. Zipper must of made these to piss of the socom community, as they are the only parts of singleplayer that almost resemble the series offline roots.

    Co-op is best played online since your squad ai is already as I mentioned handicapped in every way. There are only 4 missions to play with your friends or random quick matched players. However these missions can be altered with enemy difficult and count. But who the hell doesn't want to play on the hardest settings? Once you beat them all each one time you will never want to return as co-op gets repetitive and boring quick.

    Sigh now lets get into the biggest letdown of the words on the front of the box. SOCOM is all about online multiplayer gameplay no question about it. With that being said this is honestly the worse online SOCOM game you will ever play. Lobbies are now replaced with random call of duty quick matches where little to no communication takes place. There is never a sense of comradery in these rooms as you will find quick you don't give two **** who is in or out of your game nor does anyone else. Consider yourself lucky if you can switch up teams in 15 seconds since you cant talk to the opposing team.

    Do you like playing with your friends on SOCOM? Well you cant for awhile zipper forgot to add a party system there suppose to "patch" it in before the end of april. You can play with friends but you have to join there room and hope its not full while hoping you get on there team... talk about a nightmare. The clan system is the only way to currently play in a "party" at all. Here's how it works; you make a group and challenge clans from any gamemode from a list and hope they accept or even get the invite to war.

    If you want to go solo you can play some ranked respawn and call in some airstrikes from your killstreak reward.... yep hello call of duty! There are classic modes where there is no respawn but they are a slight nod at the series if you want to go that far. Hip fire sucks so you get two dual primary weapons on this "SOCOM" game! Everytime you score a kill you get some fancy experience points to unlock weapon attachments and level up your character to gain access to new weapons. That is assuming if you can get a kill with the clunky character view point that plagues every aspect of the game from online to offline.

    Im going to stop here as I do not want to rant about the thousands of negative changes for multiple paragraphs. Maybe in 3 months from now after multiple patches this game will be better but as it stands right now it is better than Confrontation RELEASE period. See that the keyword was RELEASE... Confrontation TODAY is better than SOCOM 4 without a doubt if you get into a legit room. This game does everything the mainstream market has today but doesn't do one thing right its just a big mess.

    Bottom line... zipper lost touch with its fanbase and you need to avoid this game unless you find it used or on the bargain bin for a decent price.    … Expand
  7. iiDeadSeriousii
    Apr 22, 2011
    4
    I was completely unimpressed by the lackluster story and its' half assed attempts at trying so hard to pretend it's original. The shooting mechanics are atrocious and nobody should have that much recoil while shooting a weapon. The camera was extremely close and claustrophobia inducing, also severely limiting your field of view in SP. MP is a work in progress. I get that most gamesI was completely unimpressed by the lackluster story and its' half assed attempts at trying so hard to pretend it's original. The shooting mechanics are atrocious and nobody should have that much recoil while shooting a weapon. The camera was extremely close and claustrophobia inducing, also severely limiting your field of view in SP. MP is a work in progress. I get that most games nowadays can be patched later, but that should be left for exploits, not for fixing things in a game that was already delayed. Doesn't feel like a SOCOM experience at all. Overall, one of the bigger disappointments of this year.… Expand
  8. zentblacko
    Apr 25, 2011
    0
    This game is just straight up trash. You can tell just from the main menu that zipper wasnt trying at all to make a game true and dear to their fanbase.They were probably in their studio getting high or something cause they werent working on this game at all!! First off the character movements are terrible, they move like retards i mean they are suppose to be trained military men and theyThis game is just straight up trash. You can tell just from the main menu that zipper wasnt trying at all to make a game true and dear to their fanbase.They were probably in their studio getting high or something cause they werent working on this game at all!! First off the character movements are terrible, they move like retards i mean they are suppose to be trained military men and they move like tit heads. Second there the shooting mechanics in this game are so bad and clunky along with the annoying camera it makes playing more than 30 mins a headache at best. Third the game is clearly copying off of call of duty with its gay little airstrikes that are usless and ineffective i mean they even changed the strafing speed to make it more like call of duty a game that does everything better than socom 4… Expand
  9. Ail2798
    Apr 30, 2011
    0
    I've been a long time Socom fan. And this game, this game is awful. Its not even Socom! No lobbies, no pistols, no original game modes besides suppression, ranked respawns, a cover system. no grenade arc, you need to push up on the d-pad, really?, etc. This game is like Cod,Gears of War, and Mag had a ugly and disgusting child. This game isn't even worth renting.
  10. infowars
    Apr 24, 2011
    0
    I bought this game expecting a fresh new experience, but all I got was more of the same. Socom 4 has a dry and boring SP, and a disasterous multiplayer mode. This will be my first and last Socom game.
  11. Richard919
    May 31, 2011
    0
    When i first heard this game was announced i was absolutely ecstatic. Finaly Zipper returns to Socom to bring the GREAT series to Playstation 3. Then it was released and i couldn't have been more disappointed. Lets see where do i begin..? I'll begin in the single player campaign. First off each and every single level looked like it was straight out of MAG. Now dont get me wrong i actuallyWhen i first heard this game was announced i was absolutely ecstatic. Finaly Zipper returns to Socom to bring the GREAT series to Playstation 3. Then it was released and i couldn't have been more disappointed. Lets see where do i begin..? I'll begin in the single player campaign. First off each and every single level looked like it was straight out of MAG. Now dont get me wrong i actually liked MAG alot but this (Socom) was supposed to be a different game. There was no attempt to create new environments whatsoever. Second and the most important, the gameplay. Socom is great because of the tactical game play. This however was the complete opposite of the older games in the series. They reduced the expansive command menu from the past games to the simple "go here" and "shoot him". You are no longer graded at the end of each mission as before. The GREAT stealth aspects from the past Socoms are absolutely gone. There are "stealth missions", but they are forced and only are playable with one character. The attempt at "stealth" in this game was pathetic. In the old Socoms you could stealth your way past just about every level and there were multiple paths through each level. There was also the option the shoot your way through the level if you wanted. The point being there were multiple ways to beat a level. Socom 4 deviates from that great formula by throwing wave after wave of enemies at you. Every level is run 20 ft then have a 10 minute fire fight, run 20 ft then another fire fight. Its obvious Zipper took the Call Of Duty route here and tried to attract the casuals to this game, but in the process ruined their name and a game. Second, the A.I. in this is just terrible. Both your team and the enemies. I dont know how many times I would "command" my team to positions only to be killed by an enemy or 2 that walk right past my team and shoot me. Unless you specifically "command" them to shoot some one the team is useless. They stand out in the open getting shot and killed even if they were told to move behind cover. Third, the story is very weak. The past Socoms never had the characters emotionally tied to what was going on the game. They were exactly what they should be, military MISSIONS. The characters weren't personally involved in the conflict. And that brings me to the main character, Cullen Grey. It's blatantly obvious that they were going for Nathan Drake's (Uncharted) image. They failed in that attempt. Anyone who finds this "story" and characters interesting needs to re think gaming as a hobby. Now the mulitplayer. It is NOTHING like the the previous Socom games. Zipper completely went the casual Call Of Duty route here. The classic mode is not what Socom was. It is an insult to the hardcore Socom fan base. It's clear that it was second to the non classic mode, which was NEVER the case in the past. These new modes, game types, and the run and gun play style is something that would never be found in a TRUE Socom game. Socom used to be for the hardcore shooting gamers that took patience, skill, and team work to play. Zipper turned their back on the fans that made that series what it was and now only want the money from the casuals out there. Bottom line here, if youre looking for a next gen Socom game then Socom 4 is NOT it. Confrontation was bad on release but has since been fixed up and was actually a good game that tried to keep Socom's identity. Socom 4 = Biggest disappointment of 2011.… Expand
  12. Zenvo_ST1
    Jun 20, 2011
    0
    A sad day for SOCOM fans and a slap in the face from the devlopers, there is nothing good to be said about this title or the dev anymore....this game is literally MAG2 (in 3rd person) and nothing like SOCOM...co op can be fun but as far as MP goes......terrible....and ONLINE GAME WITH NO PARTY SYSTEM
  13. HaVoK308
    May 1, 2011
    0
    One of the greatest playstation franchises has officially died, and socom 4 is the final nail in the coffin. The key features that made this franchise stand out amongst everything else, leave you asking WTF? The single player is no longer a tactical mission, it plays out like any other shooters SP. Where you walk into an area as quietly as possible, yet the enemy some how knows you areOne of the greatest playstation franchises has officially died, and socom 4 is the final nail in the coffin. The key features that made this franchise stand out amongst everything else, leave you asking WTF? The single player is no longer a tactical mission, it plays out like any other shooters SP. Where you walk into an area as quietly as possible, yet the enemy some how knows you are there. The cover sysem is a nice addition to the game, but again its nothing innovative since so many other shooters are using it as well. And as for the multiplayer, its a total nightmare. There will be times in classic mode as soon as the match starts, everyone spawns, than about 15-20 seconds later it allows you to respawn. And by the time you even leave your spawn, you are hit with a nade or gun fire. The camera view doesn't do this game any favors either, the over the shoulder view blocks out any peripheral vision that you have. And going around objects makes the camera zoom into the back of your characters head. Lack of weapon customization and character customization really hurt this game as well. All in all socom 4 is a mediocre game, that tries to imitate all the other shooters out there. Not worth my $60… Expand
  14. RealTrueGamer
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    A travesty of epic proportions. True Socom fans need not to play this crap. This game is nothing but Call of Duty in third person mode. Kilstreaks, weapon ranks, and all the other crap you hate. The game's cover system encourages camping. One button grenade throwing encourages grenade spam. This is worse than SOCOM: Confrontation which at least tried to be a SOCOM game. This game will goA travesty of epic proportions. True Socom fans need not to play this crap. This game is nothing but Call of Duty in third person mode. Kilstreaks, weapon ranks, and all the other crap you hate. The game's cover system encourages camping. One button grenade throwing encourages grenade spam. This is worse than SOCOM: Confrontation which at least tried to be a SOCOM game. This game will go down as a horrible game overall. Zipper is done and so is SOCOM.… Expand
  15. pnoozi
    Apr 28, 2011
    0
    Terrible. Not what fans of the series wanted. How many times will Zipper strike out before they listen to their fans?

    Like the multiplayer, the campaign is bland and completely unfaithful to the old games.

    This isn't SOCOM. It's a new shooter pretending to be SOCOM. Shame on Zipper for disrespecting their long time fans with what can only be deemed a slap in the face.
  16. SLY12
    May 21, 2011
    2
    Okay, where to begin? Let's see...for starters, I've played all of the Socom games on the ps2 and ps3. I thought the original Socom and Socom II were very well done. All of the other versions, not so much. With that said, I would have to say this is easily the worst game in the series. I am giving this game a score of 2 just because of all things, the sp. The mp is just too messedOkay, where to begin? Let's see...for starters, I've played all of the Socom games on the ps2 and ps3. I thought the original Socom and Socom II were very well done. All of the other versions, not so much. With that said, I would have to say this is easily the worst game in the series. I am giving this game a score of 2 just because of all things, the sp. The mp is just too messed up. To me, the shooting mechanics are broken, the characters movement is clunky, the map selection is poor and there are more issues to numerous to mention. I actually am surprised when I say the sp is the strongest part of this game and that's not saying much. I think it's just passable as a generic shooter, not a Socom game. I played it just because the PSN was down and to get all of the trophies. Beyond that, it is forgettable in every way. In conclusion, if you want a generic shooter that tries to be a little bit of everything out there today, but does no one particular thing well, then this is your game. Everyone else, should stay far away.… Expand
  17. CoZmic
    Apr 19, 2011
    1
    Zipper destroyed the franchise with Socom 4.A bad made CoD clone.
    Hope Slant Six works on a Confrontation 2 so I get the real Socom feeling again.

    http://forums.socom.com/t5/SOCOM-4-General-Discussion/How-to-restore-Classic-Mode-to-it-s-former-glory/td-p/1065178
  18. impactwrench
    May 24, 2011
    1
    Absolute disaster. This game makes SOCOM Confrontation look great. Everything about this game evolved around online play with your friends. Its next to impossible. There is no way to make a room and have everyone join and play a medley of all maps the way you like them. Zipper lost it. I just want my SOCOM game native to PS3. PLEASE vote to have SOCOM native to PS3 and bring all theAbsolute disaster. This game makes SOCOM Confrontation look great. Everything about this game evolved around online play with your friends. Its next to impossible. There is no way to make a room and have everyone join and play a medley of all maps the way you like them. Zipper lost it. I just want my SOCOM game native to PS3. PLEASE vote to have SOCOM native to PS3 and bring all the classic maps back. RIP SOCOM franchise.… Expand
  19. bmt11
    Nov 13, 2011
    0
    It is hard to say which is a further departure from what the socom brand used to stand for when considering either the single player or multiplayer of this game. The campaigns of every other socom(excluding one that was multiplayer only) was based around a customizable team that you had to tweak just right each mission. In those mission you had to use stealth and determine the best path toIt is hard to say which is a further departure from what the socom brand used to stand for when considering either the single player or multiplayer of this game. The campaigns of every other socom(excluding one that was multiplayer only) was based around a customizable team that you had to tweak just right each mission. In those mission you had to use stealth and determine the best path to complete your mission or you were likely to be overwhelmed by enemies. This new campaign does everything but pull the trigger for you guiding you down linear paths against swarms of scripted enemies which are still beatable because you conveniently have super health and damage. Not to mention the loss of features such as voice commands which were present in the PS2 era games yet are missing today? What definition of progress does this fit under? But when it comes to the socom franchise most people are more interested in it's multiplayer than campaigns. That arguably manages to disappoint even more where the old one life a round scheme originally inspired by counterstrike is shuffled off to a secondary mode. Gone also are all the game modes that made the MP popular and along with the lack of any original maps in the base game the new maps seem to be either randomly thrown together or designed to be perfectly symmetrical making for an utterly un tactical experience. The community features that were developed through the franchises life are also missing being replaced by a queue system that makes it a pain to find a good room. And on top of all that the shooting mechanics were made to be so beginner friendly the only tactical element of the game is who has the most patience and does not pop out of cover first to be hit by a headshot instantly. Besides all the poor design choices the quality of the game is just as bad. The graphics are acceptable but artifacts are often visible(don't even get me started on the explosions) while the sound on the other hand it just awful, every gun sounds alike and that sound is nothing like a gunshot. Gone is the character customization introduced in the last socom and instead it regressed to character skins half of which look like they belong in the gym pumping irons and steroids instead of on the battlefield, which they are not even equipped with the right camouflage for a jungle environment that matter. The game was built on the MAG engine and it's obvious that they copied and pasted nearly everything from that game, and MAG was a bad game in the first place.… Expand
  20. CardiffGiant
    Dec 28, 2011
    0
    Let me keep this short and sweet. SOCOM abandoned all that was once pure. Whatever they had is now gone. If you are a old school SOCOM'er DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. If you are lame.com and are under the age of 2 than this game is perfect for a sippy cup coaster.
  21. EvgenyBychkov71
    Oct 17, 2021
    0
    Ужасная игра для которой 6 баллов это комплимент.
    - отвратительное управление
    - герои такие что хочется что бы они умерли уже после первой миссии
    - стелс не работает

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
36
#36 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 64 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 64
  3. Negative: 2 out of 64
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Oct 6, 2011
    80
    If you have all the accessories to play this game as it is meant to be digested (Move, Sharp Shooter, a decent online connection and four non-idiotic mates on standby for co-op) it's one heck of a good game. Lack even two of those prerequisites though and SOCOM: Special Forces will come across like a fairly standard operation that takes a bit too much liberty with the descriptor 'special'. [June 2011 p68]
  2. Thunderbolt
    Sep 19, 2011
    60
    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.
    Read full review
  3. Play.tm
    Aug 5, 2011
    69
    This is a decent online shooter with a fairly bland and mildly repetitive single-player component added on.
    Read full review
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