Video Game Review: Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter for XBox 360

Few games will ever build up as much hype prior to release as Tom Clancy games. Simply put, any game that carries "Tom Clancy" in its title is going to get plenty of attention. However, with this attention comes plenty of expectations. Every Tom Clancy game is expected to be outstanding, fundamentally solid, and graphically appealing. There are high expectations involved, and, thankfully, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter lives up to these.

Advanced Warfighter is an absolutely outstanding Ghost Recon title that takes the series precisely where it needed to go. Ghost Recon titles have really been lacking in visual presentation in the past, but Advanced Warfighter redefines that by packing the game complete with everything a game could desire in the form of eye candy galore. In fact, many have already labeled it as the best looking game on the Xbox 360. While this point can be debated, the game both looks and plays outstanding.

While discussing visuals, it is important to note that the only downfall is that the lighting can be a little intense at times, making it difficult to spot enemies in the game. The game was made just a tad too bright, and although it gives it a unique look, it can be a little painful on the eyes when played for too long. Despite this, the environments are still stunning, destruction effects are superbly done, ragdoll physics are spot-on, and characters are incredibly detailed. All of these, combined with sparkly special effects, combine to form a visually stunning game.

The whole game takes place in one giant city, and by doing this each mission covers a span of a few blocks of that city. What this translates to is a unique gameplay feel that allows gamers to use tactics to their advantage as they can take any path to get from Point A to Point B. This strategy provides a unique feel to the game in the genre.