Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Control: 9
Replay: 7.5
Overall: 9.5
Multiplayer: Only Xbox Live Co-Op

Full Spectrum Warrior is an entirely different bird. It's that bird that looks like a peaceful little sparrow, but when it breathes it shoots fireballs, and bees. It is really a game that doesn't fit anything we know. It is even presented in a movie style, so the story flows very nicely.

This game is done very well for being based on a military trainer. If Pandemic and THQ fix a few things before the next round, this game will definitely be a sure buy. Even though I highly recommend it, I would rent it first to make sure it floats your boat, if not you may be stuck with a 50 dollar investment of another anti-terrorist game.

The game is more of an RTS meets third person shooter and has an illegitimate child called a Real Time Shooter, or Third Person Strategy, or Rainbow Six that actually has teamwork, not just guys following you around while you shoot everything. Full Spectrum Warrior gives you control of two fireteams as they advance through the fictional country of Zekistan fighting for survival after the day it shot to pieces in the opening moments of the game. Much like the show 24, all the events in this game take place during one 24 hour period.

At first I thought controlling two teams through a city would be difficult seeing as how I don't have a mouse or keyboard for commands. Luckily using two teams to move through a city works very well and creates an interesting new aspect. You can move a team into position behind whatever you want for cover, you name it, and you can most likely utilize it. Set the team up, and have them cover the fire lanes, then advance the other teams across the alley. Or engage an enemy and have the other team circle around behind for an easy kill. The two team idea opens up many different strategies, and that's what this is at heart anyway, a strategy game.

The camera in this game is also done very well. Using the right stick, you can rotate the camera any direction you want around the squad. It bounces along while the soldiers run, giving you the feeling of being there. The camera also does do some interesting things when you get a man shot. If you leave the squad in the open, and one guy gets hit, you will see the camera instantly focus on him, a squirt of blood from somewhere, and him go down. This is all done in slow motion, like Max Payne style bullet-time. If he dies, the mission is over, if not you will have to carry him all the way along. The last interesting camera tool is a sight button. It grays out the areas around you if nobody is looking in that direction. It shows where there are gaps where men can sneak up into, and it also shows you where you are exposed. A very clever addition from Pandemic.

The graphics in FSW are spectacular. Each man is modeled very well. He walks and runs and talks like a real human being. When he hides and fires and shoots he does it just like the real guys. The animations looks very lifelike too when the guys get shot and when you shoot a terrorist. They fall just like you would if you got shot in the head, or arm, or torso.

The environments are fully destructible and nothing will hold up. If you hide behind a corner and bullets start to fly, the corner will chip and pieces will fly off. If you hide behind a car, the glass breaks and holes appear in the sheet metal. Eventually, if you stay there long enough, the tires may be hit, the car will deteriorate even more, and bullets will start to come through the sides. The dumpsters and crates, and carts and even the living room couch can all be hid behind. Until you see them being destroyed in front of you by bullets and the occasional RPG. Speaking of RPG's, they are easy to spot here, as you can see the smoke trail, they warhead as it gets close, and the hole it leaves form the explosion, complete with bits of metal and dirt flying everywhere.

If you have ever read one of my reviews before, you know what a sound Nazi I am, and FSW doesn't disappoint. Everything in this game is done almost perfectly, and the 5.1 surround sound support helps it accomplish that quality.

This game is dead on when it comes to sound effects. The guns all sound different from each other and the explosions are different too, with RPG's sounding different than grenades. The dirt even makes sounds when blown into the air as it sounds like the chunks are coming down on the microphone of the camera. And what's cool, the 5.1 lets you trace the effects across the screen. I heard an RPG coming. And when it missed, I could hear it traveling off in the other speaker.

By far one of the coolest things in the game is each soldier has his own personality and speech style. Ota, he's a Hawaiian kid who played video games, so he has 9 anime tattoos and speaks like a Hawaiian surfer. Shimenski, he is a gun-nut who had the most fun ever in Iraq. Lewis, he is a NYC cop who acts like it all the time. Picoli, he is the romantic type, and he also has the dirty mouth, which leads to the next point. Language and all it's fun.

The language in FSW isn't exactly Dr. Seuss. And if it is, it's a grown up and very angry Yurtle the Turtle. In the first opening into you get to hear some F-bombs dropped, and a Sgt. get called a "b!*** a$$ Mut*** F*****." Lovely for the kiddies if I may say so myself. Definitely don't play this around as you never know what you may hear. So far I have heard everything from "Take that pen15 Wrinkle" to insults about his relationship with his mother. Very amusing and very dirty. Don't worry though, they also scream other things besides swears. You'll hear them call for help and pep talking each other, along with the commands.

The control of FSW is very good. It gives you a cursor to move your squad around, and using the box on the right of the screen, you can pick the formation you want them to set up in, and have them move. Once you learn how to do it, finding ideal cover under fire becomes almost a snap. If you want to be more careful than having the men run across the street, you can bound across. This means two guys go while the other two lay down cover fire. Then the other two come across while the first two lay down the fire. Or you can hold B and they will hit the deck to help save them a bit more.

Firing in this game is easy. Since you don't do any of it, you just give the men a fire quadrant, and they will watch it. If something bad comes into sight, they go nuts on it. You may have to help them by throwing a grenade, or launching one from a M203, but they do the heavy work.

The soldiers also have to use the cursor for one more thing. Wounded soldiers. If a man gets shot, you will have to go back, and carry him around, which also effectively takes out 2 guns, since one man has to carry him and he can't shoot while carrying the wounded. It will also slow you down as you can't move as fast with a man on another mans back. Oh, and don't even think of leaving him behind, you can't or you won't be allowed to proceed, and if he dies, you lose the mission. Simple, casualties are not good, and with this control, you should be able to keep them from getting hit.

The game is about 11 hours long, so it will keep your attention for a while, but the co-op multiplayer is where the action will be. Too bad it is only over Xbox Live. This game will definitely open up new possibilities as the teams are needed to work so close together. One word of warning for those who want to play online: Go through training, or it will be horribly obvious that you didn't, as you will suck big time. It's a good addition, but next time Pandemic, make it so you can do it over system link, and add in a deathmatch if possible.