Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix
John Mullins returns, guns blazing...
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Did you ever want to be a mercenary? Have you ever had the desire (especially nowadays) to tame some unchecked aggression by viciously slaughtering a band of terrorists whose nefarious scheme is about to throw the entire free world into chaos? If you answered yes, then now is your chance. Since joining the armed forces and scoring within the range of “morally flexible” on the psyche tests is not an option for everyone, the fine folks over at Raven have given us Solider of Fortune II: Double Helix. This title not only enables players to step into the shoes of a real-world soldier turned mercenary for hire, John Mullins, (who has been able to accomplish the afore-mentioned objectives in the real world) and dish out some of the most brutal forms of punishment to any bunch of ne’er-do-wells in need of a serious beating, but also provides players with a bit of insight as to what such a life may actually be like, dismembered limbs and all.
Obvious from the start, this game is the sequel to Soldier of Fortune, the gritty first person shooter released a few years back. Whereas the original title was a bit over-the-top and “arcadey” (futuristic type weapons, and the ability to dismember limbs with a pea-shooter from thirty feet away), SOFII adheres to a more realistic, real-world approach. This includes the various weaponry (all reality based) and the way human bodies react to being plugged. The developer has gone out of their way to make the trademark gore realistic, including “per-pixel” hit accuracy and real-world physics, through the use of their “GHOUL II” engine that sports thirty-six “damage zones” and sixteen “dismemberment zones” for each and every body… eww. This means that no matter where you aim, the round will enter at exactly that spot, and the enemy will react to being hit in that spot. The dismemberment techniques, eviscerations, and “gibleting” are a bit more realistic (although not completely); the proper distance plus an appropriate weapon (shotgun, or something of a large caliber) is required to make it happen. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the fine touches implemented this time around, as SOFII manages to shine brightly in all the necessary areas.
Graphically, the game is stunning. It’s visuals are on par with the beautiful Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, but brought into a present-day setting. The environments are richly detailed and teeming with life, the grass sways in the wind, and the rain drops are of the same ilk seen in the beautiful Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. All of the character models are comprised of an obscene number of polygons, complete with texture mapping that will make you salivate. The eyes of the characters are rendered separately, giving them a disturbingly human look, and everyone in the game is animated wonderfully. People run, walk, attack, and writhe in agony in such a realistic fashion that until you get used to it, it will make you cringe. There are a few bugs within the game, and clipping is present at times (characters fall over and die half in/half out of a wall, box, etc.). All of this graphical beauty comes at a price, however, as players will need a fairly substantial machine and video card to run it. The system used for this review was a 1.2 Ghz PIII with a GeForce4 Ti4600, and it ran beautifully at 1024x768 with a lot (but not all) of the effects on. A good rule of thumb would be to start at the default graphic settings and slowly tweak upward to match your system specs.
Comments
I kept being remined of Time Crises while playing, except Time Crises had a better plot. The models seem like puppets especially in the painful cut sceanes. You a running a path with out any real choices. I would have to say it is crap, pretty crap but crap. After the ooooh " i can blow their heads in to meny bits" whears off it becomes frustrating and dul. You might like it if you thought Alien vs Predator was too open ended
Soldier Of Fortune is a great game, some of the levels are just pure genius. Like the Jungle missions which are just simply dripping with atmosphere and are simply beautifull to look at.
Another great factor about SOFII. Is the story line. Yeah yeah I know what you're thinking, USA Vs. a new terrorist threat. Exactly what I thought when I read the back of the box. But it branches out to be so so much more then that. With some of the cut-scenes you really get a sense that this virus is a huge dilema you realise the massive scale of it all. This atmosphere is fantastically executed dragging you in. Making the game seem disturbingly real. That this "Gemini" virus could really happen.
This is what is great about the game, it just all seems so solidly put together, the sounds of the weapons boom through your speakers beautifully. The AI is fantastically smart, no more point a gun and shoot tactics (well on some levels maybe) Oh and then there is the gore....
Death isn't a pretty thing, oh no it isn't, would you really think someone's head would remain intact after a couple of shot gun pellets crashed through it?
Another great measure taken to add realism to the game, not like in the first one where it was it's only selling point (if you see on SOFII's box it only says "ultra realistic damage modelling", the only time, appart from the 18 cert that they say that this game is violent) they make you feel that you are really shooting someone, many measures are taken to make games realistic.Ultra Realistic gore modelling had to come round one day.
On the first time you see a chunk fly off the skull, blood squirting onto the victims clothes and on the ground, Seeing the insides of his skull, disturbs you it disturbs you a lot, I thought it was disgusting but weirdly I wanted to see more. Much more. This game brings out the vampiristic sadist in all of us.
Some of the levels look a little plain and the AI sometimes has random spawning points which irritate. The levels are pretty linear.
The multiplayer is good, though I would like it to be more like the return to castle wolfenstien multiplayer rather then Counter stike, the formula has been used far too much in my oppinion.
SOFII is a great game to play walking around with the pumpaction shot gun blasting off limbs.
If SOFII where a song it would be AC DC's Back in black, Bad ass but serious at the same time.
#Back in black!#
I think your comment was very fair, but I don't know what you're talking about with the bugs, I havent had this problem, and my soldier of fortune is good.
Please can some one help me to vind the Soldiers of Fortune II blood patch. If someone know the site please mail me it.
HALO IS MUCH BETTER !
I greet! You in what program do maps to game Soldier of Fortune II? It where from do he was it been possible was to pull down? Do this full version? I ask about quick answer.