Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2
Encyclopedia
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 is the third console installment in the popular Ghost Recon
tactical shooter
video game series, published by Ubisoft
. It is a sequel to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon.
The game was released in North America for the Xbox
video game console on November 16, 2004, for the PlayStation 2
on November 30, 2004, and reached the GameCube
on March 15, 2005. A Windows
version was canceled in April 2005 in favor of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
.
The general setting for the game is the Korean Peninsula
, however the PS2 and Xbox platforms feature different campaigns. The PS2 campaign occurs in 2007 (tying in with Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
), while the Xbox campaign is set in 2011. The Gamecube version also features the same campaign from the PS2 version. Ghost Recon 2 sports an updated graphics engine, the Havok 2 physics engine
, new multiplayer options, voice command ability via microphone. The PS2 version generally received bad reviews, but the Xbox version was met with better reception.
Like all games involving war or conflict between North Korea
and South Korea, this game is currently banned in South Korea. The game has been criticized by the North Korean government for its storyline.
Ghost Recon 2, though very much like the original Ghost Recon, has some very key differences:
General Jung initiates a rebellion against the government, who find themselves at his mercy as he assumes de facto control of the entire country. With total control over the military, Jung gains access to the country's nuclear arsenal, and makes preparations to start a war among the surrounding Asian powers. This prompts NATO and the United States to send a large peacekeeping force in order to shut down Jung's operations before he destabilizes the Korean Peninsula. Great Britain, France, Australia and Germany all openly cooperate with the U.S., but support from South Korea, China, and Japan remain unclear throughout the game.
The "Ghosts" are among the American contingent sent to stop Jung, and Captain Scott Mitchell heads their operations. This small team of specialized soldiers cooperate with NATO forces along enemy lines to liberate villages, cut off Jung's supplies, and seize his nuclear weapons. Throughout the game, General Jung seizes several civilian centers and attacks some of North Korea's largest cities, such as Sinpo
and Hyesan
. Working actively with Allied troops on the battlefield, Capt. Mitchell and his team are charged with staving off Jung's attacks on civilian centers and NATO installations while aiming to cripple Jung's military capabilities. Mitchell also works with special forces from foreign nations who are specialized in certain combat skills needed to handle some of the operations.
Throughout the game, the Ghosts must cut off Jung's supply of gas in order to deprive their combat vehicles of fuel. With each strike, Jung gets more desperate in winning the war, and in one mission, the Ghosts have to seize three nuclear warheads from a train before they reach civilian-populated areas.
Within the final few missions of the game, General Jung launches a last-ditch effort to defeat the NATO forces. He invades a dam near Hamhung
, and plants a nuclear warhead within the structure. If detonated, thousands of civilians would die, so the Ghosts and Capt. Mitchell are tasked with securing the dam, disarming the warhead, and pursuing General Jung before he flees to regroup his forces.
for Ghost Recon 2 available exclusively on the Xbox
. Summit Strike included 11 new single-player missions, as well as new weapons (such as the FN SCAR
) and an expanded multiplayer game. It was released on August 2, 2005.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon is a tactical shooter video game developed by Red Storm Entertainment, a Ubisoft subsidiary, and published by Ubisoft in 2001 for the PC. It was ported to the Mac, PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2002 and to the GameCube in 2003...
tactical shooter
Tactical shooter
A tactical shooter is a subgenre of shooter game that includes both first-person shooters and third-person shooters. These games typically simulate realistic combat, thus making tactics and caution more important than quick reflexes in other action games...
video game series, published by Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
. It is a sequel to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon.
The game was released in North America for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
video game console on November 16, 2004, for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
on November 30, 2004, and reached the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
on March 15, 2005. A Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
version was canceled in April 2005 in favor of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter is the third installment in the popular Ghost Recon tactical shooter video game series, published by Ubisoft in 2006. As in previous Ghost Recon games, players command their team of Ghosts while neutralizing hostile forces and completing various mission...
.
The general setting for the game is the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
, however the PS2 and Xbox platforms feature different campaigns. The PS2 campaign occurs in 2007 (tying in with Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is a critically acclaimed action-adventure stealth game, developed and published by Ubisoft. Chaos Theory is the third game in the Splinter Cell series endorsed by writer Tom Clancy....
), while the Xbox campaign is set in 2011. The Gamecube version also features the same campaign from the PS2 version. Ghost Recon 2 sports an updated graphics engine, the Havok 2 physics engine
Havok (software)
Havok Physics is a physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. It is designed primarily for video games, and allows for real-time collision and dynamics of rigid bodies in three dimensions. It provides multiple types of dynamic constraints between rigid bodies , and has a highly optimized...
, new multiplayer options, voice command ability via microphone. The PS2 version generally received bad reviews, but the Xbox version was met with better reception.
Like all games involving war or conflict between North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South Korea, this game is currently banned in South Korea. The game has been criticized by the North Korean government for its storyline.
Gameplay
In the single player campaign, the player assumes the role of Ghost Team leader, Captain Scott Mitchell; Mitchell is described as "a consummate soldier", being a veteran of several armed conflicts and can use weaponry from any soldier class. In several missions the player is inserted alone in "Lone Wolf" mode and must complete the mission without assistance from the other Ghosts.Ghost Recon 2, though very much like the original Ghost Recon, has some very key differences:
- An over-the-shoulder view has been added alongside the conventional first-person view.
- The threat indicator has been removed in favor of a radar.
- The Demolitions Class has been completely removed (by expanding the kits to include primary weapon, side armSide armA side arm is a weapon, usually a pistol but can be a dagger, as used in pre-modern times, which is worn on the body in a holster to permit immediate access and use. A side arm is typically required equipment for military personnel and sometimes carried by law enforcement personnel...
, explosive and rocket launcher/laser designator for every class). - Two new classes have been introduced: "Lone Wolf" and "Grenadier" (the Grenadier class is actually a splinter class; it used to be simply part of the Rifleman class).
- The XM29 OICWXM29 OICWThe XM29 OICW was a series of prototypes of a new type of battle rifle that fired 20 mm HE airbursting projectiles. The prototypes were developed as part of the Objective Individual Combat Weapon program in the 1990s...
has moved from a typical rifleman weapon to become the new "Lone Wolf" class weapon. - The ability to choose one's own team and allocate skill points has been taken away.
- It is no longer possible to switch between soldiers during a mission; when the player's character dies, the mission ends
- There is no longer a planning screen to coordinate each squad's movement; Only one team is controlled, and orders are given to them via menus.
- There is a difference in ratings, Ghost Recon 2 being rated T for teen, whereas the original Ghost Recon was rated M for mature.
Multiplayer
There are several variations of multiplayer mode in Ghost Recon 2:- Co-Operative games are available in the campaign mission, battle, defend, firefight, garrison, recon, and scout modes, in which players must work together to accomplish a single goal. Garrison mode, for example is, when players must keep enemy troops out of a marked area, for a designated time.
- The Adversarial modes are divided into two categories; Solo, where players work separately, usually against one another, and Squad, where players are divided up into opposing teams.
- Note that online play is not rated by the ESRB.
Storyline
The year is 2010, and amidst a time of disastrous famine and political turmoil, the people of North Korea are facing a time of great change. The government has invested too much into its military buildup and it has become impossible to preserve both the military and North Korea's infrastructure, so in an attempt to curb the effects of the famine, the government cuts off military funding, instead dedicating it towards the internal needs of the population. Infuriated, the North Korean military mobilizes against the government, with the brutal and charismatic General Jung Chong-Sun heading the coup.General Jung initiates a rebellion against the government, who find themselves at his mercy as he assumes de facto control of the entire country. With total control over the military, Jung gains access to the country's nuclear arsenal, and makes preparations to start a war among the surrounding Asian powers. This prompts NATO and the United States to send a large peacekeeping force in order to shut down Jung's operations before he destabilizes the Korean Peninsula. Great Britain, France, Australia and Germany all openly cooperate with the U.S., but support from South Korea, China, and Japan remain unclear throughout the game.
The "Ghosts" are among the American contingent sent to stop Jung, and Captain Scott Mitchell heads their operations. This small team of specialized soldiers cooperate with NATO forces along enemy lines to liberate villages, cut off Jung's supplies, and seize his nuclear weapons. Throughout the game, General Jung seizes several civilian centers and attacks some of North Korea's largest cities, such as Sinpo
Sinpo
Sinpo is a port city on the coast of the Sea of Japan in central South Hamgyong province, North Korea. According to the last available census, approximately 158,000 people reside here.-Weather:...
and Hyesan
Hyesan
Hyesan is a city in the northern part of the northern Ryanggang province of North Korea. It is a hub of river transportation as well as a product distribution centre. It is also the administrative centre of Ryanggang Province...
. Working actively with Allied troops on the battlefield, Capt. Mitchell and his team are charged with staving off Jung's attacks on civilian centers and NATO installations while aiming to cripple Jung's military capabilities. Mitchell also works with special forces from foreign nations who are specialized in certain combat skills needed to handle some of the operations.
Throughout the game, the Ghosts must cut off Jung's supply of gas in order to deprive their combat vehicles of fuel. With each strike, Jung gets more desperate in winning the war, and in one mission, the Ghosts have to seize three nuclear warheads from a train before they reach civilian-populated areas.
Within the final few missions of the game, General Jung launches a last-ditch effort to defeat the NATO forces. He invades a dam near Hamhung
Hamhung
Hamhŭng is North Korea's second largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. In late 2005, nearby Hŭngnam was made a ward within Hamhŭng-si. It has a population of 768,551 as of 2008.-Geography:...
, and plants a nuclear warhead within the structure. If detonated, thousands of civilians would die, so the Ghosts and Capt. Mitchell are tasked with securing the dam, disarming the warhead, and pursuing General Jung before he flees to regroup his forces.
Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike
Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike is a stand-alone expansion packExpansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
for Ghost Recon 2 available exclusively on the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. Summit Strike included 11 new single-player missions, as well as new weapons (such as the FN SCAR
FN SCAR
The Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by FN Herstal for the United States Special Operations Command to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types...
) and an expanded multiplayer game. It was released on August 2, 2005.