Ghost Recon: Wildlands Preview

Introduction

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is an upcoming tactical shooter in development by Ubisoft Paris, and it will be the tenth Ghost Recon game to date. We know that Wildlands is going to be the first open-world Ghost Recon game, and Ubisoft has confirmed it will feature one of the largest open worlds they’ve ever published. It will get a release on Windows PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

It has recently been announced that they’re pushing the release date back until 2017, however we will keep this preview updated with the latest info as we learn more about the game.

So, if you’re a fan of the series and want to know everything we know about the game so far, then read on…

Setting

Wildlands is going to feature a variety of environments, such as deserts, mountains and forests. The game is set in Bolivia, which is the biggest cocaine supplier in the world, controlled by the Santa Blanca cartel. It’s not a new concept, but it’s a very realistic one where the powerful cartel has managed to destabilize the entire region.

Do not expect Wildlands to have the same futuristic setting as Advanced Warfighter, instead you can look forward to a present setting, similar to the original Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon.

The United States is not happy about the cartel gaining so much power, so they send in the Ghosts, an elite special operations unit. The Ghosts are tasked with revealing the connection between the drug cartel and local government, and ultimately destroying them entirely.

What We Know

This third-person shooter will feature more realistic weapons, as they are attempting to use weapons that are similar to what militaries are using in real life. Drones are included in the game as well, and they will help you tag enemies and objectives. They can also be used to attack enemies in the appropriate situation.

Since this is the first Ghost Recon game to go open-world on us, it isn’t clear just how dynamic the gameplay will get, especially since we still have until next year before the game is even released. However, we know you can parachute, and since you will go from mountains to forest and deserts, this can probably help you get around.

This is a tactical shooter in an open-world environment, which opens up many new doors as far as tactical gameplay goes. During the day it will be easier for you to spot enemies, but nighttime is more beneficial as you get a tactical advantage over your enemy. It’s also known that you will have to make observations before carrying out missions, so you don’t go at it unprepared.

Vehicles are featured, so you can get around faster by driving a dirt bike or dune buggy.

With that said, there is a very dynamic day-and-night system and weather system. The essentials of an open-world game are all here, and Wildlands is even getting side missions.

When taking on a mission you will have different ways of reaching the start location, such as parachuting in from a helicopter or simply driving toward the objective. There are also multiple ways to complete the objectives, meaning you can use melee combat, stealth, or your long-ranged or short-ranged gadgets.

If you’re not in the middle of completing an objective, you are free to go wherever you desire in the game’s world. Remember, you are in Bolivia fighting a powerful drug cartel, so this is a crazy place. Throughout the environment you will run into outposts, which you can take down.

Players will be able to interact with non-playable characters when they’re not busy completing missions. We know you will be able to build either friendly or hostile relationships with the citizens, officials or rebels. Apparently there is going to be some strategy with this aspect of the game as there are consequences for each interaction you make.

As you progress through the game you will gain experience points, level up, and have options to customize your character. While we expect to be able to loot items from our dead enemies in an open-world game, it’s also good to know Wildlands is giving us the chance to upgrade our weapons and gear.

If you haven’t heard, the AI in this game is going to be incredibly smart, and completely unscripted. The creative director mentioned this not too long ago, saying the AI in the game will have their own “motivations and agendas”. It’s interesting to see how that will play out, and one can only imagine how far the AI will go to get their way.

The four-player co-operative multiplayer is what will make this a great Ghost Recon game, although you can still play solo and fight alongside three bots who respond to your command. Teaming up with three other players can make it a great deal easier to complete campaign missions and explore the large open-world.

Conclusion: Development and Final Thoughts

We didn’t hear about Ghost Recons: Wildlands until last year at the end of Ubisoft’s E3 2015 press conference, but the game has been in development since 2012. The developer has attempted to create the most realistic Bolivian environment possible, and it is known that the developer actually visited Bolivia for two weeks, checking out the area and consulting with the locals. Wildlands will run on a new engine developed specifically for the game, although not many details of this game engine have been revealed.

Let’s hope Ubisoft delivers! As a long-time fan of the series, I can’t wait to play an open-world Ghost Recon game! Critics seem surprised, as many have mentioned how the E3 reveal was the most surprising reveal during E3 2015. Wildlands has received nothing but positive feedback so far, even being nominated for GameSpot’s Best of E3 2015 awards.