Description:
When SWAT 3 was first released it faced two major criticisms, namely a short mission list and a lack of multiplayer options. Both of these have been addressed by the SWAT 3: Elite Edition, which sports a total of 21 missions and full multiplayer support for up to five players in deathmatch or cooperative games. Add to this a well-organized mod interface for facilitating further enhancements to the game as they are developed and a fully fledged scenario editor and you can no longer criticize this game for a lack of longevity. With these issues resolved, you are left with the most impressive portrayal of tactical squad action in the first-person shooter genre to date. Set in the near future in Los Angeles, you are placed at the head of a five-man armed response team of the LAPD. A conference on world peace plays the backdrop to justify all the crazies coming out of the woodwork. This provides you with a stream of linear missions ranging from hostage situations to disarming missiles, all set in real-life locations. While the likes of Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament offer "all-guns- blazing" action, subtlety is the order of the day in SWAT 3. A single bullet can put you down. With no health pack round the corner to come to your rescue, you need to employ guile and teamwork to survive. Unlike similar games, such as Rainbow Six, the teamwork isn't planned prior to the missions; rather it is managed on the fly with a number-driven tiered command system for your two-man teams. It works beautifully for the most part, and with a scaleable AI, you can ensure both your compatriots and the suspects put up a convincing display. This, combined with superb audio that blends information and suspense through radio chatter, well-modeled graphics, and tense gameplay, makes SWAT 3: Elite Edition a worthy addition to any gamer's collection. --Jason Weston
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