SOCOM: Confrontation - Review

By Dillon - October 17, 2008

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Visuals: 8.0
Audio: 8.6
Gameplay: 9.3
Entertainment Value: 8.8
Overall: 8.9

Incredibly addicting online gameplay where teamwork is a must.

The SOCOM series has always been the flagship online title for Sony's last-gen console, but with the new developer Slant 6 at the helm, can the newest entry in the series live up to the past? Yes, but it has some problems that need to be ironed out first. The graphics are not amazing by any standards, but SOCOM games have never been about looks. The audio is strong but the gameplay is the real standout here. There are a lot of issues with the game's servers right now, unfortunately, but many of the same problems had occurred with all the previous SOCOM games. If you can get past the problems persisting at the moment, you'll be justly rewarded with intense team-based tactical shooting.

Visuals
The past games in the SOCOM series have never been real lookers, but they always got the job done. The same can be said about Confrontation's visuals. The graphics are clean and nice to look at but the textures are a bit unimpressive. The lighting can be fantastic on many of the levels, with a good contrast between day & night. The environments themselves can be downright massive and with lots of detailed particle effects floating around, it's amazing that the framerate holds up so nicely. It rarely dips even in intense 32 player shootouts. There is some mild screen tearing and some pop-in but overall the game is pretty, if a bit bland on some levels. It's also worth noting that the menu presentation is a little lackluster. The menus themselves look ok and they're not too hard to navigate, but there is a fair amount of lag in all accounts of all the options on all the menus. It's in no way game breaking but it is very noticeable.

This soldier is not prepared for nighttime battle.

Audio
The audio in confrontation is quite impressive, with great sound effects and some decent music. The score won't win any awards but it doesn't distract you or sound bad enough to turn off. The sound effects are the star here, especially that of the guns. You can really hear the power of your guns and feel the impact of your bullets. It adds a lot to a shooter when the guns sound as powerful as they should. The environmental ambiance is also good, with some nice effects going on in the background. Another plus to the audio is the quality of the mic's sound. Teamwork is a necessity in this game so it's really great that the mics sound good. Only one player can speak at a time which cuts down on the background ambient feedback and inconsistent chatter of too many people trying to talk at once.

Gameplay
The gameplay is really where this title shines. There are so many options while controlling your fully customizable SEAL(or mercenary) on the battlefield. You have the ability to melee, jump, go prone, aim over the shoulder, use the classic SOCOM view, roll sideways in prone(a la MGS4), sprint, taunt, and the list goes on. Because of all these maneuvers at your disposal the controls can be a bit complicated. Yes, there is a learning curve to them but once you get used to the controls you'll be moving like a true SEAL... or Mercenary. It might come as a surprise to long time SOCOM vets but if you're used to always playing as a SEAL, things have changed. You will now switch teams halfway through a game so that everyone plays on both sides of the field and both sides of the conflict. Some other big changes have been made to the series structure.

Watch as the SEAL stocks his prey... a fish.

Some vets will be put off by these changes and some will love them, either way Confrontation retains enough of the former games in the series to still feel like a SOCOM game. Teamwork is still the fundamental aspect of the game. If you do not work as a team, communicate as a team, and act like a team, you will more often then not fail as a team. Good thing then that in my experience with the game almost everyone had a mic and almost everyone communicated well with each other. This is still a great community for gaming like it always has been in the past.

The environments are all pretty much fantastically built, partly due to a number of them being from the original games. Don't worry though, the new maps are also great and blend in well with the old. There are a good amount of maps and most have large and small variants. You may also change the time of day which can drastically change the way you play. Each map feels distinct and different from one another and all are fun to play on.

The gameplay itself is very smooth and just as good as ever. Gone are the vehicles from SOCOM 3 and combined assault which many fans were divided about. Personally, I prefer the ground to the jeep any day. It makes the game feel much tighter and more intense. All the classic modes have returned and all are still just as fun as ever. You have your standard deathmatch games, to your hostage games, to your breach games. This is definitely a game for the fans. If you've never liked the previous games, this one probably won't change your mind, but vets should feel right at home.

A view to kill.

Entertainment Value
SOCOM: Confrontation is a sweet package overall. It looks good, sounds great, and plays beautifully. The only real significant problem with the game is the damn servers. I'm not going to review this game based on something that will certainly be fixed in time, but rather on how the game plays... and it plays great. It may be a hassle to get into a game, and there may be problems with the servers, but as I mentioned earlier all the original games had similar problems, as do most online games at launch. Once these problems are taken care of, SOCOM will make a great addition to any collection of a gamer looking for great team-based online shooting. I would recommend waiting for an inevitable patch if you really don't have the patience for screwy servers. Otherwise, I would absolutely recommend it to hardcore fans of the series and curious players alike.

Visuals: 8.0 - Simplistic and clean, nice to look at, and they get the job done.
Audio: 8.6 - Great sound effects and decent music. Firing your gun sounds powerful and fulfilling.
Gameplay: 9.3 - Lots of options make the controls a little complicated, but once you've gotten used to them you're in for some great online shooting with lots of teamwork.
Entertainment Value: 8.8 - There are a lot of problems with the servers at the moment but with the promise of a patch, and very addicting gameplay, SOCOM will be a great purchase for fans of the original series and newcomers looking for a great team-based shooter.
Overall: 8.9 - Outstanding

You can discuss this review further in the forums.

Comments

Ok to sum up this game.
Socom 1 = Awsome. Something new how you could talk to your team in single played.
And worked as a true team in multi.

The new one. Without all the bugs etc.
It still doesnt get rated that high. The graphics are terrible. Online is bad.
If there is any game i could play over and over and over again online and not get bored.
Id have to say halo. I know you may be like OMFGZ 360 FAGGOT?!
But really i have been a PS player since PSX. 360 is just better online wise and most games that come out have an awsome online play ability.
Where as theres nothing new on online PS3 Games.
All in all 5 outta 10. Alot there but a shit load missing.

This is my first Socom and I really like it. Reminds me of Rogue Spear and that is the greatest game of all time sooooooo.

People give this game bad reviews because they're were expecting something like R2 Online where you simply run around rambo style, absorb 100 bullets without dying, and unless rounds upon rounds before killing anyone. This game requires skill and teamwork and unfortunately not many people have it.

this game is very god i only had probelems once im sorry for all of you people who have had bad experiences or just plain suck at the game. this is my first endeavor in to the socom franchise and i have found it very rewarding, its just not near as easy as COD4 is.

if they didnt have have the 3 old maps i would be pissed, crossroads desert glory and frostfire were 3 of the best maps in socom2, i loved how they brough those back but they do needa recognize the faults and little things that made socom2 the best game ever, especailly the friends list, thats so lammeee how it is right now and the gernades, everything that guy said, the 3rd post under me, is exactly correct, i mean hopefully the patch will solve someof these issues but other then that, i love it...its the titties

sad sad game for a first person shooter lol. (im not talkin bout the whole series). this is a rip off. so bland and boring, simple gameplay...nothing innovative to the mechanics at all, its so cheap a$$. ull understand if uve played it. last-gen graphics. the sounds r all played out, mediocre at best. ull have a lil fun making a clan and playin with ur friends n stuff, buts thats about it. the online problem is a giving so i really dont have to say anything about it.

Oh yeah, don't forget that this ONLINE ONLY title shipped with 7 maps. 7 maps! That's it. And 3 of those were nearly identical remakes of former maps. I guess that's all you get these days for $40.

Remember previous games had from 12 to 22 maps and an offline mode.

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I would have to say that I am a SOCOM-aholic and SOCOMfanboy. I've played every SOCOM since S1 up until SOCOM Combined Assault which I stopped playing to play Confrontation.
There are some HUGE issues with this game that others are blind to.
First, lets forget about server issues and assume they will get them to work. Lets even forget about the features they left in the manual but out of the game that we assume within a month they will add with a patch.

KEY things are missing...
What happened to different mic channels? Channels 1, 2 and ALL were really useful and completely left out of this game (although proxy chat is awesome).
Pressing a button to run makes character movement feel clunky. While running you can't move left/right very easily. You can't run and make tight turns at all. It feels clunky.
You can no longer jump up and climb to make the climbing action that little bit faster. Again, a step backwards in character control.
No friends list invites? HUH? What era of online gaming are we in? Seriously, for community sake, include this.
Even the menus feel sluggish. Remember in past SOCOMs when you were dead and wanted to change who you were spectating? Remember when S3 (or CA) came out and all of a sudden that control was slowed down, sort of laggy? That is how all of the menus in this game feel. You press a button and wait half a second instead of immediate reaction.
Grenade throwing is awful and very unresponsive. Most of the time, but the time I am ready to throw a grenade as powerful as I can, the arc hasn't even appeared yet.
Quick Select of weapons is very clunky, slow and confusing.

Graphics: 9/10 (very nice graphics, almost overwhelming at first)
Sound: 10/10 (very good audio in this game, very good headsets)
Controls: 5/10 (very very bad, a HUGE step backwards and feels nothing like SOCOM)
Gameplay: 8/10 (this is probably my fault as I have no clan and have only played respawn to learn the maps)
Community: 5/10 (no useful friends list ruins the community, character customization is ok)
Weapons: 6/10 (less weapons than previous games even considering the factions special weapons)

I feel like I'm playing the first shooter ever made. VERY CLUNKY CONTROLS.

lmao..you people who are saying that this game blows and whatnot just shows that your terrible at the game...if you got good you would enjoy it no matter what, you people go on and try to figure out every tiny little bug in the game, play or gtfo....once they get the server issue figured out, the game will be as good as socom 2 use to be, long live SOCOM!!!

I agree with James Wellard and the Anonymous above him. Personally, I'm not that good at the game, since I only played SOCOM 3 and never got the chance to go online. There are a lot of vets out there, and a lot of crappy players as well, but as far as the game goes, the bugs I have experienced can be patched, and the core gameplay rocks!!

One thing I got to say, is that the M4 carbine finally earns my respect. In a lot of games I have played, the M4 sounds just like what it is, a carbine-version of an M16 firing a small-caliber round. It was embarassing to shoot it, since it sounded like a little rattle rather than a gunshot. Now, the M4 has been turned into an in-your-face assault rifle. Although I usually use an HK36, I LOVE the bang-bang-bang of an M4 carbine. It feels like the mercenaries will bow to the awesome power of your rifle. It feels like it COULD kill somebody.

Another thing, this game, when your in the right mindset, captures the urgency felt by the Spec Ops soldiers it is based upon. There is nothing more nerve racking than aiming at your enemy through a scope and seeing him raise his rifle, at YOU.

THIS GAME ROCKS! I don't care about what any critic says. Wait for the patches, and just enjoy the game. Stop nit-picking and enjoy the thing!!

Anyone who is hating on this game is just impatient...the game is amazing after you get done with the servers fucking up and im sure it will be patched...i give it a 9 out of 10 any online shooter fan should love this game and the fact that you can communicate with just about anybody is amazing...the only problems ive heard about it period are the scope problem (hasnt bothered me) and the internet connection and servers and that is just a dumb reason to hate a game (it will get fixed)

SOCOM Confrontation was the game I was most excited about for the PS3, and I have to say I have some disappointements. There's no first person view, some of the new controls are clunky, and the graphics are mediocre. My main disappointment though is the timing of the game. SOCOM was supposed to be released well over a year ago. The PS3 has had 2 Rainbow 6 games released, 3 Call of Duty's, and even with recycled maps & less than top of the line graphics it took THIS long to release the first SOCOM...and they're STILL trying to catch up as far as servers and such.

alright socom haters the game is one of best online shooters i have ever played .good graphics osome customization and the only problem is the servers i have only loged on 2 times in the 3 days its been out its just to bad but once inside its the best

PS3 Fanboys away! Sorry but this game is too buggy to give any accolades, I'm sick of the idea of "ship now, patch later," and gamers who let those developers have their way just make the problem worse. 8.9? LOL.

nice review. kudos

I think the review should be a little bit higher. Once they fix the servers and fix the scope glitch where it raises up when u zoon in, it should be from 9.3-10.0 overal. This morning I installed it and downloaded and installed the patch all within 30 minutes. I froze 3 times (once in a full 32 ranked room, and twice in non ranked rooms). I played ranked rooms all day mostly 8x8 and it was amazing, no lag, no freezing in them. I got my rank up to level 2 and it could be 3 right now after the stats are updated. I love this game and this game was the reason i bought my ps3 back in November, 2007.

People kill me, especially all of you 360 chumps who act like microsoft doesn't have problems. I have both systems and EVERY online game I have ever owned had had it's share of problems in the first days or even weeks. To say that this game sucks or is a 0 is just plain bullshit. Socom has and always will be a good game. The maps in this game are bad ass. All of you freakin nerds just dont like games that aren't first person and dont have lazers for guns. Socom is reality based and it takes skill to play it. If you don't have the skill sorry about your luck. But seriously don't bash the game and prevent someone who may be thinking of purchasing from doing so. oh!!! and to anyone who said that they took the game back a few days after buying it..... for one i think you are lying, if not you're retarded because we all know you didn't get your money back. Also when the server issues get fixed and they are alot better this weekend, you will be wishing you still had it.. that is if you ever actually owned it..... MINION2 on PSN

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a 7 /10 for me ...not near a 8.9 when you can barely log on to the game.

and theres a few ugly bugs in the game!

ppl have to remember that the reviewer is considering that these bug will be fixed and once everythin is 100% then ill agree with this review.

I returned this game this morning and next time I will not buy any game just because it has a good track record.

LOL. watch as he 'stocks' his prey. i get it. :p

Are you all playing on a ps3? cause I got it on the 14th and have been playing since. I got kicked out of 1 game. No lag problems or glitches, my scope works fine Im pretty sure your just mentaly challanged. Very smooth gameplay, graphx do look like socom 1 2 or 3. Other than that the sound rules and gameplay is classic socom. Im guessing that haters only own 360 or wii.

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Wait..is he reviewing the PS2 version? Cuz this new game is a pos.

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good review. once in the servers, the gameplay is the best there is.

This game is awesome and will reach it's true potential once they get the servers up and running 100% and fix a few bugs in an upcoming patch. Right now it's hard to really judge it because the servers are so hit or miss. But once that's fixed, this has the potential to be the best online game.

LOL LOOK AT ALL THE SOCOM HATERS THAT ARE MAD THE GAME GOT A GOOD REVIEW... AND THEY ALL SAID IT WOULD FLOP...THE MAPS ARE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND AMAZINGLY FUN TO PLAY GOOD WORK WITH THE REVIEW

I agree with the revew except i belive the Gameplay should have been a 9.5
and the Entertainment Value at least a 9...anyway this game is the equivelent to crack or some other addictive drug as soon as the fix the bugs... im going to need rehab.

LONG LIVE SOCOM

stfu damn all this bitchin maybe u shld just a fukn life or a girl cus honestly how much time yall complain means u have nothing goin for you in life jesus its a fukn video game get over it bro. do somethin else. shit beatn ur meat is a better alternative at this pt

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I pretty much agree with the review. The few times I did manage to get into the game is was awesome. Now if only I couldn't consistently connect to the server...

this is a shitty game. I cant believe my roomate wasted his money on this POS. Makes me sick just listening to him play it :S

I agree with the score. Unfortunately for me I haven't been able to log on to the servers much but the few times I did manage to get into a game it was pretty fun. Hopefully they can iron out the server problems soon and I can start enjoying the game fully.

And Of Course They left Out Sureshot & Scout setting plus did not make it 100% Customizable.
Thanks

he is about right on the score great review and i remember games like halo 3 warhawk and cod4 had problems with them online but they got fix and so will this game they even said they r working on it and the main problem is that they wasnt expect the amount of people trying 2 play it

This game is a JOKE. Why is it you can't find any news about the problems with socom on any of the TV shows, IGN, or Gamespot. Sony paying media to keep it hush hush?

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sony aint like microsoft

u cant find any news about the problems because THERE IS NO SOCOM NEWS
socom doesnt really get much media attention

I give this game a 0 because it is unplayable. I've had it since release 3 days ago, and have been able to get online only once and have not been able to get into a game to play it. I have not yet seen any of the maps, character movement, guns firing, etc. This is after many hours of trying and this is not only me, but many players.
It would not be SO bad except it is online only. No offline tutorial or offline customization of your character. So, when their servers are down (which has been the case for basically the last 3 days) you can't play the game.
Not to mention the many, many critical features (like knowing where your friends are located in game, why even have a friends list?) are flat out missing as if they left the code out. They documented these features in the manual but left them out of the game.
Plus, they had a beta where many bugs were identified, yet ALL of those bugs are still in the game.
This is a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE game. Hopefully, they will eventually get their servers up and running and some badly needed patches to bring up the quality of this game to on PAR with SOCOMS of the past and other online shooters. It is unacceptable to leave out key features of a shooter game, they may as well have left out the guns.

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socom owns

You havent played socom before because the game is broken. The code is horribly glitchy and basics such as scopes dont work. This review is not what the community as a whole thinks about the game. Server issues aside the game play doesnt run smooth and is flawed.

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If you call this a 8.9 you have never played socom. Its such a bug ridden game...you need to learn how to properly test...then review a game.

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SOCOM: Confrontation - Review

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