S2: Silent Storm

The Good
The graphics are great. All of the locations are 3D modeled, as are all of the characters. You get free use of the camera and can zoom in or out pretty much to your heart's content. The settings are varied and each village you enter gets a slightly different feel, though there is some repetition (see below). The RPG elements are well incorporated without being over the top or a distraction from the gameplay. Characters gain levels in the traditional manner, but also increase in the skills that they use frequently independently of their levels. This lets you create focused characters or jack-of-all-trades. It's seamlessly incorporated, so much so that you don't even notice your characters' advancement until an icon informs you. The gameplay in this game is great. It's just what you'd expect from a turn-based tactical game. The entirely destructible environment adds some depth to the traditional way these games play. Almost all of every level will get played out in turns, though when there are absolutely no enemies present, the game does switch to real-time. This is helpful for after you waste everyone and you want to collect the loot. It is my opinion that complaints in other reviews about the length of enemy turns are exaggerated. Most turn-based games have long turn latencies, it's just part of the genre. Another strength of this game is that, unlike Jagged Alliance, it's purely action. There's no economy or army raising or whatnot. I think this does much to unclutter the game and make it a pure tactical turn-based action. The quantity of weapons of the game is an interesting addition. thankfully, it's doesn't make a huge different which gun you use for each situation, whether it's sniping, machine guns, or pistols. It adds a ton of style to the game, however. The weapon sounds are varied and very cool. Again, this adds a ton of style to the game as well. I don't think EACH weapon has a unique noise, but it's enough so that clearly each gun doesn't sound the same.

The Bad
Voice acting is shabby at points. Some of the accents are so clearly contrived that it becomes obnoxious to hear them. The score is very repetitive, but it's got a very "in the background" feel, so while you'll likely memorize it within a couple of hours of playing, you'll certainly never be pulling your hair out in annoyance. The environments can get pretty repetitive as well. Many of the settings are "country villages" that are contain exterior areas and buildings. This is not really a weakness of the game, however, since it would be difficult to conceive of places that a group of special forces soldiers would go that DIDN"T have some buildings and some roads. Thankfully, while the overall environments can get boring, none of the buildings themselves are repeated. Each looks distinct.

The Bottom Line
Overall, the strengths of this game far outweigh the weaknesses. The graphics, sound, gameplay, and variety of weapons make for a great tactical action game. I enjoyed this game even more than jagged alliance 2. The RPG elements and mission execution are seamlessly integrated. If you are a fan of tactical turned-based squad action games, I highly recommend this game. It's a great example of the strengths and enjoyability of this genre.