Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands for Windows

Open-world third person tactical shooter

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is an expansive open-world third-person tactical shooter that immerses players in the diverse and treacherous landscapes of Bolivia. As the tenth installment in the Ghost Recon franchise, the game offers a blend of strategy, stealth, and action, providing players with a wealth of missions to undertake, numerous vehicles to commandeer, and various buildings to explore. 

The game’s mechanics draw comparisons to titles like FarCry and Mercenaries, emphasizing open-world freedom and tactical gameplay. With its richly detailed environment and dynamic mission structure, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands promises an immersive experience for fans of tactical shooters.

A tactical shooter where you can butcher civilians

There is no punishment for killing civilians unless they are part of your mission, which means you can run around butchering civilians like a Palestinian president if you wish to add a little more blood to your mission. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is a third-person shooter that also allows you to aim in the first person a little like the Call of Duty games. It has a great many similarities to Call of Duty, but also feels like a Just Cause, GTA, and Saints Row game too.

Complete missions by running through your tasks and triggering an endpoint, such as by moving to and clicking on a laptop. When you have completed a mission, you earn experience points. In addition, when you pump a bullet through the brain of your enemy, a sound effect says, “Headshot,” which is rather satisfying in a very childish way.

Take people out in a series of ways. The most obvious is by shooting them, but there are also hand-to-hand maneuvers you can try, and you may run them over or blow them up. The explosion and shrapnel features are rather good, especially since it sometimes appears as if the broken elements are flying right at you. 

A linear and powerful gaming experience

The missions are fairly random and different, and what is brilliant is that the quality of your gameplay affects the final result of your mission. For example, if you are running along on a mission and you accidentally kill the person you are supposed to interrogate, then you have to proceed with the mission without the knowledge that the person would have given you, which is better than having to restart the mission from the beginning. This sort of game element is good for overall playability, but may negatively affect its replay value in the weeks ahead. Nevertheless, it is better than having to restart a mission because you made a silly mistake.

The map is not as ugly or scary as you may have become accustomed to. For example, it is not like a Driver or GTA map where you are a blob in a maze. The Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands map is good because between you and the target is a bunch of trees, a train track, a few roads, and so forth. Even if you run off the beaten track, you will still find your way to your target so long as you do not mind getting your boots dirty.

Each mission allows you to play within a certain area of the map. The open world map is great fun, but you are not able to run around it and cause havoc however you please, you have to stick to the designated area that your mission determines.

Key features

One of the standout features of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is its open-world design, which allows players to explore a richly detailed environment. The game offers a variety of vehicles and buildings that players can interact with, enhancing the sense of immersion. The tactical shooter mechanics enable players to switch between third-person and first-person perspectives, similar to the Call of Duty series. The game also includes a range of combat options, from gunfights to hand-to-hand combat and explosive tactics. Missions are designed to be dynamic, with the outcome influenced by the player's actions, adding depth and replayability to the experience.

Potential drawbacks

Despite its many strengths, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands has a few drawbacks. The ability to kill civilians without consequence can detract from the game's realism and moral complexity. Some players may find the animation and movement mechanics to be somewhat clunky, which can disrupt the overall gameplay experience. Additionally, while the game offers a large open world, players are often restricted to specific areas dictated by their current mission, limiting the freedom to explore and cause havoc as seen in games like GTA and Just Cause. The missions' linear nature may also reduce the game's replay value over time.

Similar and alternative programs

For players who enjoy the tactical and open-world aspects of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands, several similar games can offer a comparable experience. FarCry 5 provides an open-world environment with a strong emphasis on exploration and dynamic missions. Just Cause 4 offers chaotic, action-packed gameplay with a focus on destruction and open-world freedom. The Division 2, another title from Tom Clancy's series, combines tactical shooting with RPG elements in a post-apocalyptic urban setting. For a more stealth-focused experience, Hitman 2 allows players to undertake missions with a high degree of freedom and creativity in how they approach their objectives.

For fans and newbies

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands delivers an engaging open-world tactical shooter experience. With its dynamic missions, extensive vehicle and weapon options, and detailed environment, the game offers a robust experience for fans of the genre. While it has some limitations, the game's overall quality and depth make it a worthwhile addition to any gamer's library. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to tactical shooters, this is a game that offers plenty of action, strategy, and entertainment.