But firstly, let's have a look at SOCOM the offline 12-level PS2 game. Slipping the flimsy-looking but surprisingly well made and effective Logitech USB headset on, I immediately felt like a US military badass. Cleverly you can wear it on the right or the left, and it's fully adjustable for just about any size of noggin. A quick glance at the manual doesn't do you much good other than to inform you that SOCOM is a game with some complicated commands and control options. So I reluctantly put the headset aside and read. And read a bit more….(and some more)…Before I'd finished reading the sodding Eye Toy arrived and headset and online or no, SOCOM simply had no chance.

Once started the game feels very authentic with its briefing screens, blueprint-style maps of the missions and armoury. The basic controls will be familiar to Conflict Desert Storm veterans with its left stick movement, right stick to look/aim setup (there are other options for lefties and fiddlers). The game also allows you to play it entirely in first person, and unlike Desert Storm actually works quite well this way. R2 brings up your weapons/equipment list and R1 fires the chosen weapon or throws a grenade etc. (with the assistance of a smart aiming line a bit like Splinter Cell's).

   

Commands are issued by holding down circle and either speaking the set three-part commands, ie : Who ("Bravo team" for instance), What (e.g. "run to") and Where ("zulu", or any other preset waypoint or wherever your crosshairs are aimed), or selecting them from a sub-menu. I initially found that the instant that I wanted the team to do anything that all the commands went out of my head, but you can always pull up the command list as a reminder or simply use the command menu to issue orders in the normal way. I found that my hands were full of buttons that all did something and my brain was full of half-forgotten commands (it's all a bit daunting), but the first time that you tell your guys what to do and they do it (showing excellent AI, agility and marksmanship along the way I hasten to add) you get a sense of achievement and then wonderment that the voice recognition software actually works. The problems arise on the odd occasions when the voice recognition doesn't work, or the guys do what you asked without acknowledging your command (they usually say "Yessir" or "Booyah" or some other gung-ho response). They'll also sometimes refuse an order and it's up to you to figure out why or do it yourself - but the sheer amount of aggressive and believable fighting that these guys will do (whilst you sit at a safe distance and watch should you wish), is highly impressive.

After a while you'll start to experiment with the commands to see exactly what you can get your Seals to do (both as a team and individually) and be flabbergasted that they'll throw a frag grenade exactly where you ordered them but stupidly not back off far enough to avoid the blast. Whoops and oh dear. The game gets more tactical as it goes on and you'll need to order Bravo team to do things while you cover them, or even go off and complete a separate objective. But in the main it's a team game and you support each other at close quarters.

   

The online SOCOM is a well sorted experience, you set up the network configuration and save it, then a username & profile, select a password, log in, and pick a Briefing Room (or server), and then a Game Lobby (specific game), and be sure to pick a newbie one with a decent ping rate or you'll get slaughtered. You can chat in the game lobby, set up your own game with its own rules, make it private (protected by a password) and even start your own clan, but it still lacks the community/buddy feel of Xbox Live.

Up to 16 players can compete in 'Suppression' (standard deathmatch), 'Demolition' (find a bomb and plant it in the other team's camp), or 'Extraction' (hostage rescue), some playing as Seals, and others playing the terrorists. The bad guys don't have the smart camo gear but are generally well set up with good vantage points at the start of the game, but generally the Seals seem to have the edge (and that's the way it should be). The game allows for plenty of banter, and communication at vital points is key to success, for some reason you only get 10 seconds at a time but I suppose it stops yappers from keeping their mike open too long.

Looks-wise SOCOM is solid and convincing with some nice attention to detail. The shadows and lighting effects give plenty of atmosphere, and the animation of the Seals and enemies is excellent (including some cool deaths and surprise recoveries). A fine (and surprisingly complex) game offline, a frantic yet tactical game online. Fans of the squad shooter won't be disappointed.