SWAT: GST comes from well-known developer Argonaut, it runs on a brand new game engine that has been designed from the ground up, and it certainly gives the game its own distinct look and feel…

It's impossible to not compare SWAT to Rainbow Six 3, and playing like an arcadey version of that game (a first-person tactical squad-based first person shooter), SWAT lets you order your other two squad members (Jackson & Lee) around and generally shoot/disable/restrain/cuff lots of terrorists. You usually play as squad commander Kincaid (you're called Kincaid - oh dear - memories of a hundred terrible B-Movies come flooding back), but sometimes take the role of girly sniper cutie pie Kana Lee. Nothing to do with the recent movie starring Samuel L Jackson & Colin Farrell, but loosely based on the actions of the real-life SWAT organization itself, the Global Strike Team is a Police special forces unit tasked with defending and saving the lives of the innocent. Set in the not-too-distant future, the Global Strike Team is founded in 2020 as an international offshoot from the SWAT organization. It has been tasked with assisting countries and organizations around the globe to resolve tricky terrorist or gang conflicts that they cannot resolve successfully on their own.

SWAT plays mostly as a straight FPS (first person shooter) with your squad members faithfully following you around, with but a press of the D-Pad and a button you can order them (either as a team or individually by stating 'Team' or 'Jackson' or 'Lee') to perform certain actions which could be; Enter, Secure, Lock On, Fall In, Proceed, Push, Pick Lock, Breach, Use, Restrain (or 'Cuff'), Take Down etc…. and in a similar way to Rainbow Six 3 if you have a headset then you can also use the excellent voice recognition to issue these commands. The main difference here is that you can split your team up and they don't have stick together like Ding Chavez's inseparable R63 team. When ordering them around, Jackson and Lee will move swiftly, smoothly and intelligently to perform most actions well, but sometimes you'll have to tell them to open a door in order to get to an area that they've already confirmed that they can get to, which is annoying, and you'll sometimes end up doing the task yourself to save time. Compared to R63 the in-game characters look kind of cartoony rather than realistic (almost cel shaded), however their animation is outstanding, and even the simplest door opening (with a hefty boot) looks great.

   

SWAT's rather clever gimmick is that because you are a Cop, you should try and take as many of the murdering scumbags that you come across alive. This is done by repeatedly yelling at the down the headset mike (warning: family members and neighbours may wonder what's wrong with you), or by pressing the "Compliance Button" (X). Bad guys have a compliance gauge, and by getting the drop on them from behind, outnumbering them, stunning them with flashbangs, gas or breaching charges, by firing loads of warning shots or simply by wounding or yelling at them enough you can make this gauge rise to the point where they'll surrender so you can cuff 'em (secure them). The survival and capture of some bad guys is vital to the successful completion of certain missions, and this adds a real slant to the way you play the level. The enemy AI is pleasingly varied too - they'll run or surrender if hurt, and dodge out from behind cover to get a shot at you - most of the time you really feel like you're fighting an intelligent and determined enemy. You earn upgrades by completing missions successfully and fulfilling certain criteria, but there are only five basic firearms the game including non-fatal darts.

The game looks and plays in a really slick manner, and the levels, whilst lacking the graphic detail of Rainbow Six 3, have a hard, edgy look and feel that brings them to life, not least the fact that most light fixtures and alarms in the game are active and can be disabled, and the real time lighting effects (whether they be dingy darkness or harsh, brilliant sunlight) always give the game plenty of atmosphere. Sound is excellent and the gung-ho plot keeps the action moving all over the globe as you track down the bad guys. Cut scenes link the missions and these are possibly the weakest point of SWAT - not helped by some clichéd sub-plots and over the top voice acting.

   

Once you've finished the 21 levels (there are 3 difficulty levels, the toughest of which is harder than nails), there's a time attack and an excellent split screen co-operative mode to try. Time attack is simply a matter of completing the levels as quickly as possible (scores can be uploaded onto Xbox Live). The co-op runs through a ten-level parallel story to the solo campaign, and you play other members of the GST attacking or securing different parts of certain levels. The eight deathmatch (there are 'bagman' or 'containment' modes too) levels are relatively small but well designed, and the action stays smooth throughout (although you're going to need a big TV to enjoy the 4 player games) - there are downloadable levels too, but sadly no Xbox live multiplayer modes.

So, if you're stood in a games shop with Rainbow Six 3 in one hand, and SWAT in the other, which one do you buy? - Well, as playable as SWAT is, the lack of Xbox Live multiplayer support is a real shame, but if you don't have Live then SWAT gives you the better multiplayer options. SWAT is a polished and enjoyable arcade-like title when compared to R63's more serious experience (and the best thing Argonaut have done for some time), and deserves a place in any FPS addict's collection.