SOCOM: Combined Assault is still a decent SOCOM game but still isn't as good as the game that started it all.
User Rating: 7.4 | SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault PS2
SOCOM: Combined Assault once again puts you in command of the most elite Spec Ops unit. This is a funny statement because while playing the single-player campaign of the game you'd never think so. The single-player campaign consists of 18 missions which take place through a variety of enviornments from snow, to mountains, to grasslands, to a desert island. Unlike all other SOCOMs this game has one huge Area of Operations (AO). There is no 3 missions then new area like in SOCOM 1 or 2, or a few missions then new area like in SOCOM 3. This is nice cause there is more of a story and more to build on. What I also found quite nice is plenty of cutscenes of you extracting or inflitrating your team and of course scenes of terrorists planning their operation. There are also cutscenes to go with the story and some include you (SPECTER) and Sandman from Fireteam Bravo 2 having a talk etc. Although this may seem good there are many things that make this game annoying. For one, Zipper said they were gonna streamline the AI and make it very intelligent.. and they did, for the terrorists!! You team is still the same old idiots they were in SOCOM 3, but there are some improvements. Your team is more accurate now and acts according to their weapon. It takes about a half a clip to eliminate an enemy as appose to 2 clips like in SOCOM 3. The enemy AI is very smart, if they are getting shot at in the open they run to cover and try to flank you, they are deathly accurate and powerful. This is a pain because while your getting shot to death your team just stands there and watches you die. They decided in all their wisdom to include the Instant Action which doesnn't feel fun at all just more of something you need to do. At the start of the game you don't have many weapons or attachments, you have to unlock them by earning badges, which are somewhat easy to get but they just take time. From mission to mission in Combined Assault you get like your in the same mission even though there are many new cool looks for your team, including snow suits, scuba suits, urban gear etc. It feels this way because all the objectives are the same get it, get intel capture people demo this get out.. for every mission!!! The locals are still interesting and a good feel. As fro online nothing has changed. It's still the same idea as SOCOM 3. Small, big or huge maps that take forever to travel across and where everyone camps. There is a new online co-op mode where you play with 4 people online the entire single-player campaign which sounds nice and it is if your playing with your friends who will actually do what they are supposed to. Don't bother playing with random people as they will just run around doing their own thing. All in all Combined Assault feels like an update more than a new game. All the animations are the same as well as graphics and weapons.. all sounds have also been re-used. Online is like a big map pack for SOCOM 3. To sum things up, single-player just feels like something you need to do not something you want to do, online feels the same and its basically SOCOM 3 all over again. If you really want to try this game rent it cause if you skip this game you really won't miss anything. I am still waiting for a SOCOM that was as good and fun and exciting as the first, but if Zipper stays on this track there much anticipated next-gen SOCOM will go nowhere. 
