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Ghost Recon : Wildlands Open Beta Impressions.
- Thread starter 0racle
- Start date
As far as I know PVP isn't actually happening.
By the way, graphically this looks decent on PS4 Pro. Gameplay wise, hmmm...
nikwhatsup
Neo Member
This game made me realize how much I miss tactical 3rd person shooters. But this game ain't good, horrible really. Give me a new full spectrum warrior someone.
Was GAF this ruthless on all Ghost Recon games that came after 1st?
After all Advanced Warfighter started to move GR into dudebroshooter direction by making game a lot simpler, more forgiving and shootery. Future Soldier just went all in with that, corridor shooter with AI squadies jogging along and futuristic or even unrealistic gadgets. AW and FS weren't deep GR games, they were straight up shooters with spawn waves of enemies.
To me WildLands takes few steps towards 1st GR by adding some authenticity back into the mix and allowing those more open approaches to most scenarios.
After all Advanced Warfighter started to move GR into dudebroshooter direction by making game a lot simpler, more forgiving and shootery. Future Soldier just went all in with that, corridor shooter with AI squadies jogging along and futuristic or even unrealistic gadgets. AW and FS weren't deep GR games, they were straight up shooters with spawn waves of enemies.
To me WildLands takes few steps towards 1st GR by adding some authenticity back into the mix and allowing those more open approaches to most scenarios.
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
This game is pretty fun but driving is awful.
I wish this game took the same cover system like in The Divison. My character stood behind an object and I thought he would take cover but he didn't. How should I know you can't use the object as a cover. Not very intuitive and I miss the go-around-the-corner when you take cover and sliding-to-the-cover.
GRAW had an identity. Everything in that game felt thought out and connected within its own design. Even Future Soldier was confident in what it was. This is not the case for Wildlands which feels like a rushed hodgepodge of multiple Ubi titles.
TheChewyWaffles
Member
So this seems like a bit of the division mixed with FC primal with an Ubi collect-a-thon thrown on top. No thanks 
They really need to change up their open world formula.
They really need to change up their open world formula.These fuckin Unidad faction is the worst with their RNG patrol cars and shit. You want to quietly infiltrate an enemy stronghold and everything is going fine until a random Unidad Jeep shows up and starts firing at everyone and causes the enemies to go alert.
It's nice to have a 3 way faction war but this is not really a faction system alarm New Vegas or Stalker but just RNG keeps showing up and causing annoyance.
It's nice to have a 3 way faction war but this is not really a faction system alarm New Vegas or Stalker but just RNG keeps showing up and causing annoyance.
Well if their open world formula were all the same you wouldn't really say this is a mix of Division and Primal as those would just be two same games lol.So this seems like a bit of the division mixed with FC primal with an Ubi collect-a-thon thrown on top. No thanks
The Division is very different from other games and it's first and foremost and RPG, Watch Dogs 2 has a very different formula as well.
Just because there are things to collect does not make it all the same since there are plenty of open world games with things to collect. This game plays nothing like The Division because it has emergent gameplay and you are free to approach a mission however you want and you are also free to go to any location right from start rather than following a story and unlocking new locations.
Yeah I saw the skill trees but wondering why this elite military unit went on a mission rocking a drone with a three second battery. Would have thought the un-upgraded drone would at least be functional. Then it has such a tiny little cooldown and ready to use again so it's really more a nuisance feature than a useful tool.
Anyways, will try play more today but a part of me is kind of wishing we got another Ghost Recon game like FS. Just missions, guns and stealth ops without so many of the gamey additions they added here. Though this seems like it could be a fun experience at the right price.
endlessflood
Member
So GR game can shit on legacy of 1st by being e.g. broshooter as long it has "identity", but somehow WildLands is disgrace of Ghost Recon IP legacy? Oookay.
How WildLands doesn't have identity? What that even means here? It's 3rd person tactical shooter with AI squadies or coop. Set in fictional Bolivia where Team Ghost is tasked with breaking down drug cartels. Game has main / story mission structure supported by optional side missions and collectibles in open world design. World mostly serves as backdrop, but that tends to go for pretty much every open world game out there.
There is plenty identity to go around, or what I'm missing here?
Pretty much where I am. Played both myself and with randoms and it's hilarious in bad ways.
Like everyone has already said:
- AI is abysmal, if it's even there. It has that "everyone knows you're here" enormous flaw.
- driving is so floaty it's "fun" but incongruous with the gritty world they are trying to portray, - helicopters, those controls, and so slow i might as well drive at full speed over the mountain, because I can.
- no cover mechanic really
That said it's somewhat of a looker, despite bugs here and there. The things above are fundamentals that are broken though.
Frozenprince
Banned
Found out that if you fly a helicopter ten or fifteen feet off the ground, the nudge it forward slightly and jump out, it lands but continues to fly around. Blew up the one they give you in the first mission to learn how they work purely on accident.
But it was hilarious.
But it was hilarious.
lol...to be fair though there's a million video's like this on YT for open world online games...to each is own I guess but I like the game a lot...
It doesn't have that flaw. If you withdraw from location where you were spotted and change location AI loses track of you. If you remain in same location where you were spotted then yeah, spotter and soon rest of base will know where you are camping.
Like they should.
There is also small window of time between e.g. guard becoming alerted and him alerting rest of AI in the base, so if you take him out quickly rest wont get alarmed.
How ground vehicles work is funny, yeah. Game goes for certain level of authenticity, but same time allows you to do some ridiculous yet funny stuff with cars. Driving off the cliff, falling tens of meters and taking 0 damage makes traversing world easy and funny
Quality of Life thing?
Helos control iffily, but are faster way of transportation than ground vehicles. Trying to say they are slower than e.g. jeep is ludicrous.
... What?
MythicReclaimer
Member
The "identity" issue with this game is pretty simple as the experience here is fun for massively different reasons than you would expect (mainly for long-time fans/players of the series) from a Ghost Recon title.
This experience is much more Mercenaries-like with an arcade feel instead of a sim-like experience (which was seemingly becoming more and more dumbed-down) most have come to expect from the series.
I think the developers would have been better off to just go full-on arcade-style gameplay and atmosphere instead of being in the weird middle-ground they currently are with this title.
As much as the diehards would have complained I would have been OK with this being marketed as a bombastic and over-the-top arcade-like co-op experience even with "Ghost Recon" in the title. After all, it is the Wildlands.
This experience is much more Mercenaries-like with an arcade feel instead of a sim-like experience (which was seemingly becoming more and more dumbed-down) most have come to expect from the series.
I think the developers would have been better off to just go full-on arcade-style gameplay and atmosphere instead of being in the weird middle-ground they currently are with this title.
As much as the diehards would have complained I would have been OK with this being marketed as a bombastic and over-the-top arcade-like co-op experience even with "Ghost Recon" in the title. After all, it is the Wildlands.
RedSparrows
Member
I find driving much more tolerable if I don't jam the throttle down. Driving semi-sensibly makes it work much better, and is kinda more in keeping with the ostensible tone.
I think you're confusing setting and background for identity. Wildlands is a game that isn't focused in its gameplay design, making it lack a gameplay or design identity.
It doesn't know if wants to balls to the wall mayhem like Just Cause or an actual tactical shooter. It takes the middle ground between the two, making it mediocre in either category.
Squad use is in the game but again isn't focused and ultimately doesn't have deep enough commands or competent AI to make their use fun or practical.
Stealth is in the game with light cover but takedowns can't be performed from cover nor can bodies be moved once killed/incapacitated. The half-measure here is symptomatic of the game's failure of a focused design.
The vehicles are fully arcade with unrealistic physics and poor handling. The map is huge but somehow the means of traversal don't handle well and aren't particularly fun to use. Aircraft in particular are the worst offenders here while some even include rocket pods for the pilot to use but can't be accurately aimed or put to use because of said handling. Another bizarre instance of its design.
You seem to be living in some alternate reality of perceived sleights when it comes to this game. I never said it's some sort of plague on the franchise or a disgrace, it's just lacking a clear focus and ultimately mediocre.
Darryl M R
Member
The game still looks janky as all hell and it could benefit from a delay.
Are you saying a game can not have a identity when its between multiple genres as the only way to have identity is to be 100% on one or the other side?
RedSparrows
Member
Whilst I quite agree that the game shouldn't really be 'Ghost Recon', I think you underestimate the opportunities it gives for stealth pew pew. Me and some chums on Extreme had a good time sneaking, covering, calling and methodically clearing some areas last night. Mechanically it is missing several features you'd expect (moving bodies, say), but you can still easily play this as a high-stakes stealth game. Just you can ALSO drive in to a base in a van with all guns blazing
Free with a purchase of your favorite soft drink?
phant0m
Member
It's funny how just the title of a game skews opinions. I feel like if this was called Tom Clancy's TacticoolCoopShooter, people would be much less harsh on it. Just because it's not an EXACT REPLICA of the game you loved 10 years ago, doesn't mean it's bad or unworthy of a franchise title. Franchises evolve. And while you can do a lot of "not Ghost Recon" stuff on normal, but on higher difficulties if you run in guns blazing you will get dead real fast.
Same thing happened with RE7 "awesome game, but it's not Resident Evil". How is it not? It's slow, methodical, features a lot of exploration, puzzle solving, and inventory management. It seems like people just want a carbon copy of what they got 15 years ago. Bring back tank controls, modern input methods make things too easy!
MythicReclaimer
Member
I wouldn't exactly call this experience an evolution.
I see you're back with the shitposts. Was starting to get worried.
Jack The Nipper
Banned
I kind of feel like I should be payed to play games like this that have so much point to point drains.
I don't think I'd pay 10 dollars for the full plus expansion or whatever they are selling for it.
I know these kind of games do sell well but what about these games really get them to want to complete them? These games hardly have a skill range like cod, halo or other shooters. They don't really have a good story or skillful points.
People that just like to complete games that take a lot of time to do it? I sort of have the same feeling about farcry and as much as I do game and game for so many reasons, just to complete a game that is so spread out isn't one of them. Even though I really do play games that are bad to completion.
I don't think I'd pay 10 dollars for the full plus expansion or whatever they are selling for it.
I know these kind of games do sell well but what about these games really get them to want to complete them? These games hardly have a skill range like cod, halo or other shooters. They don't really have a good story or skillful points.
People that just like to complete games that take a lot of time to do it? I sort of have the same feeling about farcry and as much as I do game and game for so many reasons, just to complete a game that is so spread out isn't one of them. Even though I really do play games that are bad to completion.
How was AW or FS evolution of franchise? They moved authentic, tactical and squad based FPS game into realm of dudebro cover shooters. If WL is devolution of franchise then it isn't title that started it.
Played this to completion with a friend a bit earlier.
My expectations for what it was going to be were, I guess, completely off. Ubisoft has edged closer and closer to more open experiences; online-driven with a flavor of MMO, less barren while having more exciting and interesting locales. Sure, I haven't really *enjoyed* everything they have put out, but I always give them points when their experiences feel more connected in this way.
This game, on the other hand, is Gears of War for the tactical player. That's not inherently bad -- but from a connections standpoint, this game is plain. It's either a game for you, single-player, like a lot of single-player games, or a coop game for you and your buddies. It doesn't go beyond that. Maybe Ubi's messaging was off on this game? I thought it was going to be sort of like the Division for some reason.
Either way, there's some stuff I like here (I love the smooth transition from 3rd to 1st person), and when you play on the hardest difficulty the missions can be satisfying, and when you play with friends, it's even better. But I'd probably not buy this game or even play it if I didn't have 3 friends that are already sold on it. It's fun, but it's not doing anything new or particularly special. It's very vanilla, which again, is kind of unexpected.
My expectations for what it was going to be were, I guess, completely off. Ubisoft has edged closer and closer to more open experiences; online-driven with a flavor of MMO, less barren while having more exciting and interesting locales. Sure, I haven't really *enjoyed* everything they have put out, but I always give them points when their experiences feel more connected in this way.
This game, on the other hand, is Gears of War for the tactical player. That's not inherently bad -- but from a connections standpoint, this game is plain. It's either a game for you, single-player, like a lot of single-player games, or a coop game for you and your buddies. It doesn't go beyond that. Maybe Ubi's messaging was off on this game? I thought it was going to be sort of like the Division for some reason.
Either way, there's some stuff I like here (I love the smooth transition from 3rd to 1st person), and when you play on the hardest difficulty the missions can be satisfying, and when you play with friends, it's even better. But I'd probably not buy this game or even play it if I didn't have 3 friends that are already sold on it. It's fun, but it's not doing anything new or particularly special. It's very vanilla, which again, is kind of unexpected.
I see you can't get enough of me. Stalker much? Talk about a shit post
Ahh that Juvie is.
Guess he cant keep himself from entering threads for games he hates so much he just HAVE to make sure everyone knows.
I just find how hard you try very amusing, that's all.
What's amusing is that I don't have to try very hard with you
BrassDragon
Member
At the highest difficulty level, I'm enjoying the game a lot, particularly in coop, but the poor and unpredictable squad AI is a constant annoyance. AI Ghosts constantly walk across firing lines or through enemy positions seemingly without consequence, there's no telling when a sync shot will line up and they obliviously charge into choking points where one or two of them are already shot up.
It would be such a relief to just be able to assign them positions and lanes that they stick to... really not sure why that's not in the game (in coop, they could have implemented such a system with HUD markers.)
Also, CQB just isn't fun - those missions where you blast through doors into barricaded positions sound exciting but in practice, you're just struggling with the automatic cover system, the sluggish movement in confined spaces and the floaty, nonsensical enemy maneuvers (they happily go from the inside, out the door around the whole building to flank you while your AI teammates ignore them as they pass.) I'm not expecting R6 Siege-level gameplay but come on!
The poor squad mechanics/AI really hurt its potential a single-player experience.
It would be such a relief to just be able to assign them positions and lanes that they stick to... really not sure why that's not in the game (in coop, they could have implemented such a system with HUD markers.)
Also, CQB just isn't fun - those missions where you blast through doors into barricaded positions sound exciting but in practice, you're just struggling with the automatic cover system, the sluggish movement in confined spaces and the floaty, nonsensical enemy maneuvers (they happily go from the inside, out the door around the whole building to flank you while your AI teammates ignore them as they pass.) I'm not expecting R6 Siege-level gameplay but come on!
The poor squad mechanics/AI really hurt its potential a single-player experience.
Oh look, its your boyfriend come to back you up. How cute. Did you guys sync your vagina's in order to know when the other posts?
MythicReclaimer
Member
I'm taking into account the entire experience in the Closed and Open Betas rather than just the gunplay, or transversal aspects, or tactical nature, etc.
There are a lot of arcade-like elements in this experience with even more dumbed-down so-called tactical elements that doesn't jive with a sim-like experience.
At some points Wildlands wants to be tactical with a very limited tactical toolset and then it seemingly wants to be a chaos and destruction type of arcade experience. Getting the two to mesh and work from a gameplay experience is quite the challenge. Some of this changes going from solo-to-group play as the solo experience is especially putrid from a tactical standpoint.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Have had a ton playing this with friends. Planning and executing a takedown feels great.
Shortlist of annoying things I would like fixed:
- everyone in your party gets supplies when one person tags them (if you hadn't tagged them already)
- why can't I yaw my aircraft?!?
- some sort of aiming reticle for aircraft weapons; they are useless right now
- some more feedback in when I can make my helicopter go nose down or not; feels arbitrary right now. In general I find the helicopters easy to control but then they seem to go stupid and not do what I want but I can't (yet?) tell why.
- split suppressed and unsuppressed damage bars in weapon stats-- I can't always tell if I am comparing apples to apples.
- the characters' banter needs to be synced between players so we can laugh or groan at it together.
- automated call outs uselessly say 'over there' when they could instead give a compass or clock direction relative to speaker along with some sort of on-screen notification of their position. This system seems to be built on the same one the enemy AI uses because 'the guy on the mini gun by the tires over there' is on top of the cliff we are under.
Improvements I would like:
- more variation in sentry positions
- MANPAD (Stinger) to carry instead of a second primary.
Shortlist of annoying things I would like fixed:
- everyone in your party gets supplies when one person tags them (if you hadn't tagged them already)
- why can't I yaw my aircraft?!?
- some sort of aiming reticle for aircraft weapons; they are useless right now
- some more feedback in when I can make my helicopter go nose down or not; feels arbitrary right now. In general I find the helicopters easy to control but then they seem to go stupid and not do what I want but I can't (yet?) tell why.
- split suppressed and unsuppressed damage bars in weapon stats-- I can't always tell if I am comparing apples to apples.
- the characters' banter needs to be synced between players so we can laugh or groan at it together.
- automated call outs uselessly say 'over there' when they could instead give a compass or clock direction relative to speaker along with some sort of on-screen notification of their position. This system seems to be built on the same one the enemy AI uses because 'the guy on the mini gun by the tires over there' is on top of the cliff we are under.
Improvements I would like:
- more variation in sentry positions
- MANPAD (Stinger) to carry instead of a second primary.
I don't really know what you're trying to achieve, but keep at it! You'll get there eventually!
On topic, friend and I finished all the Beta content on Extreme. I think we may get the game further down the line once it is heavily discounted.
As it stands right now I the gameplay loop to be quite repetitive, get to base kill everyone, tag the supplies, go to the next.. Shooting is fun, especially sniping from miles away, vehicle physics are terrible, story is 110% forgettable (who plays an open world Ubisoft game for the story, though?). Second area was much more visually appealing than the jungle one.
Seems Ubi's trying to get on the pro-Torture train again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m63NDD_s7Y4
"waterboarding is softball"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m63NDD_s7Y4
"waterboarding is softball"
Professional Enthusiast
Member
All this open area you have to explore and yet, when you go off-roading, there are rocks and other junk that keep you from hauling ass up and down the hills. Sad!
MythicReclaimer
Member
The vehicular physics allow you to pass through terrain that you wouldn't be able to normally thus removing a lot of the sim-like nature and placing it in the arcade-like experience. You can't go full speed (well, with the physics you may get lucky here) but you can go a lot places and over terrain you shouldn't be able to in anything closely resembling reality.
I don't know if you have tried it but you can also navigate the terrain on-foot a lot quicker than I would guess a lot of players realize as again the player mobility is rather on the arcade side of things as well. That said, with how big this open-world is going to be travelling large distances is obviously going to require land/air/sea vehicle use.
Maybe I'm cray cray, but I think it's nice QoL thing that vehicle movement and damage model is more forgiving. You can focus on traversing the world in higher speeds and taking shortcuts instead of needing to worry about if Mercedes is going to lose front tires when banking too hard.
Also because movement isn't mil-sim level people don't try moving by foot or what you are tying to say with "arcade movement"? Moving in the environment is quite a bit easier and faster in WL than in your "non-arcade" games like ARMA or OG GR.
Agreed. It just made me miss GRAW. I think this game feels generic, bland and janky sadly
MythicReclaimer
Member
To a certain point, yes, I want a more forgiving driving/handling system and certainly not something you'd find in a driving simulation. That said, some of the stuff here is absurd for anything not considered a complete arcade experience.
Regarding player movement, I was simply stating that the player movement itself allows for rather quick traversal across the open-world considering all I'm hearing from other players is how bad the vehicle handling is. Hence, on foot is an option and honestly what "I" want mostly from a Ghost Recon title.
While this open-world is seemingly going to be humongous, I'm pretty sure as you open up the world the next area/playspace will be directly next to your current one plus there is the quick travel option as well.
This is the most frustrating thing trying to play solo as the "squad commands" are as bare-bones as it gets and they eliminate a lot of the stealth play due to not having individual commands, suddenly teleporting to you, going out in the open, not staying put, etc no matter what you try and do with them thus why I feel like playing this in co-op is an absolute must unfortunately.