SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 Review

With SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 3, the series appears to have found its ideal interface. The title returns to the fast-paced, ballistic battles found in the first two games, with a control mechanic that seems designed around the PSP’s constraints. Some veteran gamers may perceive that Bravo 3 astutely appropriates Syphon Filter’s single-stick system, which worked well in 1999, and manages to perform seamlessly over a decade later.

Players take the role of Wraith, the squad leader of a four-man unit, as they breach Soviet borders to rescue an abducted U.S. operative. The movement from a two-man crew to a quartet allowa players to direct Alpha and Bravo teams into positions for covering fire, door breach-and-clears, as well as permits larger, more intense firefights. Before the commencement of each operation, players may select each squadmate’s loadout, picking from an array of primary and secondary weaponry. In execution, most of the game’s rifles felt woefully comparable in range, accuracy, and penetrating power. Although I noticed little difference between a M-16A4 and the RA-14 (A ‘Groza’ OC-14/OT-14 variant), it was entertaining to step into the armorer role and modify each weapon’s upper receiver equipment, barrel, muzzle, and lower rail accessories.

Once players step onto the battlefield, they’ll use the analog stick to move Wraith, as the camera closely follows the SEAL operator. A press of right shoulder button locks onto the nearest enemy, with a press of the ‘X’ button fires his readied weapon. With the PSP’s small screen, it’s often hard to tell if distant targets are hit when playing first and third-person shooters. Fortunately, Bravo 3 conveniently shows an unmistakable “X” in the crosshairs every time a bullet penetrates an opponent. Although enemies are smart enough to rush an encroaching gamer, sporadically they will display substandard levels of intelligence, making them undemanding cannon fodder even on the game’s highest difficulty level.

Players seeking a more social gaming experience can dive into the far-reaching waters of Bravo 3’s ad-hoc and infrastructure supported multiplayer modes. Here, up to four allies can battle any of the game’s nine pre-set operations or set up a custom mission that includes the ability to change variables like enemy density and objective types. Those seeking the spirited thrill of a competitive game can find excitement on five different modes across eight different maps. Online matches were wonderfully lag-free and employed the seldom used microphone on the PSP-3000.

Visually, Bravo 3 is a near-flawless title that shows off the PSP’s graphical capabilities. Even when displaying an impressively-sized environment with a several antagonists on-screen, the title’s framerate rarely falters. Even when many console titles remove the bodies of dispatched opponents from the screen, Bravo 3’s world displays an amazing sense of persistence, adding to the game’s atmosphere. The game’s smoke and fire effects are well done; as explosions sporadically send a flaming ember toward the player.