With all of the top tier shooters coming this Holiday Season it might be easy to overlook a game like SOCOM, but don’t make that mistake. SOCOM, one of Sony’s most popular and successful titles has finally made it’s way to the next generation. With it’s arrival comes action packed fun, and sadly, some problems.

With the beta to Confrontation being overrun with server issues and crashes, one would be led to think that the release of the game itself could come to meet a similar fate, and sadly that appears to be the case. But these issues are since being worked on, and it’s not entirely Slant Six’s fault, so I refuse to fault them for that.

Right off the bat when you put the game in for the first time there is a mandatory install, roughly 2.5 gigs, and you will then be required to download a mandatory patch. Once you get past that stage though, you can fully customize your appearance for both Commandos/Mercenaries with things like: boonie hats, head wraps, glasses, you can even customize your guns so you won’t have to prior to playing each game.

Now at some point while playing this title it is inevitable that you will join, or form a clan. Once you reach this point you will have a few options laid out for you to join, such as the U.S. Navy Seals, the British S.A.S. among others, all coming with specific camo, gear, and weapons. To those of you that love that IW-80, you’re either going to have to be in the S.A.S. or find a downed member of the S.A.S. before you get to use it.

There will be a Rewards/Achivements system for individual performance in a forthcoming patch. You will start obtaining clan rank once you enter a clan as well. As a clan leader you will also be able to promote your clan members as higher ranked officers within your clan,and it’s a good way to show support for those who have success and give your clan a good name.

Now that you have done all of that you are prepared to enter battle, so let’s take a brief moment to look at some of the Game Modes.

Escort:

Escort is and has been one of Socom’s more popular modes. Since featured in Socom 2 on the wildly popular Foxhunt map it has grown to be quite a success. As the Commandos it is your job to move three VIP’s to safety and prevent the Mercenaries from killing them, while the mercenaries simply have to kill the VIP’s as you probably suspected. VIP AI is far improved this time around, no longer will they stand straight up waiting anxiously to be shot in the head. VIP’s will now scream for help, duck for cover, and run away from bullets and grenades. The VIP’s will actually hook on to a rope and ascend to the helicopter now as well. Helpful to the Commandos,it makes it more challenging for the Mercenaries to accomplish the mission unnoticed.

 Extraction:

Extraction is very similar to Escort. It’s a hostage situation, only the mercenaries have the VIP’s inside their base, and it is your job as the Commandos to infiltrate the base and rescue the hostages. Only now if the Mercenaries happen to kill a VIP the Commandos are credited with rescuing it. The VIP cover AI comes into play here as well, in past SOCOM titles it has been a cheap, but effective tactic to put the VIP’s in choke points so if the Commando’s kill a VIP it is counted against them. That no longer works as effectively as it has in the past, so it again makes things more challenging and a lot more fun.

Breach:

Breach is probably on top of the most played modes, next to Demolition. While it is very similar to Demolition, the mode boasts a few added things. As the Commandos, you need to blow up walls around the Mercenaries base to gain access to it. Then blow it up with a bomb that is located at, or very near to the Commandos spawn point. What’s new to this mode, and Demolition mode this time around is if the bomb is picked up and dropped, it will relocate back to it’s original spot if it is not picked up again within a set amount of time.

Demolition: 

In Demolition mode, team work can’t be stressed any further. The bomb is placed in a central location to both the Mercenary, and the Commando base and it is the sole purpose of both sides to blow up the opposing sides base. But, without team work you’re going to be pretty much screwed, it is nearly impossible to hold down your own base, or prevent the enemy from defusing the bomb you planted on your own.

Control: 

This mode is simple, there are 5 targets located around the map, each team must get the 5 targets held down before the other side does. This mode can lead to some great firefights with both sides constantly running for the same location on the map.

Suppression: 

Eliminate all members of the opposing side, or have more teammates alive when the timer reaches zero. There is just something about being down 2-6 or more people that makes your heart race as you search the entire map looking for those hidden enemies laying in wait to pick you off.

Elimination: 

Similar to Suppression, only the rounds will end in draws if there isn’t a sure fire winner for each round, you MUST eliminate everyone on the opposing side to win the round. This game mode can lead to long, drawn out battles.

Of course, all of these modes basically have Suppression tied to them, simply eliminating all of the opposing team will win you the round, but where’s the fun in that?  There is just something about accomplishing your mission objectives that make you feel like a total bad ass.

One of the things that makes this title so great is it’s ability to pull you in, you can having the game of your life one minute, and get ripped to shreds the next either way you will keep wanting more and more of this title.

Slant Six has also promised us monthly, and tri monthly Downloadable Content, with more than likely guns, camo coming every 1-2, and maps coming every 3.

Now let’s look at the negatives.

Server issues, upon launch server issues have hampered the game, and the entire Playstation Network as a whole. There where over 100,000 people logged on at a peak hour during the first weekend of release. Slant Six put in a temporary fix, but it has come at the expense of stats not recording until they release a patch.

Broken promises, if you have the game you know that in both the booklet, and on the game box itself Trophies, and Community support is clearly advertised. Sadly though for some reason, they decided to have that in as a patch, which has been confirmed to be coming in the next few weeks.

My guess would be that they wanted to have it be integrated with Home, which is also said to be arriving right around the time the patch is said to be released.

All in all Socom is a great title, and the fact that it comes bundled with a $50 headset for $60, there is really no excuse not to pick this title up. If you have the patience for Sony to adjust their servers this game will draw you in time and time again. This is a must have for anyone that likes to log in with friends and have fun.

For more verdicts on Slant Six’s shooter SOCOM Confrontation, be sure to check out the reviews and scores over at TestFreaks.com.