Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint Review (PS4)

Written by Anthony L. Cuaycong

Title: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Action, Shooter
Price: $59.99
Also Available On: PC, XB1

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Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint picks up from where Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands left off. In fact, it's a lot like its predecessor — a tactical shooter in an open-world setting, but bigger. In its development, Ubisoft Paris clearly set out to make it a superior version. And the hard work shows in its presentation: As gamers explore Auroa, a fictional chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean, they are treated to an extremely vast and varied playing field that further underscores the importance of choice. The effort is especially significant in light of a sustained initiative to beef up the narrative; even side missions, and the conversations therein, serve to enrich the backdrop, thereby adding gravitas to the action.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint follows the exploits of Lieutenant Colonel Anthony "Nomad" Perryman. This time, he investigates military contractor Skell Technology on behalf of the United States Special Operation Forces. Soon enough, he gets to the bottom of the conflict: Disillusioned by the outcome of a mission in Bolivia, former Ghost operative Cole Walker has turned, and is bent on using cutting-edge drone technology to seek retribution for perceived sins. In his effort to set things right, he gains the assistance of former US Marine Mads Schulz, leader of the Homesteaders (island farmers forced to seek shelter in the Erehwon cave system), tech libertarian Jace Skell, Skell Tech Artificial Intelligence Program head Christina Cromwell, and mathematician Maurice Fox.

En route to meeting the ultimate objective, gamers are treated to edge-of-seat interplay. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint makes sure to stay fair while presenting a bevy of alternatives, whether in solo or multiplayer mode. Player-versus-player scenarios can be a technical challenge for online shooters; in this case, however, Ubisoft manages to rely on knowledge gained from Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands to make the experience run as smoothly as possible. Three months removed from the day it first reached store shelves, it's a polished title that rewards patience and investment; to facilitate progress and ensure competitiveness, for instance, it imposes loot-level caps that normalize damage.

All told, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint figures to keep both loyalists and newbies to the series going back for more. Forget about the initial middling reviews and underwhelming sales figures. It runs extremely well on the PlayStation 4 Pro, and continual improvements have made it a release worthy of the Ubisoft name.

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THE GOOD:

• Strong narrative
• Gameplay improves upon its predecessor in every way
• Edge-of-seat interplay stays fair while presenting tons of options
• Runs smoothly

THE BAD:

• Gives off a been-there, done-that vibe
• RPG elements an acquired taste

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RATING: 8/10

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