Ghost Squad (Wii)

There's also loads of extra challenges such as playing through again on a higher level, with different weapons you've unlocked and even differing costumes for your men.  Three levels it may be, but it's enough.  Is it worth the price of a Wii game?  We say yes. Just be aware that the game is not massively deep in terms of experience; it is an arcade game and is intended for playing for short bursts of enjoyment.

The Wii version of this arcade classic makes use of the rumble feature, setting it off when anything very loud or 'rumbly' happens.  I liked this feature, you could even feel it through the Wii Zapper unit.  Having tried playing it with and without the Wii Zapper, I'd say that its not harder to play it without, though it feels a tad less authentic if you're used to light gun games where you actually hold a replica weapon.

In true arcade style, more players can join at any time which really adds depth to the game play.  Your friend Jimmy turns up and wants to pick up a Wiimote to play?  Bang - he's in the game shooting terrorists before you can say 'Fire in the hole!' and leap over a wall.

The four player action provided by the Wii is possibly the games most outstanding feature in real terms.  Whilst testing the game for playability, we never had more fun than when a load of us took up Wiimotes and started to join in, alongside the Zapper player who started.  Things quickly get competative when player rankings are displayed at the end of each section, giving a medal to the best player.  Everyone wants the bragging rights, so you try your best to pick up better scores which is done with swift accuracy rather than just spraying the screen.  For Wii four player gaming, we'd recommend this as one of the best experience we've seen to date - so long as gunfighting and counter-terrorism doesn't offend you.  The game is rated for 16 and over, worth remembering before presenting the title to young kids.

In terms of safety using the Wii controllers, there is no instance in the entire game where you need to wave or shake the controllers - at all.  This makes it a very safe title for those with a smaller playing area and a good game for the more mature player in his/her bedsit or smaller flat.  You should be able to play this game on any Wii anywhere at all, and we like that.

The graphics and sound are very arcade in style, the sound especially so.  As soon as I turned it on, I could tell that it was an arcade game on the intro screen without needing to know.  There is a slightly retro feel to the whole thing, done by not updating much about the interface and keeping the arcade design that attracted gamers to the cabinet back in 2004.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it, they say.  We agree - it works well and vamping it up to 'realistic' graphics and some sort of drum and bass soundtrack just wouldn't have worked.

You play as part of a crack unit of course, the Ghost Squad.  Player one is Alpha Blue and player two Alpha Red.  Third and fourth players take additional slots not technically featured in the storyline, but unofficially make up the rest of the Alpha wing of Ghost Squad.  Depending on what routes you choose through the missions (go in over the roof or defuse the bomb in the top floor), your team will take one part of the effort whilst Bravo and Charlie sections will take others.  The choice is always yours as the player, with further options opening up to you once you've unlocked them by playing through once, then twice, etc.  The options don't get any harder but the level you play the mission at will get harder itself, raising the overall difficulty of every route within the mission (so there is no easy path).

There are three practice modes to warm you up that are quite fun and worth a look at (unlike in some games where they're just a waste of time).  In the first, you shoot a traditional target range paper target that is then brought forward to show you how you did.  The second is a target shooter in the Point Blank vein; you shoot floating targets of various kinds against a timer.  The third is a very short mission to blow away a pack of terrorists in a small resturant basement, against a tough clock that demands you miss almost nothing to complete it in time.  We think these are worth playing first as they do give you an idea of what the game has in store for you and what degrees of accuracy and swiftness it will demand.

In terms of gameplay, we give Ghost Squad a firm thumbs up. It's short in terms of missions, but the arcade style extras make up for that and it is fairly challenging, offering completists/elitists lots to try and achieve if they want more depth.  The online leaderboards (local to your Wii, regional to your nation and global!) really give you a thrill - a chance to globally shine, if you can really ramp up the skills. 

 

Before it was only your local arcade cabinet that showed off your prowess, now you can take it to the streets worldwide.  We think this is well worth the asking price, just be aware that it is a mature game for mature gamers, and it is a short affair with few missions but lots of options.

--- Kim Kaze
4 / 5