Specnaz: Project Wolf
Preview
This one has some unique points that might warrant a closer look
by Kilocron
previewed on PC
Open ended (cntd.)
The tools that you have available to you are a selection of eight weapons and a large assortment of utilities such as night vision goggles, a compass and binoculars to name a few. The weapons are the usual suspects like AK-47's, sniper rifles, grenades and other automatic weapons. At the beginning of each mission you will select what type of gear you want to bring along for you and your men. You will need to pick the wolf's gear as well. You may want to equip all your men with explosives to just blast your way through or you might want to give everyone sniper gear to kill the enemy before they can even see you. I nice versatile mix will often go a long way. Let's not forget that you can use your wolf to lay down traps. The wolf brings a lot into this category. You will be able to make strategies that you may never have done with previous games, thanks to the wolf.
The ammo will, the engine won't (blow you away)
Let's talk specs. The game is featuring an engine called AMOEBA. You know, like that single celled organism that you learned about in science class. I'm going to say it straight. I don't like it. The game looks very dated with these graphics. Now, I'm not a graphics nut by any means. But I know an old looking game when I see one and I see one in Specnaz: Project Wolf. Graphics get pixel-y at parts. There is a very noticeable lack of detail in some of the open environments (like the dessert having sand and nothing else. No tumbleweeds, cacti, etc) Now folks, this is just getting lazy. But that's okay. Gameplay, to me, is more important than anything else.
The problem with Specnaz: Project Wolf is that it should have been released in 2003 or 2004. And here we are in October of 2006 and still no release (though it has hit the shelves in Europe and is imminent in North America). So I fear that this game will be overlooked by many for its dated graphics, which will be a shame. It has been in production for 4 years, so you might expect the game to look better then the screenshots they put out years ago, but it doesn't. You would think that in that long development time they would add in more features or real multiplayer support. But they didn't. That brings me to my next issue with this game. At the time of this writing, the only online support the game will have is direct LAN. And it is just deathmatch at that. Squad based combat with no CO-OP? No thank you. You can't survive in the PC Gaming world without multiplayer. Could you actually picture your best friend approaching you saying "Hey, wanna go to the Specnaz: Project Wolf LAN Party?" Any takers? I didn't think so.
Look past the graphics?
Specnaz: Project Wolf has some solid gameplay and if you enjoy a good military romp, then you owe it to yourself to at least try it out. This is the type of game that only appeals to certain types of people. The military nuts (You know who you are). Keep in mind that this game has been done before. Maybe not in Russia and maybe not with a Wolf, but it HAS been done. I don't think this will be a blockbuster nor do I think the storyline will be epic and moving. But it has its points. That being said, I think anyone who enjoys strategizing, plotting and planning as well as pulling a trigger at a head may enjoy this game. You just have to get past the fact that you are playing a 3 year old game, today, by yourself. Unless of course you get invited to that prestigious Specnaz: Project Wolf LAN party.
