Game Review (Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Multiplayer Maps - 360)

I reviewed the game, and now it's time for what you could be spending days playing on -- the multiplayer maps. Future Soldier has only 10 maps, but they vary a good bit.

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Alpha is a medium sized map that takes place at some sort of industrial plant. Alpha is intriguing in that there is a catwalk snaking throughout a good portion of the map, which encourages sniping. Still, there isn't much cover up there, so it's pretty easy to be taken out. Although it isn't terrible, Alpha just looks bland, and the games played on it are normally just average. 3.5/5

Cargo seems to be inspired -- at least in part -- by Call of Duty 4's Wet Work map. It is a short, narrow map (because it takes place on a ship) which makes it somewhat difficult to flank on. Wet Work was my least favorite map (after Shipment) in Call of Duty 4, and Cargo may well be my least favorite map in Ghost Recon. The way the map is designed makes it, as I said, difficult to flank, and the map itself just isn't very fun on the game modes I've played it on. 3/5

Harbor reminds me, at least in part, of Noshahr Canals in Battlefield 3. While the map is really laid out nothing like it, the look is somewhat similar to the first section of that particular Battlefield map. Although it doesn't seem to come up too often in the playlist, Harbor -- like the other two maps -- is just "meh" to me. Basically takes place near a harbor, obviously, and there are a lot of boxes to sit behind for cover. Not very interest, and just very bland, to put it simply. Playable, but not great in any sense. 3.25/5

Market is another map that reminds me of a map I played in a game in the past... SOCOM II's Crossroads. Again, while it feels pretty much nothing like it, I get the vibe when I see the map. While pretty much no map could ever surpass the greatness that is Crossroads, Market is one of my favorite maps on Future Soldier. It's similar to Alpha in size (to be honest, most of these maps are pretty close in size), to give you an idea of how large it is. I really enjoy Market because it has several distinct areas, it's memorable after one playthrough, and it just has a great layout. 4.75/5

Mill was one of the beta maps -- along with Pipeline -- but that doesn't really affect me because I never played the beta in the first place. Mill seems to be the most dreary on-disc map, but I suppose that's the way it should be, since part of the map takes place in a mini cemetery. Along with the cemetery there's, you guessed it, a mill, a few bridges, and what I believe is a dry-lake bed. As gloomy and Gears of Wars-y as this map feels, it's certainly enjoyable. 4.25/5

Overpass is one of the smaller maps in the game ... I think. Overpass has a street running through it, with two rows of buildings on either side. The street is a prime target for snipers, so you won't want to be out there long, as there is also minimal cover. This is a great map to rock a shotgun on, as there are a lot of corners and close-quarters combat, with not many long sightlines (Unless of course, you're in the middle of the map). After several plays, I'm still enjoying this map quite a bit, and it's one of my personal favorites. 4.5/5

Pipeline is the other beta map. While it was the first map I played in Future Soldier, it doesn't seem to come up in playlists all too often, which is a shame, because I actually don't mind it. Pipeline is a map that you can really use any type of gun on, due to there being several areas of the map where particular weapons are ideal. If you're indecisive though, go with an assault rifle. Not an incredible map, but fun, and I wish it would show up more online. 4/5

Rig is one of the biggest maps... at least it feels like it, due to the many levels and staircases on it. Rig, like Pipeline, is a map that you can get away with any gun-type, depending on which area of the map a particular objective is on. Snipers can lay out on the helipad and get a good view of a nice portion of the map, and shotgunners can run up and down stairs to blast peoples' heads off. Whichever you choose, you'll likely have a good time with Rig, because it hasn't disappointed yet on Conflict. 4/5

Sand Storm is the largest map in Future Soldier. While the image they show of this map in the game makes it look pretty bland, it's actually pretty awesome, and has one of the most unique feels of any of the others. One back part of the map has a large jet and a hangar, and another has a bunch of tents and sandbags for cover. Periodically when playing the map, a sand storm will come and decrease visibility for a time, which is sure to frustrate snipers without a thermal score. While you'd think a large map would be a bad idea in a game like Future Soldier, this one works, and works well. 4.25/5

Underground immediately reminded me of Rat's Nest from Halo 3... if you played that map, you'll likely see what I'm talking about. Underground seems to come up more often than any other map in the game in playlists, but I don't mind -- yet -- because I thoroughly enjoy it. It has some long sight lines and windows for snipers to go to on the outskirts, but the majority of the map encourages some shotgunning and SMGing skirmishes... I love the Rainbow Six-y/GoldenEye feel Underground brings as well. 4.25/5

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As you can see, not many stellar maps, but there are also very few "stinkers" in there. I could go without Cargo and even Harbor, but the rest of the maps are good or better, which can't be said for a good number of shooters out there. I'm looking forward to future maps in the form of downloadable content, and hope we get at least three packs. What I hope for even more though, is for the Future Soldier community to stay alive. Anyway, that's getting a bit off-topic ... overall, I'd give Future Soldier's maps a solid

4/5