Say what you will about 2004's Full Spectrum Warrior, it was one of the most innovative military titles to hit consoles ever -its PC outing was fairly impressive as well. Fans of the genre expecting another SOCOM or Rainbow Six wannabe were either impressed or turned-off by the way that the game liberally borrowed genre conventions from real time strategy far more than squad-based shooters. Granted, players still had a squadron to overlook, but unlike other frag-fests, FSW felt much more like a thinking man's military shooter. That overall feel to the gameplay had lots to do with its RTS pedigree. It wasn't without its flaws, however. The multiplayer mode, while decent, could've used a little more meat, especially in light of the absolutely unforgiving single-player campaign. After nearly two years, the team at Pandemic Studios has delivered another chapter to the top-selling series. GameSpy recently previewed the title at a special event sponsored by THQ, and it seems to have been tweaked nicely to address the concerns from the last game.

Not only does Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers put a heavier emphasis on multiplayer, it seems to throw most of its weight into co-op. Although no one at Pandemic confirmed it on the record, it seems as though the single-player campaign is strictly for the die-hard and the headstrong. Few people at the press event were able to make it through the tutorial level; its learning curve seems to be aimed squarely at gamers who've made it through the first game.


For those interested in the storyline of the campaign, it seems to be ripped straight from the headlines. An international coalition of troops is fighting insurgents in a Middle Eastern city. Utilizing the skills introduced in the first game -quick reflexes, snap judgments, and lots of cover while firefighting in urban combat- players must quash Mujahadeen warriors and insurgent forces. In addition to Alpha and Bravo squads, Ten Hammers introduces Charlie and Delta teams into the fold to give additional support, which will be sorely needed to make it through more than twelve levels of campaigns. Another new feature that has been unveiled is the ability to enter buildings and set up sniper points. It's an element that should feature strongly in multiplayer; hopefully, Pandemic has some sort of implementation in place to discourage non-stop spawn camping.

As for multiplayer, Pandemic has implemented a new versus multiplayer mode. It will be playable over Xbox Live, PS2 online, and powered by GameSpy on PC. Rather than using the usual Capture the Flag modes, FSW: TH has divided the game into eight levels with each side, from US Coalition Troops to El-Rahman forces, getting its own distinct cutscenes pre and post-match. At times, there are also insurgents vs. insurgents.