| Full Spectrum Warrior |
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| | Developer(s) | Pandemic Studios | | Publisher(s) | THQ | | Engine | Havok Physics | | Platform(s) | Xbox, Windows, PlayStation 2, Mobile | | Release date | Xbox June 1, 2004 June 25, 2004 September 30, 2004
PC- September 21, 2004
- October 1, 2004
- November 18, 2004
PlayStation 2- March 23, 2005
- April 1, 2005
- June 29, 2006
| | Genre(s) | Real-time tactics
Combat Simulation | | Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer, Cooperative Multiplayer | | Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (M) | | Media | Xbox/PS2 DVD, PC CD-ROM | | System requirements | Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, 1 GHz CPU, 256 MB RAM, 350 MB hard disk space, 64 MB GPU | | Input methods | Keyboard and mouse (PC}, Gamepad (Xbox/PS2) |
Full Spectrum Warrior is a video game classified as a real-time tactics action/war game. It was developed by Pandemic Studios and published by THQ. It was released on June 1, 2004 for the Xbox, September 21, 2004 for Windows and on March 23, 2005 for the PlayStation 2. The name Full Spectrum Warrior relates to the Army's program of training soldiers to be flexible and adaptable to a broad range of operational scenarios. The game was originally developed by Pandemic as a serious game training aid for the United States Army. The US Army also developed Full Spectrum Command with the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) as a more strategy-oriented serious game intended for higher ranking military officers. FSC has not been officially released to the public. The game uses the Havok 2 physics engine, featuring realistic manipulation of objects in the game environment (such as knocking over crates) and ragdoll physics. Pandemic released a sequel, Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers, on March 27, 2006 in North America and June 23 in Europe, but reviews on the game have been mixed and considered it to be technically inferior to this game due to bugs and glitches.
CharactersAlpha Team
Sgt. Santiago "Iron Man" Mendez (Team Leader)
Cpl. Andre "Crawdaddy" Devereux (Automatic Rifleman)
PFC. Alex "Philly" Silverman (Grenadier)
Pvt. Asher "Rabbit" Shehadi (Rifleman) Bravo Team
Sgt. Eric "Fuzz" Williams (Team Leader)
Cpl. Michael "Nova" Picoli (Automatic Rifleman)
PFC. David "Delta Boy" Shimenski (Grenadier)
Pvt. Samuel "Gidget" Ota (Rifleman) Charlie Teams
PFC. "Billy" Billamon (Team Leader)
Pvt. "Longneck" Smith (Automatic Rifleman)
Pvt. "Mojo" Waterson (Rifleman)
PFC. "Killjoy" Schaumberg (Anti-armor engineer) Pvt. "Horsey" Nelson (Anti-armor engineer) 2LT. "Roughneck" Ruffner (U.S. Army Ranger)
SSgt. "Razor" Hackett (U.S. Army Ranger)
GameplayFull Spectrum Warrior is essentially a squad-based game in which the player issues commands to two fireteams, Alpha and Bravo of the 159th Light Infantry from Ft. Benning, GA. Each fireteam has a Team Leader (Sergeant Mendez for Alpha, Sgt. Williams for Bravo) who is equipped with an M4 Carbine. The Team Leaders also carry the team GPS, which can be used to locate mission objectives and enemy locations, and a radio for communication with HQ. The second team member is the Automatic Rifleman (Corporal Devreux for Alpha, Cpl. Picoli for Bravo) who is equipped with an M249 SAW machine gun, used to lay suppressing fire on the enemy and assigned to take command if the TL is shot. The third team member is the Grenadier (Private First Class Silverman for Alpha, PFC Shimenski for Bravo), who is equipped with an M4 with an M203 grenade launcher attachment. The last team member is the Rifleman (Private Shehadi for Alpha, Pvt. Ota for Bravo), equipped with a single M4 Carbine. If a member of the team gets hit by the enemy, the Rifleman will be the one assigned to pick up and carry the wounded team member (unless the Rifleman himself is the one down, in this case the Grenadier gets this job). Lieutenant Phillips is the team commander and the player will usually find him with the CASEVACs (healing and ammunition points). Each of the teams has a limited amount of hand grenades (frags and smoke grenades), in addition to the M203 grenades — which can be fired directly at the enemy position from further distances, exploding on impact. Occasionally throughout the game, there will be a third asset designated as Charlie Team, ranging from anti-armor engineers armed with an M4 Carbine to U.S. Army Rangers, armed with MSG90 sniper rifles. Throughout the game, the player does not directly control any of the fireteam members; instead, orders are given using a cursor that projects onto the terrain, letting the player tell his/her soldiers to hold a corner or wall and set a specific zone to cover with fire. It is also possible to order them to lay down suppression fire on a given zone to cover the second squad's movement, or to simply cut back on incoming fire.  However, the game does feature some restrictions due to coding, resulting in some unrealistic actions. For example, the game is heavily based on the concept of cover and suppression, so a team member or enemy standing behind a solid object is considered "behind cover" and is generally invulnerable to small arms fire. The game does not precisely distinguish between how much cover a target is protected by; an enemy rifleman with only a leg concealed is almost as protected as a soldier crouching behind a car, forcing the player to perform flanking maneuvers that should not be necessary. Another example is that the M203 grenade launcher lacks its real-life parabolic trajectory and instead has straight-line, rocket-like physics, making it almost possible to snipe with it. The basic gameplay mechanics remain the same for the retail version of Full Spectrum Warrior, which was released on both the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Windows platforms. All versions are very realistic, although the retail version places much more emphasis on aesthetics —— it possesses substantially improved graphics and sound, and while the story is fictional in both versions, the retail version greatly resembles a war movie. Fleshed-out cinematics and high-quality voice acting are also characteristics that distinguish the retail version from the military version. The original military version of the game can also be unlocked within the retail Xbox version only, by inputting the code HA2P1PY9TUR5TLE on the code input screen. This version lacks much of the physics and graphical finesse of the retail version, but is more realistic and punishing in difficulty. As well as fighting in urban terrain the player can also enter buildings and clear them realistically according to military doctrine, as seen in the sequel, FSW: Ten Hammers.
MultiplayerFull Spectrum Warrior includes a cooperative mode that was designed to take advantage of Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service through the use of voice communication. In co-op mode, two players are in command of their own fireteam and must work together to accomplish the goals of the level.
StorylineBackground Story
A dramatic wave of terrorist attacks sweep Europe and Southeast Asia, particularly targeting U.S. and U.K. interests. After months of intense searching, U.S. intelligence has tracked the source of the attacks to the tiny nation of Zekistan. U.S. led operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have forced Al-Qaeda and Taliban loyalists to flee, seeking refuge in the nation of Zekistan by invitation of the nation's dictator, Mohammad Jabbour Al-Afad. His tyrranic regime houses death camps and training centers for the terrorist networks, and promotes cleansing of the ethnic Zeki population. After several failed diplomatic solutions and repeated warning by the UN, NATO votes to invade Zekistan to remove Al-Afad from power. Pakistan grants U.S. access through its airspace, the invasion begins. The USS Ronald Regan and USS Carl Vinson launch aircraft to airstrike Al-Afad's air, armor, and bases across the nation. When the dust settles, infantry and armor from seven different NATO nations begin to land at southern Zekistan. Under the cover of darkness, the U.S.-led forces converge on the capital city of Zafarra. Campaign Storyline
The story starts at MOUT (if the player chooses to play the tutorial) in Fort Benning, as the squad Charlie 90 (consisting of two fireteams, Alpha and Bravo) goes through the training for each scenario. After training, Charlie 90 of the 159th Light Infantry from Fort Benning, Georgia were deployed to Zekistan as part of the NATO Invasion force sent to invade Zekistan. Charlie 90's first objective is to help secure the airfield, the main airport in the city. After the Airport is successfully captured, Charlie 90 is tasked with infiltrating Al-Afad's palace and eliminating him. They trek through the city and make it to the palace. While they manage to capture one of Afad's top lieutenants, Afad escapes. The members of Charlie 90 also witness one of the Joint STARS planes crashing into the city. The squad is then ordered to rescue the crew of the downed plane before they can be captured by Afad's men. Charlie 90 secures the crash site, but the crew of the plane is taken hostage by Afad's men. Charlie 90, with the assistance of two Ranger snipers, finds and rescues the crew. Charlie 90 then track Afad down and find his SUV in an old train yard. Charlie 90 must then call in an airstrike on the SUV before it escapes. If the player orders the strike in time, U.S. gunships swoop down and destroy the SUV, eliminating Al-Afad. Epilogue Missions
Despite the death of Al-Afad, propaganda broadcasts were made by a surviving group of Al-Afad soldiers called the Black Brigade, headed by one of Al-Afad's sons. As a way of repaying the Army Rangers from Mike 25 a debt for saving them in a parking lot, both Alpha and Bravo team from Charlie 90 were "on loan" to them to participate in unofficial assignments. In the first mission, both teams were to mark a radio tower for an airstrike to end the propaganda broadcasts. On the second epilogue mission, both fireteams, with assistance from Staff Sergeant Hackett, were sent to a mosque to take out the Black Brigade. The elder of two sons was killed by an airstrike during a firefight, while the younger, who was presumed to be dead assumes the role as ruler, willing to work towards democracy and stray away from his father and brother's tyrannical regime.
Zekistan
GeographyZekistan is a small country located in Southern Asia. It borders Tajikstan to the north, China to the east, Pakistan to the west and Afghanistan to the north-west. It is split into four provinces; a large southern province, a central province, a relatively large northern province and the north-western province of Tien Hamir. The central province contains the capital city, Zafarra. The Tien Hamir mountain range divides the north of the country from the south and the Khamar River runs through it, creating the Chergza Pass, which acts as the traffic-way that links the north and south of the country. The north-west is more mountainous than the rest of the country, but has more fertile land than the central and southern regions which are mostly comprised of barren desert and the north-west also contains the country's oil fields. Zekistan also has rich deposits of natural gas, coal, gold, zinc and silver. Has a population of 9,000,000
HistoryIn its early history, Zekistan was conquered by the Mongols, the Ottoman Turks and the British Empire. In the 1800s, Zekistan was released from British control and there was a century of relative stability and peace. But in the early 20th century, Zekistan was invaded by Bolshevik forces. Ethnic Zeki fighters hiding in the mountains held back the invaders for 14 years, but Zekistan was eventually occupied and became one of the Republics of the new Soviet Union. The Soviet Era Under Soviet rule, thousands of ethnic Zekis were killed, while villages and cultural sites and artifacts were destroyed. Funding for infrastructure, healthcare and education was kept low in order to subjugate the Zeki people and prevent further rebellion, while Zekistan's raw material wealth was plundered for the Soviet Union. In the late 1960s, the militant Zeki Liberation Front was formed to fight for Zeki independence from the USSR. For two decades, ZLF fighters fought a tit-for-tat guerilla war against the Soviet Army. In the early 1980s, the CIA began supporting Mujahideen forces resisting the Soviet invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan and also began funding and training the ZLF, in an attempt to drive the Soviets out of both nations. Throughout the 1980s, there was an influx of Arab fighters into Zekistan, who supported the ZLF against the Soviet Army. Civil War On October 4th 1991, Zekistan declared independence from the disintegrating Soviet Union, becoming a sovereign state. But foreign powers and over a dozen factions soon began maneuvering to take control of Zekistan, inflaming ethnic tensions and plunging the country into a brutal civil war. After a decade of brutal fighting, the militant Arab Islamic Extremist faction led by Mohammed Jabour Al-Afad was eventually victorious, seizing control of country and quickly establishing an extreme-right Islamic Fundamentalist regime. Al-Afad’s regime soon began to ethnically cleanse the ethnic Zeki population, as a punishment for opposing his rule. After the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the Al-Afad regime offered asylum to members of the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and the Hussein regime. Terrorist training camps were quickly set up in Zekistan. NATO Invasion A string of terrorist attacks around the world are traced back to the terrorist camps based in Zekistan. UN diplomatic efforts with Zekistan soon failed, prompting NATO to take action. In 2004, a NATO coalition, led by the United States, was formed to invade Zekistan. US forces were supported by British, Canadian, Czech, Spanish, Polish and Australian* forces. The coalition had three stated aims in Zekistan. - Remove Mohammad Jabour Al-Afad as dictator of Zekistan.
- Eliminate the terrorist support network in Zekistan.
- Stop the ethnic cleansing of ethnic Zekis under Al Afad’s rule.
Pakistan granted access to its airspace for coalition aircraft based on US aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea. Within 72 hours, air strikes have destroyed much of the Al-Afad regime's armour, air-defenses, missiles and bases. Infantry and armour began landing at captured bases in the southern Zekistan. US forces, backed by British SAS troopers and friendly ethnic Zeki fighters, soon moved into the capital city, Zafarra, in the centre of the country. There, a vicious urban gun battle ensued between Al-Afad's troops and US Soldiers from the 1-159th Infantry, Bravo company. 38 US troops were killed. Within one day, much of the capital was taken and Al-Afad was killed in a US helicopter gunship strike.
DemographicsZekistan is ethnically diverse, due to Zekistan being at a cultural crossroad in Asia. The indigenous ethnic Zeki population is Islamic and Persian-speaking, but there are also groups of Pakistani and Afghani settlers. The events in Zekistan in the last twenty-five years also brought an influx of ethnic Arabs and there is also an ethnic Russian population, who settled in Zekistan during the Soviet era. Zekistan has always been at a cultural crossroad, so its culture has Persian, Arab, Indian, Chinese and European influences.
ReceptionReview scores| Publication | Score |
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| IGN | 9.2 of 10 | | GameSpy | 4.5 of 5 | | Gamespot | 7.7 of 10 | | Official Xbox Magazine | 8.8 of 10 | At the Game Critics Awards of E3 2003, Full Spectrum Warrior was awarded "Best Original Game" and "Best Simulation Game." Full Spectrum Warrior was received positively by many magazines and websites. Official Xbox Magazine praised it for "redefining both the war and strategy genres" and it's "original, innovative gameplay," but complained the 20-30 minute training was "painfully long." Gamespot criticized the game's artificial intelligence for being "too stupid," and not " an interesting challenge." The game's graphics were called "superb" by GameSpot and the "best looking Pandemic game yet." by IGN.
ControversyFull Spectrum Warrior became the subject of some controversy shortly after it was released. The two primary complaints aired in this controversy were that the Army was not using their training version of the game because it was not "realistic enough". Secondly, the Army had been short-changed. There was some discussion in the press regarding whether the government had either wasted money on the project, or if they had been taken advantage of by Pandemic Studios, and Sony Pictures Imageworks, their partner on the project.
GlitchesSome time after the Xbox version game was released, Pandemic released two downloadable epilogue missions available through Xbox Live. While the first epilogue mission had no problems whatsoever, the second epilogue mission was known to freeze up at a certain point when the player plays it on the "Sergeant Major" and "Authentic" (the level being completable only on "Sergeant") difficulties particularly in the very last portion of the stage.
References- ^ a b Perry, Douglass C. "Full Spectrum Warrior Review." IGN. May 31, 2004. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ Lopez, Miguel. "Full Spectrum Warrior Review." GameSpy. September 23, 2004. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ a b c Kasavin, Greg. "Full Spectrum Warrior Review." Gamespot. June 2, 2004. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ a b McCaffrey, Ryan. "Full Spectrum Warrior." Official Xbox Magazine. August 2004: 74-75.
- ^ The Economist. December 4-10, 2004.
- ^ Adair, Bill (February 20, 2005). "Did the Army get Out-Gamed?". St. Petersburg Times.
External links- Official Full Spectrum Warrior website
- Full Spectrum Warrior at MobyGames
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