I can't possibly explain why this game is getting such mixed reviews, it is one of the best I've played in years. A perfect balance between Socom-type stealth/weaponry and very creative espionage missions. The computer hacking/lock picking/alarm deactivating in this game were very well thought out and very rewarding when done properly. The variety of weapons is amazing, and each one has advantages and disadvantages depending on the mission type. There are some levels that you can run and gun your way through, but some where you will be killed in seconds if you try that approach. Your decisions during conversations impact the game play more than on just a superficial level, and the decisions are never obvious as in games like Fallout III. Overall, I believe any gamer should give this one a rental. If you're not caught up within ten minutes you may never be, so it's a quick assessment. I was swept away after the first mission. The only reason I didn't award five stars was due to some AI stupidity (I played on normal though, not difficult). Some enemy soldiers are very intelligent and some are mindless zombies, it's nice to keep you on your toes but the stupid ones sometimes run right passed you and not see you standing there. I imagine on the difficult setting this wouldn't happen. But it really evens out b/c the intelligent guards will sometimes shoot at you and sometimes bum rush you and beat the heck out of you. Overall, great game and definitely a huge step forward in espionage gaming.
...
