As you proceed through the game, you unlock specialists that you can include in your line-ups, and each of those has their own look as well, ranging from Russian turncoats to troops from around the world.

We move like shadows we strike like cobras, we walk into the middle of camps and get blown away before we even see where the enemy is firing from.

Yes, its Ghost Recon, the latest in Red Storms Tom Clancy series, and its very hard indeed.

A bunch of dissident hard-liners have taken over in Moscow, and are seeking to recreate the former Soviet Union, largely by annexing the various Russian states with big tanks.

Its the job of the Ghosts to go in before conflicts and at various vital points for small-scale, highly-dangerous missions.

Basically a bit like Rogue Spear, but with a few more soldiers, a lot more detail, and about 700 times the danger.

For those who might be thinking this is just another Rogue Spear game, youd be very, very wrong.

Certainly it owes a certain precedent to the popular series, but theres also a bevy of resemblances to Codemasters tactical first-person shooter, Operation Flashpoint.

Clearly, Red Storm have played the earlier title, and in particular listened to peoples complaints.

Operation Flashpoint was a comprehensive tactical simulator, to the point of over-complication.

You could set waypoints for troops, and plan your strategies to absolutely insane detail, which sadly many people simply ignored.

Ghost Recon still contains planning elements, but is a highly simplified experience.

The only pre-planning that takes place is the selection of your troops from a pool of trusty souls and the choice of their weapons.

As characters work their way through campaigns, they gain shiny medals, and points with which to improve their statistics of weapon, stealth, endurance and leadership.

Its nice to see that these accolades and attributes make a difference with your fellows in the later missions, an RPG element unexpectedly welcome in a first person shooter.

This allows you to set markers to which your troops will move, and also control some of their behaviours.

Each squad starts in assault mode, and has a choice of two other modes - suppress, a fire at will mode, or reconnaissance mode - whereby they proceed with caution.

They can also be instructed to advance at all costs (which weve affectionately termed suicide mode), and to stand their ground.

This last approach is particularly useful, since you can mark out a movement pattern whilst they are stationary, then put your plan into action with three unified attacks, at least in theory.

Also, although the map is useful for general movements, and contains a simple zoom function, if you are ever needed to perform more delicate manoeuvres such as those inside buildings, youll be frustrated or trusting to blind luck.

The only way to manage it is through personally taking control of particular units.

Ghost Recon is simply fantastic to look at, with levels of detail rivalling any game seen recently.

The characters are hugely detailed, and each one has their own individual look - youll find no carbon-copy troops here.

Ghost Recon 2001 Download