While Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site] might seem sooo serious about its imperialist fantasy, apparently Ubisoft are saving some cracking japes for DLC. A series of missions will have players poke at something called ‘The Unidad Conspiracy’, which I can only imagine is a supernatural entity composed of hundreds of dads twisted and merged into one flesh. Clad in a vast cardigan, the Unidad lumbers across Bolivia telling those naughty drugmen it’s past their bedtime. I imagine that even the Ghosts eventually face daddification and must fight back. That’s probably it.

Oh, and Ubisoft also plan to release a 4v4 PvP mode in a free update, and two paid expansions, and… the point is, imagine that giant dad! He’s going to be amazing. … [visit site to read more]

You tell me: why am I your outboard memory? Why do you need me, today, to remind you that the four-day open beta test for sandbox stealth-o-shooter Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site] is now live? We told you when it was coming, then we told you it was preloading, and now here I am telling you that it’s started. Why? Why is this on me? You could’ve written on your hand in marker: “THURS 11am: START KILLING.” Gone around muttering “Gonna kill ’em all on Thursday.” Set a voice alarm. Wrapped an elastic band around your wrist so your grotesque swollen purple hand would remind you. But no, here I am. The free Wildlands open beta is now live. You’re welcome. … [visit site to read more]

All you RPS historical reenactors out there: you can now pre-load the open beta client for Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site] to prepare for recreating Brendan and Graham’s closed beta adventures. But who plays Graham and who plays Brendan? Which one of you feel hopeful about the squad-based stealth-o-shooter and who will get a bit bored? Who plays Scottish and who does Irish? You can sort these questions out as the 30GB download rolls ahead of this weekend’s open beta. I trust that you already have plaid shirts and beards sorted out from your other RPS reenactments. … [visit site to read more]

Graham and I have already shot drugmen in the head in perfect sync when we played the closed beta of Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site] together. But there was only two of us. What we really needed were some friends and now it looks like we ll get thousands! The open beta is soon going to be available to anyone who wants to crack skulls and advance the US agenda in cartel-torn Bolivia. It s running from February 23 to 27. … [visit site to read more]

The Cartel’s Don Winslow (he wrote the novel) and The Cartel’s Shane Salerno (he’s doing the movie adaptation) have been announced as writers on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site]. The narrative will apparently be “cartel-themed” which, I mean, sure.

I’d actually forgotten that the game isn’t out yet as I think I saw a version of it at E3 in 2015 (my notes on that build read “can’t ride llamas” and a sad face – a note which also explains why I stopped keeping tabs on the game). But with a release date of 7 March details for the open-world Bolivian drugland co-op experience are being fed out and Winslow and Salerno’s involvement will provide a hook for people who enjoy their take on drug-war thrillers. … [visit site to read more]

Good Coop, Bad Coop is our series in which Graham and Brendan will be bonding in co-operative games through teamwork, friendship and shared trauma. This time, the Bolivian druglands of the Ghost Recon Wildlands closed beta.>

Graham: Wildlands isn’t out yet, but we finagled our way into this past weekend’s closed beta so that we could contribute in the war on drugs. My impression is that it is Tom Clancy’s Far Cry, with co-op, and I am mostly very pleased with this. You?

Brendan: My impression is that you are right, it’s Clancy s open-world love child. But I m less enthusiastic about it. That might be because I kept playing after you left our game. I m sorry.

Graham: *gasp* You hussy!

… [visit site to read more]

Pre-loading has started for the Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site] closed beta test that’ll kick off tomorrow. Keys are still going out in waves so if you signed up for a chance to play, check the beta registration page to see your status. If you haven’t signed up, hey, folks who are accepted do get to invite three of their pals too, so start bugging your warbuds. Wildlands is curious one, taking the open-world style of modern Far Cries, taking it to third-person tactical action, giving you squadmates, and amping up the imperialism. Gameplay videos make it look a bit of a lark, at least. … [visit site to read more]

My favourite part of Far Cry 4, a game I liked very much, was its co-operative mode in which you and a friend could take on the outposts and forts of the open world. I am therefore excited for Tom Clancy s Ghost Recon Wildlands [official site], which seems to be entirely about tackling larger fort-like compounds in Bolivia in up to four-player co-op. There’s a new walkthrough video below of the game being played solo, with AI teammates you can order about like I do with Adam.

… [visit site to read more]