Games

The latest entry in this bullets-‘n’-brains franchise sees you once again join a team of Ghosts (hard-as-nails special operatives) in a globe-trotting tale of dodgy Russians, nuclear weapons and hi-tech weaponry.

In the single-player mission mode it’s a total blast, mixing nerve-wracking stealth attacks with free-fire gun battles to delicious effect. The learning curve is just about right, although the overall story arc could be longer. Of course, there is a ‘guerilla’ mode where you fight off repeated hordes of baddies, bet it gets tricky quickly and is best tackled with a chum.

As an AV experience …Future Soldier is first-rate. Some minor quibbles aside (some of the menus seem to lack razor-sharpness and the cut-scenes aren’t as polished as they could be), the HD graphics are solid, with neat cinematic flourishes (such as the ‘camera’ shaking when you come under heavy fire). And the audio is beyond reproach. Nudge your AVR up a notch and you’ll feel like you’re in Black Hawk Down. Explosions thunder through the front soundstage, machine-gun fire has an immediate, violent presence, and the surround channels place you perfectly in the middle of the mayhem. Even the score is suitably broody – but it’s easier to play the game with it switched off, unfortunately.

Ubisoft, Xbox 360/PS3/PC, £50 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 5/5