8.6

SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate

The expansion to the smash hit SWAT 4, The Stetchkov Syndicate takes the player to the next level in a thrilling sequel that in all ways is a fitting tribute to the expectations of fans of the series. 

As one would expect with an expansion pack, there are a number of new additions to the game this time round that enhance the overall game experience.. These involve new weapons for both SWAT and Suspects and something that I enjoyed was the ability to delay orders for my team when there was a need to split up and then clear a room at the same time. 

The game feels great to control and the actions runs smoothly. For those of you who might have been considering this title and are new to the world of SWAT, please make sure that you buy the original game, play it through and then install and play this one. The original game is required to play The Stetchkov Syndicate, not only that but SWAT 4 is a brilliant experience in it’s own right. 

Despite the fact that there are only about 7 new missions in this game, a real strength of the title and the SWAT 4 world is that you can go back and play them all through a number of times and whilst the mission may rename the same, the enemy spawn points will change, so you will not just simply memorise where they were last time and give them the flogging that they deserve. 

The intelligence built into the game also makes for quite a random experience when playing. The suspects behave in all different sorts of ways, and the game does not make it easy for you when the people you are trying to catch may flee the room that they are in or even burst into the one that you have just cleared with guns blazing. The developers have made sure that throughout the whole game you really have to make sure you are on your toes. 

Multiplayer has also seen an addition called Smash and Grab where you have teams of SWAT and Suspects who need to coordinate to stop the bad guys and on the other end, make sure that a briefcase is delivered to a particular location whilst trying to beat a timer. SWAT operatives note that it works better for you to arrest than kill as each successful arrest sees sizable chunks of time taken off the clock. It’s a lot of fun and really shows the need for good team work to make sure that your objectives are carried out as smoothly as possible. 

SWAT 4: Stetchkov Syndicate also natively supports Voice Over IP so you can really get into the title by actively communicating with your team mates whilst playing online or LAN. 

This is a worthy addition to SWAT 4. The graphics and audio continue the high standard set by the series and really draw you into the game. Attention to detail is a strength of the series and I am more than sure that anyone who plays this title is going to have a ball. Just remember once again that you need the SWAT 4 game already installed to play this one.

Recommended.