| SWAT 4 | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Irrational Games |
| Publisher(s) | Vivendi Universal Games Sierra Entertainment |
| Designer(s) | William Gardner Paul Hellquist Ian Vogel |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 2.5 |
| Version | 1.1 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | CD-ROM |
| System requirements
1.2 GHz processor, 128 MB RAM, 32 MB video card, 2 GB free hard drive |
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SWAT 4 is a tactical first-person shooter computer game developed by Irrational Games and published by Vivendi Universal Games on April 5, 2005. It was built on Irrational Games's Vengeance engine powered by Unreal Engine 2.0 technology. In SWAT 4, the player leads a SWAT tactical element in resolving various situations, such as hostage standoffs or apprehensions of dangerous subjects. An expansion to SWAT 4, entitled SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate, was released on February 28, 2006. With the closing of Sierra, this was the last of the SWAT series of games.
Contents |
SWAT 4 features a single-player campaign in which the player has to lead their SWAT element through 13 missions. The missions are not related and there is no overarching storyline. The game aims to have gameplay similar to real SWAT experience. For example, it encourages the use of non-lethal force to subdue and arrest subjects rather than incapacitating or killing them. In addition, players must follow strict protocol to ensure proper use of force. Players may not fire on suspects with lethal weapons unless the suspect points their firearm at a fellow officer or a civilian. Penalties are given for unauthorized use of force, injuries to hostages, officer incapacitation, and personal injury. On the higher difficulty levels, more points are required to pass the mission, with 100 being perfect. On the most difficult level, Elite, players need a 95/100 to pass, and will fail for killing even a single suspect, losing more than two team members without committing an infraction, or committing any infraction in addition to being injured.
The player character leads a five-man SWAT element made up of the leader and four other men that are divided into two pairs, called "teams". The teams are assigned colors, "red" or "blue". The player does not assume direct control over the other officers. However, orders can be issued from an order selection menu, ranging from clearing a room to covering an area and handcuffing a compliant person. Additionally, a video camera is mounted on each police officer's helmet. This allows the leader to see what other members of the element see, and to issue appropriate orders to a team that is in another location.
All missions start with a pre-mission briefing which describes the situation and gives whatever details are available on the suspects and/or hostages. For some missions, a 911 call is heard, which can give a clue on what to expect, and what equipment should be chosen for that situation. The briefing identifies mission goals, which consists of bringing order to chaos by arresting or neutralizing all suspects, and rescue all hostages or other civilians. Sniper support may also be provided, but the snipers' views are limited to static parts of the map, often covering a single window. Different objectives may include the capture of a specific suspect, finding out the fate of an undercover officer, or defusing explosives. After the briefing, the player can choose equipment for themselves and the other four officers. Some mission maps also provide for multiple entry points.
A perfect score may be gained in a campaign by arresting all suspects and rescuing all civilians, securing all weapons, reporting all status updates, not suffering any losses to the team, and not receiving injury. The missions progress from poorly armed suspects to well-equipped soldiers with weaponry such as AK-47s. Suspects may also obtain gas masks, helmets, and body armor. Suspects who cannot be arrested or who will not cooperate when verbally challenged must be neutralized according to SWAT protocol.
SWAT 4 uses the concept of authorized and unauthorized use of weapons. Most situations require the officers to give the suspect a warning to give them the chance to surrender. Shooting without warning is considered unauthorized use of force or deadly force, depending on whether the player kills the suspect. A non-compliant suspect that does not point his weapon at another person may not be lawfully shot. A single unauthorized use of force deducts 5 points, while deadly force deducts 10 points—in addition to the loss of score because of not taking suspects alive. Shooting without warning is allowed if the suspect is pointing their weapon at a hostage or a SWAT team member or if they open fire. Suspect reactions to warnings differ—some may attempt to hide and set up an ambush, some immediately surrender, others will flee and some will open fire. Some suspects may also pretend to surrender and open fire or run. If a hostage is killed, the mission is automatically deemed a failure.
The characters in SWAT 4 are easily injured. Even though all members of the element are equipped with armor, they can be incapacitated quickly. If the player is incapacitated, then the mission ends in failure. Lightly wounded players suffer gameplay penalties depending on injury locations. Leg injuries result in a limp, and arm injuries result in loss of accuracy.
SWAT 4 also features several multiplayer game modes, all of which are team-based: SWAT versus suspects. The multiplayer modes are:
A major factor in SWAT 4 is selecting appropriate equipment to use for the mission. Several firearms are available for use. For most guns, it is possible to choose between standard hollow point ammunition (which is better suited for those enemies in light armor or with no armor as it has good stopping power and can cause the most damage to unarmored targets), and full metal jacket ammunition, which provides better penetration and is advised for use against heavily armored targets. In addition, the player can choose a loadout of less-than-lethal weapons, which do not have the capacity to incapacitate or kill, and other pieces of tactical equipment. There are 2 primary weapons that are non-lethal and one secondary. The primary ones are the non-lethal shotgun, which fires beanbags at a high muzzle velocity, which causes disorientation and intense pain, and the oc- pepperball gun, which is essentially a heavy duty paintball gun that fires paintballs filled with cs gas. The only available secondary weapon that is not lethal is the taser. The other piece of non-lethal tactical equipment is Pepper Spray, which can be carried alongside other tactical equipment: Stingers, Flashbangs, CS Gas, Door Wedges and the Opti-wand. In the Stetchkov Syndicate, more nonlethal weapons are introduced, such as the grenade launcher, which can fire batons, flashbangs, cs gas, and stingers. The other is the cobra stun gun, which fires either one or two taser shots at once and can be used as a contact taser as well.
When playing online, the player has an added protections tab in the equipment selection. The player has to choose between a gas mask or helmet, and thus even the SWAT team can be affected by CS gas if the helmet is selected. When choosing the gas mask, the player's vision is partly blocked and the player's head is more vulnerable. The player must also choose between heavy or light armor.
| SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Irrational Games |
| Publisher(s) | Vivendi Universal Games Sierra Entertainment |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 2.5 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | CD-ROM |
An expansion pack for SWAT 4 was released on February 28, 2006 in North America. The expansion includes seven new missions featuring the fictional Stetchkov crime family.
VoIP capability has been added to multiplayer games, there are seven new missions, two new multiplayer modes, seven new weapons, players may strike suspects or hostages with their weapon to prompt compliance, which has the same effect as a non-lethal weapon, suspects will now pick up their weapons if they are not swiftly arrested, 10 player co-op with up to two teams of five, stat tracking, ladders and rankings for multiplayer, orders can be held in single player until the leader gives the go command and an option to have only one person issue commands and lead the team.
| Reviews | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 85.27%[1] |
| Metacritic | 85%[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Eurogamer | 8/10[3] |
| GameSpot | 8.5/10[4] |
| IGN | 9/10 [5] |
| X-Play | [6] |
SWAT 4 has been generally well received by computer game reviewers.
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