SWAT 4

[FullAuto]

Nothing to do with the crap-except-for-Samuel-L.-Jackson film, SWAT 4 is a tactical FPS putting you in control of a small squad of police stormtroopers, given an array of weapons and equipment, and called out every five minutes to sort out everyone's violent problems.

 

Now, the thing is, you're police, so you can't just fill crims with lead as soon as you see them. You have to shout a warning, and you can't shoot them unless they start pointing a weapon at you, or a civilian, or they just start shooting. And even then, it's best to incapacitate them rather than kill them, so instead of shooting to wound and other such nonsense, this is where the non-lethal weapons like tasers and beanbag rounds come in.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out like that:

https://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h109/FullAuto_2006/arrest.jpg

Whoops.

[Thorondor]

That probably counts as swatting them aside, yes...

 

::

 

...plus, this "gloves-off" approach of yours has the added benefit of having you ready to brandish this pen and start enjoying the paperwork right away.

 

Get cracking, shall we?

[FullAuto]

Problem is, when I storm a room, the enemies often see sense and run away. I chase them. They eventually bump into one or more friends. I come across the group seconds later, one of them aims a weapon at me and I open fire. Invariably, I hit someone other than my intended target, and as they raise their weapons I keep shooting and the end result is a pile of bodies and major minus points to my rating for unauthorised use of deadly force.

 

Even better is when the enemies run straight at me. Apparently this doesn't count as a threat to life, even if they're carrying an AK-47. Jammy sods.

[Thorondor]

Well, if they run straight at you it counts as a threat to _their_ lives, not yours.

 

::

 

And quit making excuses - AK-47s my eye: can't you see they're plastic squirt guns?

 

You don't even let them play, do you?

[FullAuto]

I suppose I really am becoming a fascist...

 

I can't get the balance right for the current situation. If I go with a shotgun, I can't lay down enough fire against groups of enemies to prevent me, one of my men, or a hostage being killed. If I go with something in fully-automatic I end up being too indiscriminate and hitting enemies who are not yet a 'threat' and losing points. Non-lethal weapons like the paintball gun (loaded with pepper balls, you don't have to blind them with paint or anything) or shotgun loaded with beanbag rounds are a no-no as almost all of the enemies are body armoured. They have gas masks, which makes my CS grenades redundant. The environment is a lot of small, twisty offices which make my sting grenades useless. It's a bloody pain. Eeeeeh, who'd do my job, eh.

 

Don't know if it's the AI or just the formation, but breaching rooms is a bloody pain.

 

One man on either side of the door, one covering, one grenading. Except the one grenading is just as exposed as the other bloke, and with no weapon ready he often gets shot. This muffs up the whole entry, leading to two of my men dying upon entry:

https://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h109/FullAuto_2006/crapswat.jpg

It's a whopping oversight, really. The blokes on the door should both have their weapons up and ready, the grenadier should be behind them. Aaargh.

 

Here's an example pic:

https://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h109/FullAuto_2006/setup.jpg

From left to right, I think it should be: cover, grenade, cover, cover. But instead it's CCGC or CCCG. You can't have someone covering BEHIND the grenadier because if you spot someone you're then shooting past the grenadier's head as he leans forward and back, and it only ends in tears, OR he blocks your shot entirely and gets shot.. If the grenadier buggers up the toss it's not a crime, as no-one's dead (this is the police, so all you have is stun, CS and sting grenades). But as this is the default formation for breaching, you use it all the time. Aaargh.

[FullAuto]

A SWAT 4 retrospective on Eurogamer reminded me of this article on RPS. So good.

[silencer_pl]

I remember when playing SWAT 3 - Breach bang and clear was doing what it is suppose to do. Is SWAT 4 that different ?