Over the weekend I had a chance to play the Beta for Ghost Recon: Breakpoint which introduced the very beginning of the single-player story and new mechanics for this latest installment in the Ghost Recon franchise. I left the Beta impressed and looking forward to the full release. This is our Ghost Recon: Breakpoint beta preview.
Ghost Recon: Breakpoint continues with the ability to co-op with up to 4 other players like in Wildlands, but the setting and story have changed drastically. I was the leader of a Spec Ops team of 32 Ghosts sent deep to Aurora Archipielago to find out why it’s gone dark and why the USS Seay was sunk off its coast. It all goes horribly wrong and I found myself alone amid the wreckage of choppers with just a pistol to keep me safe. The story in Breakpoint promises to be a big selling point featuring a former Ghost as the big bad. The character model is made int eh image of actor Jon Bernthal who also does the voicework. What little of the story I saw had me wanting more to learn why this Ghost had gone rogue and just how many if any of my team of Ghosts survived.
In Breakpoint, they’ve added some new features to combat and stealth. I had the ability while prone in certain areas to cover myself with mud and hide deep letting the enemy pass me by which adds more stealth options for those who want to play the patient game. There are of course guns galore with mods you can put on them for various styles and stats, but this around you can also collect armor that can not only change your appearance but your stats as well. There is a basic level/item score you get from equipping higher level weapons and armor that helps you to be able to fight higher level enemies which are placed throughout the game. Thankfully these mobs are easily identified with a special icon when you target them to let you know they are higher than you. There are skins as well in case you don’t like the look of the latest piece of gear you picked up as well as being able to customize your character in the beginning and change their hairstyle. I have mixed feelings with including an item score mechanic in a single-player game like Ghost Recon. It’s a neat new thing for the series, but it feels like it could hobble me if I didn’t get lucky with gear or grind for something. Time will tell how that works out.
Gone is the old skill point system from Wildlands and in its place is a full-blown skill tree in Breakpoint. I started picking 1 of 4 specializations and from there spent points to pick up either actually use skills or passives like faster run speed or the night vision goggles. The skill tree was pretty big and it’ll be interesting to see how many different builds people will come up with depending on their playstyle. Added to this is also the ability to craft items and disassemble gear as well.
The gunplay felt solid weather I was using a silenced pistol, a sniper rifle or going full auto with an SMG. Firing on the run versus standing still and aiming down the sights could be night and day for accuracy depending on the weapon, but every gun I had access to had impact and felt good to use. Melee takedowns had some nice and fairly deadly variety as well depending on positioning.
What was revealed was just a small piece of the pie that is Ghost Recon: Breakpoint without the multiplayer element. I for one am really looking forward to the full release and not only playing with friends but finding out where the story leads.