Ghost Recon Breakpoint Hands-On Impressions

We here at Prima Games recently got our hands on a whopping 7 hours of Ghost Recon Breakpoint to see exactly where the franchise goes after the shocking cliffhanger Wildlands gave us with Walker’s character. Not only were we able to see the story itself, but we also checked out the game’s PvP mode as well so for those looking forward to the next entry in the Ghost Recon series, strap in because we’re diving all in.

The Story

For those that enjoyed Wildlands, you may remember that the theme of cult-driven fanaticism was prevalent. Breakpoint veers away from that mysticism and instead goes all in when it comes to technological progression. We also see a completely different side to Skell Technologies that essentially will make you doubt everything you thought you knew about the company with the “future” in mind.

When we saw Jon Bernthal in Wildlands, he was a fellow Ghost that we trusted at our back in the most recent DLC for the current title. That of course changed as he went from friend to foe, instead transforming into a “Wolf” and the main antagonist in the upcoming entry.

What was interesting to me about the narrative this time around is that nothing is black and white. When we first noticed that Walker changed, it was apparent he was now the bad guy. In Breakpoint, he’s still very much a stone-cold killer, but there are glimpses into his world-view that are beyond fascinating and made me as a player doubt my own character’s motives. Is he wrong or is he breaking convention? Is he truly the enemy, or did he see the truth behind a system that sells death to the highest bidder?

There are moments throughout the game where you’ll hate Walker and want him dead but it’s those moments in between that truly add depth to this story. Those moments of seeing the man behind the wolf, the friend we once served with. Keep in mind, those glimpses are fleeting because the entire time he is trying to kill you, but there were a few quest points that had us seeing the grey areas of his character, thus reflecting back our own murky depths.

Mechanics

Mechanically Breakpoint operates similarly to that of Wildlands, so if you liked the open-world shooter then you’re going to love it now. Play stealth, play renegade, do whatever you like – this game is meant to be tailored to the individual player. That being said, in Wildlands I was always the one in my group that went all-in, total ham. Stealing vehicles and doing donuts in enemy territory, dropping grenades in hot like they were going out of style. Basically, I’m every stealth-lover’s nightmare.

Breakpoint definitely offers that same variety and the group I ran with definitely showcased the many different ways to play. One member loved to recon with a sniper rifle at the ready, whereas I ran in hot with frags out and ready to rock. Though chaotic at times, it kept gameplay interesting and made us truly desire to obtain that next objective if only to see just how the hell we were going to approach the next fire fight.

Because the game doesn’t release for a while yet, this was an alpha build and that showed. Some movement was clunky – even delayed – but it was obvious it takes after Wildlands and I have no doubt that this clunkiness will be addressed before launch.

The game also introduced a new way to blend into one’s surroundings with the Prone Camo. This … OK … THIS was cool. Enemy chopper inbound? Prone Camo. Need to recon a bit with a group of enemies in your direct path? Prone Camo. Crapped up a quest and need to regroup? Prone Camo. Seriously, Prone Camo is amazing! It takes laying low to a whole new level by allowing the player to slather on mud as they blend effortlessly into their surroundings. It’s quick and easily accessible, making it even easier to take a more strategic approach to the game.

PvP

We played a few rounds with the game’s 4v4 mode and immediately launched into a snow map – something that players loved in Wildlands and wanted more of. Since this terrain was such a huge desirable feature, Ubisoft wanted to make sure that this map was a launch-day option for those looking to test their skills against other gamers.

It was fun, about what you’d expect from a Ghost Recon MP player. The map layouts were more accessible, making it more challenging (and rewarding) when choosing a strategic place to plan one’s assault. Teamwork is definitely key in this mode, especially with the detonation mode that charges players with detonating a bomb successfully or stopping it all together. Our team was wiped hard the first few times when we tried to adhere to our individual playstyles, though once we began communicating the tides quickly turned.

Overall, as a huge Wildlands fan, Breakpoint is going to be even bigger and better than its predecessor. With so many new features added and post-launch content plans in place, it will be interesting to see how the latest Ghost Recon entry evolves in the wake of Wildland’s success.