Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands stands out as an open-world tactical shooter that places you in the boots of an elite operative fighting a drug cartel in a sprawling Bolivian landscape. Released in 2017, this action-adventure title from Ubisoft emphasizes strategic combat, customization, and cooperative play, drawing players into a massive environment filled with diverse terrains and mission opportunities.
Gameplay
In Ghost Recon Wildlands, the core experience revolves around infiltrating cartel operations across more than 20 provinces, each with unique biomes like jungles, mountains, and deserts that influence tactics. You control a customizable Ghost operative, selecting loadouts that suit stealthy approaches or direct assaults. Key mechanics include tagging enemies using binoculars, drones, or scopes for reconnaissance, followed by the Sync Shot system, which lets you mark up to three targets for coordinated takedowns with your team.
Progression involves skill trees that enhance abilities such as reduced weapon sway or increased squad health, with a level cap at 30. Drones can be upgraded for features like EMP blasts, aiding in distractions or disabling vehicles. Exploration relies on over 60 vehicles, from jeeps to helicopters, though handling can feel uneven. Combat often starts at long range, rewarding careful planning, while close encounters demand quick reflexes against armored foes or snipers.
Customization extends to weapons, where you collect parts to modify stats and appearances, and unique boss weapons become available after defeating cartel leaders. Solo play features AI teammates who assist with Sync Shots but lack initiative, making human coordination in co-op more dynamic.
Game Modes
The campaign mode focuses on dismantling the Santa Blanca Cartel by completing missions in each province, such as destroying cocaine caches, interrogating targets, or eliminating bosses. These tasks build toward confronting higher-ups, with flexibility in approach but some repetition in objectives.
Co-op supports up to four players total, allowing seamless drop-in play where friends divide roles, like one piloting a helicopter while others handle ground ops. This mode amplifies the sandbox elements, turning routine infiltrations into shared strategies.
Ghost War serves as the PVP component, featuring 4v4 class-based tactical matches that emphasize teamwork and positioning in competitive arenas.
Updates and Expansions
Ghost Recon Wildlands received post-launch support through Year 1 and Year 2 Passes, introducing DLC like Narco Road and Fallen Ghosts, which added new story content and challenges. These expansions expanded the narrative and mechanics, though the base game remains the foundation.
Is It Worth Playing?
With a Metascore of 70 from critics and a user score of 6.6 on Metacritic, plus Very Positive ratings on Steam (80% from over 36,000 English reviews) and Mostly Positive recent feedback (73% from over 1,000 reviews), the game holds appeal for those who enjoy tactical shooters with co-op elements. It suits players seeking open-world freedom and strategic depth, especially in groups, but solo experiences may highlight repetitive missions and occasional bugs.
If you prefer cooperative tactics over solo grinding, it's a solid choice, particularly on sale, offering dozens of hours in a detailed world. However, those sensitive to dated mechanics might look elsewhere for fresher titles.
