Ubisoft Ships Two...Err...Four.  Kinda.
November 16, 2004

Ubisoft announced today that both Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 and Tom Clancy's Classic Trilogy have shipped for Xbox.  Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 looks set to deliver a vastly improved experience over the original, while Tom Clancy's Classic Trilogy is a collection of three Clancy greats (Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six 3, and Splinter Cell) in one package.  We scored the three games in the Trilogy a 8.7, 9.5, and 9.7 respectively, so it's obviously a great deal at $39.99.  The official press releases are below.

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TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON™ 2 FOR XBOX LANDS ON RETAIL SHELVES THIS WEEK


San Francisco, CA – November 16, 2004 – Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced today that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon™ 2 for the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft is available this week at retail outlets across the U.S.  The long-anticipated sequel to the first, legendary Ghost Recon, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 2 for Xbox, developed by Red Storm Entertainment, has been completely reworked to take advantage of the latest Xbox technology and will once again establish a new standard for addictive and immersive single- and multiplayer action.

With a realistic storyline set in the hostile terrain of North Korea in 2011, a killer Lone Wolf single-player mode based on prototypical soldier-of-the-future combat equipment currently being developed by the US government, a full team of new Ghosts, a brand new over-the-shoulder camera angle (in addition to the beloved first-person perspective), and incredible graphics and technology, gamers will soon find themselves fully immersed in the chaos of the war of tomorrow.  Xbox™ Live fans will enjoy Xbox Live 3.0 features, 24 multiplayer maps, support for 16 players, 7 co-op modes and 10 adversarial modes.

“Ghost Recon 2 will thrill gamers of all ranks, from hardened soldiers to new recruits, as they are plunged full-force into high-tension, near-future combat situations,” said Tony Kee, vice president of marketing for Ubisoft.  “The Ghosts don’t play around, and neither do we – Ghost Recon 2 delivers all the hallmarks of a Clancy classic: realism, industry-leading graphics, total immersion, insane action, attention to even the smallest details and, of course, endless hours of multiplayer madness that will establish Ghost Recon 2 as yet another Clancy powerhouse on Xbox Live.  It’s the military shooter to own this holiday.”

About Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 2 for Xbox
Years of famine and neglect have brought devastation to the North Korean population. As the government has funneled billions into military spending, the country’s infrastructure and agricultural base have collapsed. Faced with an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, the North Korean government is pressured to open up to outside assistance, and to curb military spending.
The North Korean military reacts violently to this new policy, seeing their power peddled away by bureaucrats. They unite behind the charismatic General Jung, who announces that the "traitors and capitalists" have no right to barter away "the birthright of the North Korean people." Jung’s forces quickly wipe out other splinter factions of the military and mobilize North Korea’s vast army of reserves. Before long, Jung is the supreme authority in North Korea.
Faced with the spectre of what Jung might do with North Korea's nuclear arsenal, and fearful that this rogue military leader will embroil his neighbors in a larger conflict, the regional powers demand that something be done.
While they remain carefully neutral, other nations - the US, France, Britain, Germany and more - send an expeditionary force. Its mission is simple: to devastate General Jung's war machine before his ambition embroils the entire region - and maybe the world - in a nuclear war.

Key Features

• Exclusive game design for the Xbox:  Storyline, level design, and cinematic sequences will be unique to the Xbox.  Developed by Red Storm Entertainment, the Xbox version is built from the ground up for the Xbox to push the system to its limits. 

• Complete Immersion in the War of Tomorrow: Players will utilize the most high-tech, advanced weapons and gadgets to defeat the smartest, deadliest A.I. yet in this epic struggle. Intense battle sequences, countless enemies, and a gritty story power the campaigns.

• New Graphic and Physics Technology: Real-life East Asian environments are rendered in stunning detail. Plus, Ghost Recon 2 features next-generation technology such as dynamic lighting, multi-texturing, and normal mapping. The new Havok 2 physics engine also provides realistic effects for destructible objects, moving vehicles, ragdoll physics and spectacular special effects.

• Lead a Brand New Team of Special Forces: Interact with and fight alongside new characters to the Ghost Recon world – each with his or her own look, personality, and specialization. As the Ghost leader, control your squad via voice commands and a new, one click interface.

• All-New Camera Angle Fully Immerses You in the War: Ghost Recon 2 unveils a brand-new camera view to the Ghost Recon world. The OTS (over-the-shoulder) view allows players to see their characters and weapons, and watch them react to surrounding mortar, gunfire, and airstrikes. Players can also communicate with teammates via hand signals to silently trap enemies.

• Wage War Online: In keeping with its tradition as a leader in multiplayer and online gameplay, Ghost Recon 2 features up to 16 players online in 10 intense adversarial modes and 4 players in 7 co-op modes.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 2 for Xbox carries an “T” (Teen) rating from the ESRB with a suggested retail price of $49.99.

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TOM CLANCY’S CLASSIC TRILOGY FOR XBOX HEADS TO RETAIL TODAY

Three of the Most Critically Acclaimed, Best-Selling Games Ever on Xbox, Collected for the First Time and Now Available at an Incredible Value - $39.99!

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – November 16, 2004 – Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest videogame publishers, today announced that a Tom Clancy Triple Pack for Xbox® video game system from Microsoft will be available at retail outlets across the U.S. this week.  The collection, entitled Tom Clancy’s Classic Trilogy, is a special three-DVD set and includes three platinum Xbox titles: 

• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon™: The military shooter that set the bar for realistic special forces action.
o 15 missions and dozens of weapons (30+ hours of gameplay).
o 3 modes of multiplayer warfare over Xbox Live and offline.

• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell™: The award-winning stealth action masterpiece that broke graphical barriers and took the gaming world by storm.
o 9 stealth action missions (20+ hours of gameplay).
o 3 extra premium downloadable missions via Xbox Live.

• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3™: Still the No. 1 title on Xbox™ Live, this counter-terrorism game set the standard in multiplayer innovation.
o 14 single-player missions (20+ hours of gameplay).
o Endless online multiplayer replayability.
o 7 premium multiplayer maps downloadable via Xbox Live.

With sales of more than 4 million units in the United States alone, the Clancy games represent the No. 1 selling Xbox family in that console’s history.  Now, for the first time, gamers can enjoy the three titles that started it all at a phenomenal value – just $39.99 for all three games.

Reported By: Jared Black