Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier was one of the first games I ever reviewed. Seven years have passed since then. I’ve watched the sea change of various franchises as they’ve transitioned between generational shifts of consoles. Methods of storytelling have changed, familiar characters have undergone drastic makeovers. Worlds have grown to expansive size. Developers have sought new ways to enthrall players and their wallets.

In that time I’ve worked to improve my critical eye as best as possible, piecing together the flaws and triumphs of a game into a somewhat coherent wall of text. Ultimately, it all boils down into whether my time with a game was or was not fun. I remember reviewing Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands and coming away enamored by the chaotic tactical shooter. To this day, the story’s lack of “saying something” is a point of critical contention. I recognized that Wildlands wasn’t reinventing the wheel but that it didn’t have to, not every game did. Familiar themes from Ubisoft games worked their way into a third-person action game and I walked away with a positive impression that I eventually put into words. Not everyone enjoyed Wildlands, not every would, it isn’t that kind of game.

With Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, I expected a similarly massive open world, a grittier story, improved mechanics, and backlash. Breakpoint, of course, is not a game that will please everyone. It is a game that will frustrate and irritate those looking for a flawless tactical shooter. Players seeking absolute freedom from microtransactions will not find solace here. Someone like me who dials the difficulty up to maximum in search for a challenge will find thrills. Those looking for multiple reward loops and ticking off virtual boxes will have an embarrassment of riches.

Breakpoint is a game. It’s not a figurative soap box or whipping boy. It’s the newest entry in the Ghost Recon franchise, a successor to Wildlands but less hardcore tactical than other Tom Clancy’s games, especially the Rainbow Sixes and Ghost Recons of the past.

One last long-winded analogy, if I may. A month ago I was in my PlayStation party chat playing games with friends when someone I didn’t know that well hopped into the party. That person was killing a bit of time as he waited on his group of friends to start a session of Wildlands. Curious, I thought, that this group was still playing a game that came out two years ago and played it seriously. They were still enjoying it, still having fun weeks before its sequel released. I thought back to my time with Wildlands again, how I eventually acquired the platinum trophy for the game, how I blissfully enjoyed it and wrote those feelings down in a review. All of this dissecting and all of this analysis and thought keeps leading me to one conclusion…

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is fun.

Wolves in Ghost’s Clothing

“Breakpoint” is a heavy word. Its implication for players is that their skills will be tested in a battle for survival. For the titular Ghosts, the elite squad of soldiers who move in and out of combat like specters, their breaking point may be the moment when their own kind turns on them. Breakpoint weighs heavier on the Ghosts from the onset. This time there is no Bolivian drug cartel run by an egomaniacal man with a god complex. The enemy, you discover, minutes into the game, is Cole Walker, a soldier players may have briefly fought alongside in a piece of DLC for Wildlands released months ago. Nomad, our player character, witnesses Walker execute a fellow Ghost in cold blood. That Ghost was Weaver, one of the named buddies players fought alongside in Wildlands.

Walker’s betrayal is one of confusion for Nomad and possibly one for players who are invested in the current narrative of Ghost Recon. What has caused this elite former soldier to kill one of his own in such a heartless way? Jon Bernthal plays Walker, portraying his descent with a grizzled ferocity. Having a well-known actor in a lead role gives us a sense that Ubisoft is more invested into telling a meatier story. Wildlands told its story primarily through radio conversations, collectibles, and soliloquies from El Sueño. In Breakpoint, minutes-long cutscenes unfold into action scenes and character development meant to give more efficient context to the how’s and why’s. As players complete main missions they are treated to flashbacks of Walker and Nomad’s time together. The two were brothers in arms, giving gravity to the betrayal. Walker is an antagonistic force that must be taken down but players are meant to see why he fell and why his cause may be sympathetic.

Against this personal drama is the backdrop of the fictional Auroa island, a technological haven that acts as ground zero for billionaire Jace Skell’s World 2.0. Skell Tech has overtaken the topography of Auroa and littered its scenery with the most advanced technology in the world. Drones patrol the skies while AI-controlled death machines keep the opposition in check. The catalyst for Breakpoint is the sinking of a United States cargo ship off the coast of Auroa. All hell breaks loose when drones attack the fleet of choppers sending the Ghosts in to investigate.

Players quickly become embroiled into a technology-gone-awry scenario as Skell’s often noble intentions are used for death. Wrestling control of an island that is augmented by deadly tech and infested with soldiers out for blood is meant to put the Ghosts on the bottom of the food chain. These impossible odds act as the many tests of survival players will come across.

Breakpoint‘s story is much improved over Wildlands‘ Bolivian journey of cutting off the heads of a massive country-wide drug cartel. But that doesn’t mean it is exceptional in any way. Breakpoint prides itself on allowing players to tackle any objective at any time they want. This includes hunting down Walker, which can be done in the first few hours of the game or fifty hours into it. By not being forced to engage with every narrative thread, it’s easy to miss out on character motivation or a rationale behind why an enemy or friendly faction exists. There is a much larger cast of characters to interact with this time around, all serving to give the story more moving pieces which aren’t always easy to keep track of.

Spending too much time taking the scenic route through Auroa, players may forget why exactly they are helping out this particular Skell employee outside of the simple reason of taking back the rogue tech. Walker’s band of Wolves have a few key players but because most flesh and blood enemies can be taken out with one or two well-placed bullets, it’s difficult to see them as threats. Often, the open-ended structure of Breakpoint is at odds with its story. Truly curious players will reap more rewards by reading through collectibles and engaging side characters in optional dialog.

Ubisoft does tell an engaging enough story when it is laid out simply but because it’s not forced on players, it can become forgettable. I often lament Bungie’s storytelling in the actual playable moments of Destiny. Over the course of several expansions, that universe of space magic has told some incredible tales. Unfortunately, with the style of game it is, those stories are really only best told over a handful of cutscenes and in-game lore books that rip you away from the action. Breakpoint, while less in scope, suffers from that similar fault. If you want the story to be good, you are going to have to do the work. It’s truly surprising how much supplemental story there is to the history of Auroa and the main story players.

In fact, what detracted most from my experience with Breakpoint‘s narrative was the poor lip syncing and audio bugs that would often cut a character’s lines off halfway through a sentence. Though I play most games with subtitles, I often stared at them during Breakpoint‘s cutscenes because it was distracting watching characters’ mouth movements barely match the words coming out. Considering the quality of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey‘s voice work, it was a shame that same bar of quality didn’t translate to Breakpoint.

Like Wildlands, there will likely be debate on how some parts of Breakpoint‘s story are half-baked. Discussion might come up about Ubisoft’s stance on not trying to be political. I’m sure that will apply to Breakpoint touching on AI replacing humans and the dangers of technology, or the destructive nature of combat and war. When I am seeking out this kind of commentary on the world at large, it is rare that I find it in most films, television shows, or games. Instead, I want to be engaged with the plot and often just be taken on a ride. Moments exist in Breakpoint where the writers touch upon these larger, nebulous issues in side quests and the main story. But to lament their greater absence is to ask for something that might feel even more out of place in a game that is content with letting players almost entirely ignore the story or just view it as a vessel for getting a new quest objective.

Through the Ringer

Chances of survival are meant to be slim in Breakpoint. The game immediately establishes that the Ghosts are on the verge of being wiped out. Not only are Walker’s Wolves on the hunt, so are Sentinel, Skell’s rogue security force. To heighten that sense of survival, new mechanics have been introduced to make players feel the struggle of being an elite soldier against an army.

Breakpoint introduces status effects in the form of injuries and exhaustion that will be inflicted upon the player when firefights or the elements become too rough. Be shot too many times or fall from too great a height and Nomad may receive a minor injury, affecting their ability to run at full speed. These injuries can also prevent players from aiming down the sights of weapons or prevent the use of any gun aside from a pistol. Stamina is much more crucial this time around as well. When your stamina runs out, you become exhausted and some of your max stamina is shaved off. Trying to climb up a hill or run down a mountain also consumes more stamina and if you run out, you will topple down and lose health until hitting more level ground.

These effects are countered by the use of numerous consumables and activities introduced in Breakpoint. A water canteen can be used to cure any exhaustion and syringes can be used to instantly heal some injuries and recover health. Infinite-use bandages will slowly patch up an injury but players risk being rushed by heavy opposition. Across Auroa, players can pick up various flora and fauna that can be used to craft consumable packs that provide temporary buffs to certain stats. Experience gain, stamina consumption, weapon handling, injury resistance, and more can be influenced in the thick of battle or before an encounter to somewhat even the odds.

Players are also encouraged to spend time at bivouacs, small patches of respite that are scattered across Auroa and can be used as fast travel points. At a bivouac, Nomad sets up a small camp and prepares for what’s next. It’s here players can recover and break camp at a different time of the day. Players can select a vehicle to spawn near the bivouac or choose a buff that will be applied to their character for the next hour–consumable buffs start at only 10 minutes but can last longer after unlocking specific perks.

The other major element introduced to Breakpoint‘s gameplay loop is a loot system that has trickled into Ubisoft’s more recent stable of games. Nomad now has a gear score based on the average total of every weapon and piece of gear equipped. After Nomad sees Weaver executed and control is given back to the player, we are alerted that we are in a “150” level area and that the enemies there will be nearly impossible to overtake. Gear score is used as a goal post for several objectives in Breakpoint, indicating that a player may have trouble if they aren’t near that threshold.

Luckily, new gear drops everywhere. From grey, to green, to blue, to purple, to gold, higher tier loot comes with improved stats. Weapons receive perks like handling and accuracy bonuses while clothing can buff resistances to explosion damage or injuries. As soon as players run over a new piece of gear from a downed enemy or grab it from a chest, it pops up on screen and shows if it’s a higher level that what is currently equipped.

Further dictating how players engage with the action are four current character classes based around the core elements of the game. I spent most of my time as a medic that could throw down a medkit that boosted maximum health and could revive teammates faster or self-revive with a drone. The assault class can take more direct damage while the panther class has improved stealth and the sharpshooter comes alive with snipers and headshots.

Now the question is, do these new elements truly affect Breakpoint?

That entirely depends on how you want to play this game. Again, the path is yours and multiple options exist.

The gameplay loop in Breakpoint is nearly identical to the one in Wildlands. Players are assigned a task and whether through fast-travel bivouacs or spelunking, head as close to that mission objective as possible, usually near a base populated by bad guys. Players can then pull out their drones to survey the base, marking targets and locating the objective. Then the most advantageous sniper spot is found to dispatch as many enemies with headshots as possible before an alarm is eventually raised or the base is cleared out. Complete the objective and move on, rinse and repeat.

Those moments of tension and exhilaration after popping a high caliber round into a stationary enemy over 300 yards make the recent Ghost Recon games worthwhile. Syncing up with multiple friends and executing that act at the same time? Even better.

If you play Breakpoint on an easier difficulty with friends, the survival elements of stamina and injuries will be only minor inconveniences. A friend may be able to provide you with cover fire while you heal or revive you when downed. Finding a better gun with better accuracy may not matter if a buddy has their sights trained on the same Wolf. Of course, killing enemies in Breakpoint is so centered around getting a headshot that it likely won’t matter what kind of stats your equipment has.

Difficulty does play a great role in one’s enjoyment of Breakpoint. Currently, solo players are stuck thinning out the herds of Auroa by themselves, a stark contrast to Wildlands where three AI companions could assist by pulling off impossible sync shots. So without an update to fill out my ranks, I played a large portion of Breakpoint by myself on the extreme difficulty where enemies could spot Nomad better and enemies were truly lethal. Players looking for a true challenge will find this juggling act of varying mechanics to truly shine. Screwing up a headshot and raising an alarm will result in reinforcements being called and a flurry of soldiers honing in on your position. Retreating is difficult because enemies will shoot at you from hundreds of yards away with deadly accuracy and give chase. If one of those bullets inflicts you with an injury limiting your ability to run at full speed? You better hope there’s a rock or tree to hide behind and apply some health before a guy with a shotgun who has been giving chase the whole time blasts you away with one shot. Players will need to think about applying specific buffs for longer ventures into the wild. Where a group of four could focus on different hour-long boosts, a solo player will need to think ahead just a bit more.

Breakpoint also changes the opposition’s dynamic by introducing AI forces to contend with. Larger bases in Auroa that often hide valuable loot or mission objectives will be home to various robotic roadblocks meant to add another layer of challenge to an encounter. At the most basic level are hovering drones that patrol areas looking for players. However, if these drones see a dead body, they will trigger an alert. But robots don’t have heads and can’t be dispatched instantly, at least not quietly. Some soldiers actually summon attack drones that will chase after you and constantly identify your current position while shooting at you. Their speed and small structure make them difficult to hit, so finding equipment that does increased damage to drones or lessens your visual footprint to them makes a difference.

Then there are the elite robotics that come into play. Scattered around Auroa are lairs where these advanced hunks of metal lurk about. They come in the form of tank-like behemoths that act as mild boss fights. Players must chip away at their armor and weapons to expose glowing red weak points, all while dodging cannons and rockets and bullets. Advanced drones are massive and deadlier and are some of the toughest foes in the game. Fighting with these beasts during a mission is risky, especially on your own, but really become a vigorous test of skill when taking them on with a group. It also provides players with hints as to what the eventual raid might contain in its hardest encounters.

One of the tensest moments I had in Breakpoint was when an Azrael–an imposing drone that flies in a straight path overhead seeking players out–saw me. I didn’t have a place to hide because I had just taken down a small batch of soldiers on the side of the road. There was nowhere to hide and nowhere to use prone camo, which coats your Ghost in mud or snow or dirt (and legitimately conceals you from sight except for the soldiers inches away from you). The Azrael drone lit up my location with a flare as an alarm blared across the landscape. I tried to find cover as a couple enemy vehicles rushed to the scene seconds later. Though I managed to dispatch a few, a helicopter closed the distance. Without powerful enough weapons to down it in a few shots (or the focus to equip a rocket launcher), I ran. Thankfully I had good injury resistance and decreased stamina costs. I was able to get clear of the ground troops and take potshots at the helicopter and eventually escape.

Moments like that are rewarding for players by themselves or with friends. It’s easy to understand why the “loot grind” feels out of place in a game where players can be expertly lethal. You may think that it makes sense to just trash everything that isn’t a higher level but I often kept a weapon for longer than expected because it had better stats. Dismantling gear actually comes with its own reward as players can permanently upgrade the stats on specific types of assault rifles, snipers, and more. The upgrades will be applied permanently to that specific brand of weapon so players don’t have to worry about their investment going to complete waste.

Though gear score in a Ghost Recon game may seem arbitrary in how it attempts to gatekeep players from certain sections of the game, I don’t see it is as that. Finding better gear and raising that score is Ubisoft’s way of feeding into players’ sense of progression. While it may come across as petty RPG-lite mechanics, the constant improvement of one’s gear and visible level often made me feel rewarded and tickled that part of my brain that wants that loop to continue. Yes, it made more sense in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey where enemies at a higher level than you were nearly impossible to kill. But that doesn’t mean it has no bearing on the enjoyment of Breakpoint or that it works as a detriment. In fact, gear score helps to represent how far along a person you group with online has progressed. Players with near equal scores are likely at the same place in the game. And players also have the option to matchmake with others who are willing to engage in the same type of activities as you.

Ubisoft’s revamp of leveling up and adding in character classes has also helped make your Ghost feel just a bit more unique. Where Wildlands allowed players to invest a skill point and a mountain of resources into a wide range of skill trees, Breakpoint keeps it simpler. Players now unlock passive and active skills that are meant to compliment a certain playstyle. Eventually three skill slots can be unlocked where players can apply three different skills at once. Skills are based on doing more damage with certain weapon types, ammo consumption, stamina gains and losses, or injury resistance. Breakpoint lays out these skills in an easily readable tree and forces players to unlock two skills in one node before moving onto a different node. Eventually, players will be able to unlock every passive skill and then be able to juggle other loadouts at will. The intrinsic bonuses to character classes diversify the moment to moment gameplay just enough that it does benefit a group of four to go in with different loadouts. Players can also level up their class by completing in-game tasks. These tasks boil down to killing enemies in specific ways but leveling up a class also rewards a skill point, providing just another incentive to accomplish a goal during play time.

The Long Haul

Between five to ten hours of playing Breakpoint, it’s varying systems really began to gel for me. None of them ever felt intrusive or unnecessary to me. The gear “grind” became an added task to do when I finished a mission; checking stats and trashing items just to upgrade another was a fun mini-game to break up stressful shooting galleries. I would rest at a bivouac and look at what nearby quests I could complete, pin them to my active board, apply some buffs, and head out.

The somewhat complex menus where players are shown missions and the intel related to them became an important element in not only reading up on Auroa’s story at large but identify how to get to the next stage of a mission. In recent Ubisoft fashion, players have the option to pinpoint exactly where the next quest step is or figure out its general area based on provided clues and information. This very mild, very optional sleuth work allows players to appreciate Auroa and the work that went into it a lot more. Despite some rough patches, Breakpoint is just as beautiful in scope as Wildlands was. Catching a sunrise or sunset as it casts a bright glow across the world is just as breathtaking as seeing the whole island from a helicopter. The placement of harsh Skell tech encampments across and otherwise natural environment adds to the presentation.

Unlike Wildlands, Ubisoft is investing into the “endgame” of Breakpoint right out of the gate. Over the opening hours of the game, players will meet faction leaders who assign daily tasks. These missions are quick one-off engagements that usually require dispatching a group of soldiers, rescuing a civilian, destroying something, or stealing a supply vehicle–things that existed in Wildlands. Now, these faction missions reward faction XP that fill up levels on a Fortnite-style battle pass. Each level on the battle pass rewards something, such as a cosmetic item, consumables, vehicles, or a weapon blueprint. To give these faction missions context, Ubisoft is telling a drawn-out story about these factions that will unfold over a few chapters in a season. Players will be treated to new dialog and potentially new styles of faction missions as time goes on.

Do these faction missions and battle pass drastically alter the fabric of Breakpoint? No. What they offer is a way to give players a reason to come back into the game after the map has been cleared out and do something new and be rewarded for it. Of course, this can be an attempt at funneling players with open wallets into the game’s store to buy battle pass boosters that level it up faster. Then again, it can also just be another reward loop that is found in the game.

I am well aware of the bevy of items available for purchase in Breakpoint. Is it alarming? A bit. Is it necessary? God no. Since Overwatch‘s loot boxes took the almighty dollar by storm, microtransaction greed has become a sticking point in the industry. I get it, I do. I understand that one player seeing another in a cool skin may cause them to spend money in an attempt to get it. I understand that it sometimes can amount to gambling. But I do not think that Breakpoint has entered a pay-to-win scenario. The blowout from Ubisoft making skill points available for purchase can be justified. But like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, I never found a reason to spend money except the one time I was tempted for a ridiculous mount skin. Though it is frustrating that everything in the game can be sold piecemeal, if a person is willing to spend money on something that is so easily acquired just from purchasing the game, it’s hard to find the blame.

Again, my feelings on microtransactions are my own, they are ones I’ve had friends agree and disagree with me on to varying levels. But to slam Breakpoint and Ubisoft for a practice that is commonplace and so easily ignored is not something I’m prone to do. I’ve opened up the store menu in Breakpoint twice, once to look at it immediately after my game downloaded to see what people were going to be debating over in a matter of hours and days, and a second time just to see what was what. If I played Breakpoint to the ends of the earth and exhausted all its content and still wanted to spend extra money for something fancy looking, I’ll do it. I did it earlier this year with Destiny, I’ve done it with Call of Duty, I’ve done it with Fortnite. I’m glad to do it for games I enjoy. But unless it is particularly evil, I’m never going to allow it to truly color my opinion of the actual game that I spent time playing, especially if I see no indication that the game was built around microtransactions. Considering the rate at which I’ve earned skill points, crafting materials, and other cosmetic items, I don’t think that is an issue.

PvP is another addition that arrives at Breakpoint‘s launch rather than being added on a significant amount of time later. The roots of Wildlands‘ Ghost War PvP mode are firmly in place with Breakpoint after a long period of community engagement and feedback, and it shows. Ghost War in Breakpoint involves two teams of four engaging in deathmatch and bomb defusal. Progression from the single player mode is shared in Ghost War and to keep things fair, Ubisoft has disabled some unlocked perks and put caps on gear bonuses. Additionally, Ghost War progression will award players with experience advancement in the single player and in the battle pass, a win-win scenario.

Unlike the campaign, I think Ghost War is most enjoyable when playing with a group of friends. The six dedicated maps used in Ghost War are engaging but large. It’s wise to have a team that is communicating to fan out and search for other players and support those going for the objective. Ghost War feels extremely tactical to a point because those who are experts at staying low and silent will always have the advantage on sneaking up behind the opposing team. But there are multiple reasons for not sitting at the back of a map prone and waiting for movement. Maps contain lootable items that will give you the edge. Drones can be picked up to scan for others, along with medkits and rocket launchers. The risk of exposing yourself often comes with the reward of being better geared up for an encounter. But to ensure that there is a fight for teams that are extremely defensive, a shrinking combat zone is introduced that slowly circles around players. Yes, it’s the same seen in battle royale games. It pushes teams to a more central chokepoint to ensure that fighting will happen and that combat skills also are just as important as stealth.

Ghost War is a lot of fun. Maps are smartly designed and interesting enough when played throughout various times of the day and with different weather conditions impacting sound. The touches Ubisoft added like bullet trails and sound indicators on the mini-map allow players to think tactically when seeking out a kill. I think a lot of Ghost War’s staying power will depend on how new modes are introduced and what kinds of fun challenges can be added. Trying to accomplish the long list of challenges already available is tough but it adds extra incentive to the mode and a reason to improve.

Overall

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is a daunting game. On one hand, it is a collection of ideas and mechanics used in previous Ubisoft games that would make little sense ten years ago. On the other, it is a continuing evolution of a staple franchise that is trying to define itself on player expression. And of course, it is one of the best reckless and riduclous cooperative games on the market that can be enjoyed by friends. I understand that there may be players who choose to ignore or bemoan the addition of loot and survival elements in the game, deeming them unnecessary or bloated. I get that some might not understand why, in a game about surviving against the odds as a small group of soldiers, there is a central player hub where you can see a few dozen others online emoting and running around.

Any complaint that can be lodged about many parts of Breakpoint are valid. But that does not define my time with the game.

Breakpoint can be a thrilling, brutally difficult challenge for players willing to take the risk. Its survival and looting aspects may seem hardly justified but they all layer on top of each other in the effort to allow players to craft a character that can be fully role-played as an elite Ghost capable of pushing back against all odds. Ubisoft’s attempts to introduce new steps to the formula is a way to give players the chance to immerse themselves in Auroa for days on end, or to leave the game alone for a bit and come back and find something new. Like Rainbow Six Siege or The Division 2, Breakpoint will serve as a platform for Ubisoft to expand on a core idea and serve it up to players willing and wanting to see what’s been added. I am infinitely curious to see how a raid will work in this game, or what new classes will be like, or even how the Terminator franchise is going to be placed in here–after all, it worked so well with the Predator mission in Wildlands.

In those way, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is an exciting game. It knows what it wants to do. It wants to give players options, it wants them to feel unshackled by design decisions that offer to gently nudge them in a direction or possibility. It wants to give a platform to four friends to cause chaos in a variety of scenarios. Breakpoint is a freeing game and it has its flaws. But, above anything, it is fun.