SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike

Pocket Gamer UK

Like a sniper taking aim from out of nowhere, SOCOM: Tactical Strike sets sights on PSP and emerges as one of the year's best. Phenomenal visuals, tight tactical gameplay, and unparalleled multiplayer make this a must-have title.

Play UK

A solid tacitcal offering. [Issue#160, p.90]

GamePro

The real meat of the game is the incredibly satisfying tactical combat.

Playstation Official Magazine UK

Cold, brutal, clinical...the real face of modern warfare. [Christmas 2007, p.110]

Game Informer

This is the first SOCOM in a while that I've felt comfortable recommending to anyone. [Dec 2007, p.159]

GameSpy

Amazingly polished for such a dramatic change in design philosophy, and the fun you'll have playing it more than makes up for its troublesome camera, tepid multiplayer, and absence of actual bloodshed.

Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

Some SOCOM purists may be turned off by the new control scheme, but if you stick with it, you'll find it's worth it. [Jan 2008, p.82]

Jolt Online Gaming UK

Developers Slant Six have done a good job fitting a new genre into both the PSP itself and an existing series: it was about time the third person tactical action sim made its way onto a handheld.

PSM3 Magazine UK

It's a tactical treat and a rather more accessible experience than previous games. [Christmas 2007, p.82]

Digital Entertainment News

SOCOM: Tactical Strike isn’t the action-based affair most series fans are accustomed to, but the real-time strategy title is good at what it does. Graphically impressive on PSP, SOCOM: Tactical Strike is worth a look.

PALGN

Despite a few minor issues, polished visuals and solid gameplay make SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike a fun and entertaining game.

GamingTrend

In the end I think this is a good game that just missed the mark of being a truly great game.

Extreme Gamer

It’s good to see Slant Six games take the SOCOM series away from the normal frag em’ and bag em’ PS2 Zipper treatment. Tactical Strike brings the fun of precise planning and the joy that comes when an executing a plan goes perfectly.

TotalPlayStation

As it stands right now, though, it's merely going to have to settle for being the digital equivalent of tactical splinter; hardly lethal, but annoying enough that it can't really be ignored.

Da Gameboyz

The campaign is simple and has many technical issues, however overall this latest version of the SOCOM series is a nice new twist to a workhorse of a franchise.

GameZone

The game has some issues, namely from an awkward camera and some irksome AI. However, there is still an impressive level of polish for such a departure, considering the impressive control elements.

GameSpot

It's a new twist to the series, but if you like stealth or strategy games, you'll probably like Tactical Strike.

Cheat Code Central

A good addition to the series, albeit one that needs some special consideration. It's the black sheep of the SOCOM family and is in need of some refinement. It's close to greatness, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Gamers' Temple

Tactical Strike falls just short of doing the tactical thing right, the same way the original SOCOM games fell just short of doing the online shooter thing right.

DarkStation

Think what you will about SOCOM's change from a straight shooter to a tactical shooter on the PSP, but Tactical Strike manages the transition quite nicely.

Games Radar (in-house)

If you factor into your plans the possibilities of your commands not being followed perfectly, you can have a slow-burn, satisfying experience.

IGN

Although the A.I. can be stupid, the overall control interface is slick and setting up strategic attacks can be totally rad.

VideoGamer

A considerable multiplayer mode and truly excellent musical score round off a nice package, but Tactical Strike isn't quite the amazing new direction for real time strategy it could have been.

Eurogamer

New developer Slant 6 has done a good job capturing the look and feel of the original franchise, but the new gameplay will disappoint those looking for a standard third-person shooter, and the game's flaws keep it from impressing more than it frustrates.

Edge Magazine

Apart from being an excellent reminder of its host’s graphical oomph, Tactical Strike is engrossingly detailed and generous, if not wide, in scope. [Jan 2008, p.91]

Boomtown

A finely-poised slice of real-time tactical action. Tactical Strike won’t pry you away from the likes of Company of Heroes, and series purists may lament the loss of direct control, but it stands foremost of its genre in the handheld arena.

Play.tm

Taking it as a whole its blatantly not perfect, in fact it's almost shoddy at times, but there's a nugget of gold inside SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike that shines through bright enough to almost make up for the numerous problems.

Game Revolution

Unfortunately, Tactical Strike's story isn't that immersive.

Armchair Empire

The concept of SOCOM Tactical Strike is remarkably cool, and when the controls aren't getting in the way, it's a pretty fun game.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

That strategic team planning and stealthy single-player combat is fun. It just needs to be more consistent...and controllable. [Jan 2008, p.95]

Games Master UK

The complicated control strategies are an acquired taste. [Christmas 2007, p.84]

1UP

When Tactical Strike works, it works really, really well. In spite of the soul-crushing frustration I experienced, those moments of genius made it worth soldiering on for me. If you have an extraordinarily high tolerance for cheap deaths, long load times, and insubordination, you could have a pretty darn good time with this game.

AceGamez

As a departure for the series, the idea of a tactical SOCOM game is a great one and is executed mildly well. I say mildly, as without the annoying camera, cheap deaths, lack of story and lukewarm audio, the game would be a lot of fun to play.

GameDaily

The spread-out checkpoints infuriate, particularly since they take over a minute to reload. Despite some provocative multiplayer options and a likable presentation, this Tactical Strike lacks impact.

Modojo

SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Tactical Strike is tactically unsound and just not very fun to play overall.