Video Game Review:

‘Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction’
Serves Up ‘Stunning Graphics

By: Eliot John Hagen (February 28, 2005)

Pandemic’s latest and, in my opinion, greatest game, "Mercenaries," is finally on the shelves. As soon as I played the demo of this I went right out and rented myself a copy which would be kept about a week past the due date. The fine, however, was worth it, seeing as this is one of the most action-packed third person shooters I have ever played!

You play one of three mercenaries; Chris Jacobs, an American who left the army after losing his team in an operation. He, feeling that he was no proper leader, applied for a position at Executive Operations (ExOps) six months after his resignation and, as it turns out, he’s a valuable asset.

Beauty is dangerous, seeing as the next mercenary, the British/Chinese Jennifer Mui, a young woman who’s been with ExOps for seven years, is one of the most deadly characters around. (She’s like a female James Bond with a sultry voice, alluring figure, and a witty repartee.)

The third and newest member of the ExOps team is Mattias Nillson, a Swede who was deemed too violent for his country’s navy. His brute force and determination turn out to be the main things that make him so appealing as a mercenary.

Playing as one of the three characters, you, along with your radio-operative, Fiona Taylor, set out to stop the most dangerous man on earth; General Choi Song, a madman who assassinated his father, President Kim of North Korea, to take over the country and turn it into a military dictatorship and nuclear superpower.

With the warring factions all across North Korea, no one army can get to Song nor any of his 51 aides, known as the ‘Deck of 52.’ It’s up to you, a private killing machine, to capture or kill all 52 cards.

Your path, however, will not be a linear one. You will accept contracts from all four factions; the Allied Nations, the South Koreans, the Chinese, and the Russian Mafia. It’s your choice to whom you give your loyalty.

The game is divided into two worlds; the Southern part of North Korea, where the Clubs and Diamonds are hiding, and the Northern part of North Korea, where the Hearts and Spades are. Your target: the Ace of Spades.

Each card has a bounty on his head, and you will be paid accordingly (full payment if captured and half payment if killed).

Call in 4000-ton Bunker Busters, Artillery Barrages, Surgical Strikes, Cruise Missiles, Supply Drops, and a veritable cache of vehicles ranging from civilian cars to Mafia armored SUV’s, North Korean attack choppers, Chinese infantry vehicles, and Allied tanks.

With 61 vehicles to drive, 11 weapons to fire, flash and frag grenades, C4, and 13 different air strikes, "Mercenaries" truly is the "Playground of Destruction." If you can see it, you can do something to it. Drive any vehicle, blow up any bridge or building, burn the surrounding land with napalm, commandeer artillery Superguns that have the ability to launch shells into low-earth orbit, grab a helicopter as its taking off and hijack it in mid-air, and capture General Song and claim the $100 million reward.

The graphics are stunning and everything can be blown up. The explosions are the best I’ve ever seen in a video game and the story actually drives you to capture Song. The script isn’t bad, the voice acting is great, the physics are realistic, the sound is excellent, and the score is thunderous. I hope you enjoy the playground of destruction.