SOCOM II: U.S. Navy Seals [PS2]

Unlike Hollywood, video game sequels are usually better than its predecessors.

So it's no surprise Sony has taken its mega-successful SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs game -- a military combat simulation that debuted with the company's online Network Adapter last year -- and improved on its strengths in a number of key areas. The result is an excellent follow-up: SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs.

Once again, players are challenged to protect the United States from enemy forces in hotspots around the world. While the game is based on fictional situations, this tactical thriller boasts realistic missions because the developers worked closely with the Naval Special Warfare Command. More than a dozen new authentic weapons (and a few new vehicles, such as tanks) have been added to the game.

In the single-player mode, SOCOM II features 12 new missions that take place in rural and urban settings of Brazil, Algeria, Russia and Albania. As with its predecessor, players aren't a one-man army. They're in control of a four-person SEAL team and must issue orders to perform tasks such as plant explosives, defend a base, clear a room full of terrorists and so on. The game is played from a third-person perspective and communication with teammates is handled via onscreen commands or by barking spoken commands through a compatible USB headset (sold separately).

But as with the original SOCOM, much of the fun is the ability to play cooperatively or competitively with up to 16 others (eight per team) over a broadband modem. Along with familiar modes such as Demolition, Suppression and Extraction (Hostage Rescue), new mission types include Escort (accompany and protect allies in hostile areas) and Breach (SEALs must breach the terrorist's strongholds before "extinguishing" them.) In addition, the 10 original online SOCOM multiplayer missions are also playable in SOCOM II.

Besides new weapons, vehicles, maps, missions and modes, other new features include a vast improvement in the sound quality for online voice chats; smoother characters animations; missions that take place during different times of the day and in varying weather conditions; in-game SEAL collaboration with (Russian) Spetznaz and (British) SAS factions; support for Dolby Surround Pro Logic II audio and progressive scan video; and more than 10,000 lines of recorded dialogue.

Sony has proved it's possible to improve on excellence. Whether or not you've tried your hand at the original SOCOM game, action fans and military buffs alike will undoubtedly find SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs to be one of the most compelling and addictive PlayStation 2 titles to date.