Without world building, a shooter is just a shooter. A crosshair is just a crosshair; looking down a line of sight is pretty identical from game to game, no matter what shooter you're playing.
The differences come from what's on the end of that crosshair and what you've got to cross to get to your target—the differences come from the world building. That's why Ghost Recon: Wildlands has my attention. There's a nod to world building here that's akin to a Grand Theft Auto. There are mountains, lake beds, deserts, and river valleys. There is cattle mooing in the grasslands, men harvesting coffee beans, women harvesting Achachairu fruit (I'm sort of guessing on the plant species there). There are ruins in the hills, party flags in the town squares, and Catholic statues older than the United States culturally clashing with pre-Spanish-colonial traditions. Not to mention the smoke from thoroughly modern industrialization, the dust from abandoned schoolyards, and the crows circling the landfills.
Then Wildlands introduces the Santa Blanca, the White Saint drug cartel. The citizens were a peaceful people, but their rebellion failed; they've been outmanned and outgunned every step of the way. So they're calling on Team Tom Clancy to save the day. "The only way to stop our enemy, is with a greater enemy," the video says. "The only way to stop Death, is with a Ghost." Watch the video below for the GTA V-like introduction to the world of Wildlands. And read Russell Archey's recent preview of Wildlands gameplay.
Ghost Recon: Wildlands launches worldwide on March 7 for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
