This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Brian Mohr.

Up to this point in time, few titles on the Xbox 360 have really been thought of as “next-generation,” but Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter is taking the lead in that regard by giving gamers everything they expect out of the latest console. Originally scheduled to be a launch title for the 360, Ubisoft took their time to get it right and it’s paid off in full.

In the game, players take on the role of Ghost Leader Captain Scott Mitchell whose mission it is to find an intelligence device that went missing after a spy plane went down in Nicaragua. You find that the item is in the Mexican capital of Mexico City just as the Canadian Prime Minister, U.S. and Mexican Presidents decide to hold a meeting to sign a security agreement. As the story goes on, it is obviously going to be up to you and the Ghosts to save the day both for the President and the world.

Obviously what makes Advanced Warfighter stand out on the 360 is the graphics; they are simply outstanding. Starting out, you’ll go through a training mode, but after that you jump onto a helicopter that flies you over Mexico City. The metropolis looks stunning and you can see for miles how massive the city really is. If you didn’t know better you’d think it was real. Once you land, the graphics are seamless - there is no change in what you see, whether it is your view from the sky or on the ground. Continuing with the city, there is a nice variety of buildings and textures that give each area of the city you walk into its own distinct look. The lighting effects are wonderful - sunlight can be almost too realistic as you’ll find glare blinding your view.

Beyond that the character models and weapons are great too. All your characters and enemies look very realistic and move impressively. You can zoom in with your scope and see fine details like realistic facial features and movement of clothing on your teammates. The weapons are stunningly detailed and the game does give you the ability to blow holes into walls and even through various items like barrels and more. Explosions are very well done also as items will blow apart and even tip or flip vehicles.

There is more to GRAW than just graphics though. The sound is crisp. Each gun has a different sound effect, and explosions make you feel like you’re there. It actually even kind of makes you jump if an explosion happens near you. The game features some music as well including background music that fits the tone of the action, while in helicopter rides there is some rock music which is a little unusual. One other thing to note is the tremendous voice work in the game. Your teammates and enemies will yell and scream when they are injured or under fire.

Of course, controls and gameplay are just as important to the experience as graphics and sound and thankfully Ubisoft didn’t disappoint. Movement is pretty much like every other shooter utilizing the analog sticks. Pushing in on one stick lets you snipe while the other lets you crouch or crawl. While in snipe mode, a nice new feature instilled in the game is the ability to aim your shots better by holding your breath in which a meter comes on screen for so many seconds. Players can also stick to walls and peak around the corners.

The AI is relatively smart as your players will follow commands pretty well – most of the time. You want to move your teammates to an area just push up on the D-pad or to have them come to you, push down. The game does allow you to select whether you want your teammates to go guns blazing or more passive, which will save their behinds on occasion. Thankfully though, you have unlimited health packs to restore your teammates on the fly. One other nice option in the game is that you can issue commands to an ally tank, helicopter, or robotic UAV’s which help you root out your enemies with the simple use of the D-pad.One final thing related to the game’s single-player experience is that the game is versatile and relatively long. The campaign mode will take approximately 10 to 12 hours of play to beat which is pretty long for a single-player game. Along with that is the fact that the game itself is mostly open-ended. Throughout the game, your goal is to get to various locations on the battlefield and GRAW really recommends you taking different routes. Even when you’re under fire you can often get an advantage on your opponent by flanking a corner on them. One other note is the enemy AI is pretty intelligent especially on the harder level where they will dive for cover.

Certainly the single-player game is worthwhile, but what will keep you playing this game for months is the multiplayer component. In this mode you can play with up to 16 players online over 10 maps. There is also an additional four mission cooperative campaign that can be played with 16 players against 16 AI enemy opponents. The online mode features plenty of customizable options too including various games modes like elimination, territory and objective with various types of play including solo, team and co-op. Finally, as if it really needed to be said, there is really no slowdown in the online game and it looks just as great as the single-player campaign.

Really it is hard to find much wrong with this game because Ubisoft pulled out all the stops to make Ghost Recon a great title on a next-generation platform. There were, however, a couple issues. The one that probably needs the most tweaking is in matchmaking. Overall I found getting into a game to be a pretty long and arduous process even when I selected quick match as I had to wait almost 15 minutes once I fired up my console to actually get to play. Despite that slight drawback, every other aspect of online play is great and once you get into the game it’s worth the wait.

The only other issue related to GRAW is your teammate AI. Overall it is pretty solid as your teammates do try to get under cover when they can, but at times they have a tendency to expose themselves to fire or they just won’t listen to commands once in a while. These issues aren’t terrible drawbacks, but they do make your playing experience a little more chaotic.

Since the Xbox 360’s launch in November, there hasn’t really been a game that is requiring prospective buyers to go out and get the console, but Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter is the first must-have game of the next-generation. In just this one box, Ghost Recon features an impressive and versatile single-player mode as well as a stimulating multiplayer experience. Both of these options will provide players plenty to do for months to come. So if you’re looking for a game to play on your new 360 or a reason to get the $400 console, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter is it and definitely is worth the $60 price tag. Now I can’t wait to see what else Ubi has up their sleeve for the Xbox 360.

GH is easy to pick up and play, but the controls are deep as well. The AI is impressive too.

Simply the game is stunning and is arguably the best looking game on the 360.

Lots of weapon sound effects, chatter amongst your teammates and enemies puts you in the game.

Advanced Warfighter is fun and looks and sounds amazing.

There is plenty of replay value with full single-player, co-op and online components.