Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open world game focusing on a conflict with the Santa Blanca drug cartel in Bolivia. It was released on March 7th, 2017 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Publisher's summary

Bolivia has become the largest cocaine producer in the world. The vicious Santa Blanca drug cartel has turned the country into a narco-state, leading to fear, injustice, and violence. The Ghosts, a legendary U.S. Elite Special Operations team, is sent behind enemy lines to wreak havoc and break alliances between the cartel and the corrupted government.

Development

Wildlands was developed by Ubisoft Paris in collaboration with several other studios.^[1] Ghost Recon Wildlands was announced at E3 2015 to a crowd of nearly 52,000. The reveal displayed a mission pitting the players against "White Hat" at his Bolivian drug lab.^[4] At the show, it won 25 awards from the media.^[5] The game features singleplayer and four-person Co-op, along with a confirmed 4v4 PvP mode coming in the future.^[6] The game was in development for multiple years, and Ubisoft has stated that it is moving the series "in a new direction".^[1] The producers wanted shades of grey along the story, not just simple good-vs-evil.^[7]

An interview with the Lead Game Designer (Dominic Butler) and Senior Producer revealed that it is set in the near future - about four years from now.^[3] The team has done significant research to make this entry into the "Clancyverse", and to create one of the series "What If" entries. This includes visiting Bolivia and conferring with subject matter experts.^[8] Lead artist Benoit Martinez's team created thousands of pictures as part of creating the open world.^[7]

Along with the "What If" aspect, the developers asked what would happen if a single cartel siezed power over the entirety of the cocaine trade. It allows for a group of special ops soldiers to go behind enemy lines and break the ties between corrupt government and the cartel.^[9] Additionally, the map is set up so certain operations are more common along parts of the map, allowing players to set up mini-story arcs.^[7]

Gameplay

File:Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands - Official Reveal Trailer -E3 2015

Reveal trailer

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open world, tactical shooter utilizing a third person perspective. The game will not feature the futuristic setting used in Advanced Warfighter and Future Soldier, but will instead adopt a modern-day setting, similar to the original Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon. As a result, the equipment featured in the game will be based on weapons and gear commonly used by military forces around the world. However, the game will feature some original equipment, such as UAV Drones that can be used to tag and show the highlighted enemies and objectives. The game will be the first entry to feature an open world, which includes nine different types of terrain, such as mountains, forests, desert, salt flats and will also introduce dynamic weather system and day-night cycle.

Wildlands features 21 Provinces to explore as they go about disrupting the Santa Blanca cartel. The game will feature 28 cartel buchons which can be taken down as the player chooses before drawing out the leader. Players will have to disrupt two of the four aspects—Security, Influence, Smuggling, and Production—of the cartel.^[10] Completing all four will unlock an alternate ending.

When completing missions, players can reach the location where the mission starts through a variety of ways. Players can parachute from a helicopter, walk overland, or drive towards their objectives. Players are allowed to use multiple ways to complete objectives, such as utilizing stealth, mêlée combat, or using the long-ranged or short-ranged weapons provided in the game. Between missions, players are free to explore the game's world, and the game will feature outposts that can be taken down by players.

The game has brought back Gunsmith mode, and parts are collected throughout the world map. Each weapon is heavily customizable, with the exception of the Legendary weapons acquired by defeating the bosses.

When not completing missions, players can interact, and build friendly or hostile relationships with other non-playable characters, such as the citizens, officials or the rebels of the world. These interactions require strategy, as interactions will bring consequences and impact the game's world, and change how players can achieve their objectives. Players can also gain experience points to level up, as character and gear customization is also available in the game.

The game will also feature four-player co-operative multiplayer, in which players can be joined by three other players to explore the game's world and to complete campaign's mission. The game can also be played solo, in which the player will be accompanied by three AI teammates, which the player can give orders to.

Tom_Clancy’s_Ghost_Recon_Wildlands_Trailer_Character_&_Weapon_Customization_-_Gamescom_2016_US — Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Trailer Character & Weapon Customization - Gamescom 2016 US

Customization trailer

Plot

Operation Kingslayer

Main article: Ghost Recon Wildlands: War Within the Cartel

In 2019 the Santa Blanca drug cartel ^[6] has bombed the US embassy in La Paz attempting to kill DEA special agent Ricardo Sandoval "Ricky" who has been under cover for 6 years but instead injure 2 US Marines and later on kidnap him and torture him to death. The action upgrades their status to a terrorist organization and puts them near the top of a threat list. The cartel is led by the vicious killer El Sueño, along with The Beauty Queen, El Yayo, El Muro and El Cardenal.

The cartel has also corrupted the Bolivian Government to the core that the Government cannot handle them and cannot call for any external help.The cartel mainly deals in drug production like cocaine and trafficking and distribution of it because of which their influence is spreading to other countries and therefore needing to break the connection between them and the Bolivian government.

In order to stop the problem the CIA, DEA, and JSOC has decided to send the Ghosts, an elite unit of the US Military as part of Operation Kingslayer. The team sent in consists of Nomad (Ghost Lead and Support Specialist), Weaver (Team Sniper and Weapons Specialist), Holt (Team Engineer and Drone Specialist) and Midas (Team Combat Specialist and Vehicle Engineer).

The Ghosts are brought into Bolivia by helicopter, on which they meet up with their CIA contact Karen Bowman. When they land in the province of Itacua, they meet "Pac Katari", leader of the Kataris 26, the only resistance against Santa Blanca. He gives them their first mission - to recover Amaru, the man who founded the Kataris rebels and who has been captured by Santa Blanca.

Itacua

The Ghosts rescue Amaru in exchange for information about the people who tortured Sandoval. These are revealed to be La Yuri and El Polito, Santa Blanca's chief doctors and torturers, as well as being devoted lovers of each other.

The Ghosts infiltrate FOB Armadillo, the local base of UNIDAD (a Bolivian special forces organization originally set up to combat drug cartels but now on Santa Blanca's payroll and turning a blind eye to their activities), and interrogate the base's commander. They force him to call El Polito and request that he and La Yuri return to Itacua.

Having lured the duo back to Itacua, the Ghosts determine their exact location by infiltrating a Santa Blanca camp and stealing El Polito's car. Their analysts examine its GPS history and locate El Polito and La Yuri at a mountain hunting lodge.

The Ghosts then go after El Polito and La Yuri. They locate them in the basement of their hunting lodge, torturing a prisoner. Both are killed by the Ghosts along with their guards, much to Bowman's satisfaction.

Ocoro

The Ghost then go to Ocoro to get information on the location of El Yayo.

Montuyoc

The Ghosts then move to continue their assault against the Santa Blanca's Security Pillar. They move into Montuyoc, site of the cartel's sicario training camp.

They discover that El Muro chose a former Army Ranger by the name of Carl Bookhart as his head of training. The Ghosts then track and eliminate Carl Bookhart in an underground mining facility.

La Cruz

The Ghosts then go to La Cruz to kill La Plaga.

The invitation

After taking down the first pillar, El Sueño invites them for a meeting. The Ghosts plan on killing him, but he leaves a message: inviting them to join him. When they answer the cellphone left there, Nomad swears to kill the cartel boss.

The final encounter

Depending on whether or not the player has completed the two necessary Cartel operations or taken down all four heads, the ending will change.

Post-release content

Season 1: The Rise and Fall of Unidad

Once Bolivia’s best hope to defeat the cartels, Unidad has been corrupted into a criminal organization that rivals Santa Blanca itself. With the firepower and resources of a modern military organization, combined with extensive knowledge of the Bolivian drug trade, Unidad has the potential to transform Bolivia into the world’s largest narco-state.

Season 1 of the community challenges focuses on UNIDAD with six week-long episodes.

Season 2

Starts after season 1 ends on 5/31/17.

Season 3

Forthcoming

Season 4

Forthcoming

Weapons


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Weapons

Assault rifles	P416 • 416 • SR3M • 556xi • AK-12 • AK-47 • AK-74 • AUG A3 • 805 Bren A2 • G2 • L85A2 • R5 RGP ACR • M4A1 • M16 • Mk 17 • TAR-21 • G36C • MDR • R4 • AC-RC • SC 4000 • LVOA-C • F2000 • FAL

Light machine guns	MG121 • Stoner LMG A1 • MK-48 • Mk249 • M60E4 • Type 95 • 6P41

Submachine guns	MP5 • MP7 • MPX • P90 • UMP45 • SMG-11 • PP19 • SR-635 • 9mm C1 • 9x19VSN • PSG Skorpion • Scorpion EVO 3 • Vector .45 ACP • PDR • Honey Badger

Sniper rifles	M40A5 • M1891 • SR25 • Dragunov (SVD) • G28 • SRSA1 • HTI • TAC-50 BFG-50A • L115A3 • MK14 • MSR • SR-1 • PSG-1 • Blaser R93 LRS2 • KSVK • Z93 AMR • FRF-2

Shotguns	Super Shorty • SASG-12 • SPAS-12 • ACS-12 • M4 Super 90 • Model 1887 • RevSG-12

Handguns	P45T • 5.7 USG • M1911 • P12 • P227 • M9 • D-50

Unique Weapons	Assault Rifles SIG556 Llama • SIG556 Dragon • El Commandante • ACR Baby Vintage • GRFS ACR • AK-12 GR Network AK-12 Victory • Ritmo • AK-47 'Undercover' • AK-47 Uprising • Carnage • Her AK-47 • His AK-47 • G2 70s L85A2 Crocodile • LVOA-C Division • LVOA-C Bad News • M4A1 Commando • M4A1 Explorer M4A1 Golden Safari • M4A1 Tactical • M4A1 Temple • MK17 Nerd • MK 17 Tiger Fang • P416 Savior TAR-21 Predator • Extranjeros MDR • Extranjeros R4 • R5 Skull and Drones Submachine Guns 9mmC1 Blaze • Experimento 42 • 9x19 VSN Replicant • ¡UY! • MP5 Dragons Breath Eagle Stare • MP7 Cartel • MPX Traveler • P90 Doorkicker • P90 Glory • P90 Mirmillo • PP19 Executioner Residuos • SR-635 Jaw • Scorpion EVO 3 R6 • Mendeleyev • Vector Spectra Vector .45 ACP Venom • Santa Blanca Skorpion • Skorpion Skull • SMG 11 Dragon Light Machine Guns 6P41 Reaper • El Bastón • MK 48 Wasteland • Llamativo • Dollar Sign • Stoner Veteran Dragonbreath • Unidad RPK-74 • Veteran Bren Sniper Rifles Lanza Sagrada • Desert Tech HTI BDC • The Warhawk • Chica Mala • M40A5 Golden Sun • MSR Thermite SR-25 Liberator • SR-25 Machinery • SRSA1 Black Widow • Stampede • Dragunov SVD Guerilla Shotguns El Cuentista • Wilderness • El Obsequio • ¡SILENCIO! • Ice Shard • SASG-12 Frontier Pistols .357 Joker • Lady Killer • Five Seven Blacklist • La Novena • Luger • El General • The BFF • Whisper P227 Urban • M1911 Golden • M1911 MARSOC • US Desert • Luison • Peacemaker • Jackdaw Pistol

Equipment

UAV Drone
C4
Grenades (flash, frag, diversion)
Flare gun
Mines

Vehicles

Matahorn cab-over-engine truck
Matahorn military truck
Brubeck high-duty truck
Decussine 60s' large luxury saloon
Decussine 2010s' large luxury SUV
Decussine 90s' large SUV
Decussine 2010s' luxury pickup
Decussine 2010s' large luxury saloon
Decussine 90s' large luxury saloon
Decussine 90s mid-size saloon
Buggy
Landrock military SUV
Landrock small offroad vehicle
Landrock panel van
Landrock heavy-duty truck
ATV
Dirt Bike
Vintage motorcycle
APC
Armoured assault vehicle
Luxury boat
Sumitsu 90s' mid-size saloon (pre and post facelift)
Sumitsu 80s' Kei-class van frame
Sumitsu 80s' Kei-class panel van
Sumitsu early 2000s' station wagon
Sumitsu 90s' MPV
Sumitsu 80s' light pickup truck
Nakahawa 90s' compact saloon (pre and post facelift)
Nakahawa 90s' light pickup truck
Nakahawa compact crossover SUV
Papavero late 2010s supercar
Zodiac
Helicopters
- UH-60 Black Hawk
- AH-1 Cobra
- AH-6 Little Bird
Monster Truck (Narco Road expansion)

Adversarial mode

Ghost Recon Wildlands will include a four-vs-four adversarial mode. It will launch a few months after the game.^[11]

Release

The game will be available in a standard Edition, Deluxe Edition with new equipment and an XP boost, and a Gold Edition with the Season Pass.

The Season Pass will include access to two expansions.^[12]

Additionally, players who get into the Beta and then purchase the game will receive a reward of three missions based around Unidad forces.^[13]

The preorder bonus will be a mission called "The Peruvian Connection" to disrupt the ties between Santa Blanca and Peruvian cartels.^[14] It will also be part of the season pass later on.

Reception

Reception has been generally positive, with sites like Gamesradar.com giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.^[15]

DLC

Narco Road

The game’s first major expansion will give you the full spectrum of narco life, as you tear through Bolivia using new vehicles in a series of fast-paced missions. Expect to face the most insane adversaries as you infiltrate three smuggling gangs and take out their leaders one by one until you reach the mastermind: El Invisible.

The pack will be released on April 25 (one week early for season pass holders).

It is a parallel story to the main game per the developers. Players activate a new character to infiltrate the cartel posing as a mercenary. The status of the three factions changes based off this, with Santa Blanca becoming the main allies and the enemy being the rival gang Los Sin Alma. The game is based on three missions, each under a different boss - Eddie Escovada, Arturo Rey, and Tonio Mateos all to unlock evidence to reach El Invisible.

The player starts at Level 20 with most skills unlocked. The support options are provided by Santa Blanca and are all filled out. Part of the mission unlock process is by completing cartel activities such as challenges or missions to gain "Followers".

Fallen Ghosts

With Fallen Ghosts, get ready for your Spec Ops skills to be put to the test! After your chopper is shot down during an evacuation mission, your squad will be forced to adapt as you are tracked down by Los Extranjeros, an elite group of ruthless mercenaries. Fortunately, new weapons and skills will help you and your friends find the strength to escape! As with Narco Road, season pass owners will be able to access this paid content one week early, with release on May 30.

After the fall of the Santa Blanca Cartel, Unidad’s military force is unable to contain the chaos created by the Ghosts. Santa Blanca’s disorganized members search for revenge and the rebels are trying to take back control of cocaine production. In order to help restore order in the country, Unidad enlists the most dangerous volunteers, disgraced ex-military special operations and ex-cartel members from various Latin-American countries, giving birth to a unit specializing in the most brutal operations: Los Extranjeros.

Before leaving the country for good, the Ghosts have one last mission: they need to evacuate the last CIA members and American civilians remaining in the country. On their way in, their chopper is shot down and they crash in the middle of the jungle. They are now chased by enemies better equipped and stronger than them…so they will need to play smart if they want to survive.

Players will start at Level 30 (cap at 35) with all skills unlocked. There will be new weapons and new challenges to face.

Tie-in media

Along with live-action trailers, Ubisoft is producing Ghost Recon Wildlands: War Within the Cartel, a film focusing on the cartel infiltrator Ricky Sandoval, which premiered on February 16.

Longtime series writer Richard Dansky is writing the novel Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands: Dark Waters as a prequel to the game.

Additionally, Ubisoft is releasing a feature-length documentary titled Wildlands which focuses on the real-world inspiration and background of the game. It was released on March 6.^[16]

Furthermore Ubisoft has released the Ghost Recon Wildlands HQ app where players can track their status, recruit teammates, and play a prequel game where Karen Bowman starts the resistance against the cartel.

Live action trailers

Ubisoft has also produced live action trailers featuring the Ghost team in their live-action counterparts. The "Red Dot" trailer was directed by John McTiernan, the same person who directed the original Die Hard.^[17] He also directed the "Ruthless" tv spot.