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Ubisoft's top tips will help you beat the Santa Blanca cartel in this stunning new open world shooter.
Four years in the making, Ubisoft’s open world shooter Ghost Recon Wildlands is out now on PS4, Xbox One and PC. The game was first revealed to a rapturous response at E3 2015, but fans have already had a chance to battle against the Santa Blanca cartel in the beta.
The Ghost Recon veterans who played it will have experienced something different from recent games in the series such as Advanced Warfighter and Future Soldier. Not only is it the first game in the tactical shooter series to be set in an open world (the action takes place in Bolivia), but it is also set in modern times, 2019 to be precise. Playing as part of a US special operation unit called the Ghosts, you’re tasked with taking down a drugs cartel responsible for the bombing of the US Embassy in La Paz.
Ghost Recon Wildlands Senior Producer Nouredine Abboud tells us about the kind of challenges you’ll face in this stunning world and how to overcome them. Check out his top tips before heading out into the Bolivian battlegrounds with your team.
How has the open world changed the game and what new challenges does it present to the player?
Making Ghost Recon an open-world game was one of the most exciting decisions we took when we started working on the project more than four years ago. And really, it was a very natural decision – expanding on the large, open environments of the very first Ghost Recon games, and taking that to the next level by offering a massive, responsive and dangerous open world in which players are given total freedom of choice in how they want to play, both in solo and co-op.
And we’re proud of the result today – we have recreated a beautiful, living Bolivia, offering players an amazing draw distance and endless opportunities to express their own playstyles.
The different factions of the game, and how they interact, adds an element of surprise that keeps you on your toes even during the best planned missions – rebel allies or aggressive military forces can always be around the corner.
You’re allowed to customise your Ghost – do you have any tips for people who want to make sure they find the right balance early on?
Through its five different categories, the Skill Tree will truly allow each player to customise their Ghosts exactly to their liking and playstyle as they level up. Figuring out what type of player you are can be a great help here – sniper players will want to focus on long-range engagement skills and adding attachments to their rifle in the Gunsmith; support players may want to specialise in tools and explosives to help their team; drivers can choose to improve their driving abilities and the related skills.
These are just a few options of what the game will allow you to do, and all skill categories always remain open. In the end, high-level players can choose to focus on numerous different specialisations.
You’ve got to take down the Santa Blanca Cartel – how tough are they?
Tough enough to get the Ghosts sent after them! The Santa Blanca cartel rules over the country with an iron grip and the organisation is divided into four different operations: Production, Trafficking, Influence and Security. 21 cartel bosses, also known as Buchones, control the different provinces of the game. Taking them down will lead you to the four heads of operations, and in turn to the head of the Santa Blanca cartel: the mysterious and dangerous drug lord, El Sueño.
Tell us about some of the boss’s attributes and how you’ll overcome them...
Being a Tom Clancy game, Ghost Recon Wildlands strives to offer a thrilling and authentic experience when you're going after the cartel. That means that you will encounter some pretty peculiar characters – for example, El Pozolero, also known as the Stewmaker, is the person in charge of making bodies disappear for the cartel, which he does by using acid baths.
When going after the cartel heads, you will see that each can have different reactions depending on their personalities – some will flee, some will surrender, some will fight back. But no matter how strong they are, they still remain human – one well-placed bullet can always be fatal.
You can play in co-op – what are the best ways of working together?
Indeed, the game can be played from beginning to end both in solo and in a co-op of up to four players. Playing with friends or with other players through public matchmaking, one thing will always be key – communication. Issuing out the right orders at the right time thanks to the command wheel, or being ready to discuss through your headset to properly synchronise and coordinate your actions, will truly make the difference on the battleground.
Do you have any squad management tips? If you are playing on your own, what are the best ways to order your ghosts around?
When playing solo, you always have three AI teammates supporting you at all times. They will automatically adapt to your playstyle, remaining silent if you play stealth, or going all guns blazing when the situation requires it.
Thanks to the command wheel, you are able to give them simple orders to direct them on the ground; telling them to go to a specific location and to open fire can create a nice distraction, for instance. Of course, the synchronised shot is also present in Ghost Recon Wildlands – tag different targets, align with your teammates, and take them all down at once whenever you are ready.
The open world in Bolivia features mountains, forests, deserts and salt flats – will this affect the way you play?
The different ecosystems you will encounter during your playthrough will definitely affect the way you play. The dense jungles of the Yungas will provide you with ample opportunities for cover and stealth, while the arid plains of the altiplano will make it much more difficult to sneak around. Differences in terrain topology will also be key – high ground can always provide a tactical advantage when it is available!
Likewise, how do you make the most of the weather conditions and day/night cycles?
With more than 60 vehicle types available in the game, you should be able to find the right vehicle for practically any situation, both on air, land and water.
As this is the largest Action/Adventure open world we have ever created at Ubisoft, I can certainly advise you to look out for any helicopters or planes that might help you cover large distances pretty quickly. But it's also hard to trump the pleasure of driving down a mountain road on a dirt bike.
What can do to get the NPCs on your side?
As you progress toward your objective of taking down the cartel, you will encounter the Kataris 26, a rebellious faction that shares your objective to kick the Santa Blanca out of the country.
If you decide to help them by completing certain activities, they will help you back, unlocking useful new skills such as vehicle deliveries, guns for hires or mortar blasts. They will also become more present in the world, with more vehicles on the road, for example. You will be able to see them go after the Santa Blanca on their own, which can create some great gameplay opportunities.
Finally, what are you most proud of in this game?
What can be cooler than playing in this massive open world with three friends with total freedom of choice? You can go where you want, you can play the way you want, you can enjoy the story in the order you want. It took us many years to get here, but this is a dream come true!
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