PlayStation 2Overview
SOCOM 3 puts you in the shoes of
, the leader of a four man squad of United States Nave SEALs known as the "Alpha" squad. During the duration of the game, you travel to three major locations consisting of North Africa, South Asia, and Poland. Missions vary from stealth missions, in which the player has to hide bodies after killing enemies or else risk a patrol spotting them, to mission where you help the local militia defend their strongholds on the border of a war torn city.
Gameplay
SOCOM 3: U.S Navy SEALs is a tactical third-person shooter developed by
The gameplay is widely varied between stealth, sniping, defense,and other mission. There is also a tactical part to gameplay in which you can control squad members with many different commands. These commands can range from telling your squad members to breach a door then use a grenade, or to simply hold their positions.
As a first for the SOCOM series, SOCOM 3 added many different types of vehicles to use in both online, and offline modes. These vehicles can range from tanks and jeeps on land, to
and speed boats in the water. In addition to adding vehicles, the developers have changed on-foot gameplay drastically by adding the ability to mod weapons with various scopes and other attachments. Not only that, but you have complete freedom to select your loadout, and even squad members loadouts. Using a silenced sniper rifle instead of a light machine gun can drastically change the way a level is played.
Characters
Squad leader and main protagonist of the game.
Specter's most trustworthy right-hand man in SOCOM 3 and all other SOCOM games for the
One of four members of the Alpha squad during the South Africa tier of missions.
One of four members of the Alpha squad during the South Africa tier of missions.
A member of the British SBS (special boat service) that appears in the SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Franchise as a Friendly unit under your control temporarily in South Asia.
A member of the British SBS (special boat service) that appears in the SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Franchise as a Friendly unit under your control temporarily in South Asia.
A friendly unit of the Polish GROM and one of four members of the Alpha squad in SOCOM 3 U.S. Navy Seals.
A friendly unit of the Polish GROM and one of four members of the Alpha squad in SOCOM 3 U.S. Navy Seals. Coldkill was also the first female character to fight alongside you and your squad in any SOCOM game.
Online Gameplay
SOCOM 3 was a drastic change from previous entries in the series. WIth the introduction of vehicles, the scale of maps was increased drastically. This also lead to slowed games because of players not being able to locate the enemy.
The game mode suppression was also altered from previous games. In previous SOCOM games the only way to win suppression was by eliminating the opposing team. In SOCOM 3 the team with the most kills in the round was awarded victory.
Players could join preset or player made lobbies, no matchmaking was present. Preset lobbies were usually for one specific game type, had all game features turned on, and cycled through every map with that playable game type. Users could create their own lobbies with a large amount of customization. Players could limit certain weapons and equipment from being selected. Other options included the time of day, match time, and if vehicles were included on the map. One of the more popular lobby types was smaller maps with explosives turned off.
On August 31, 2012 SCEA shut down online service for SOCOM 3. However, avid fans of the PS2 series continue to play the game using XLink.
Online Maps & Modes
Some of the larger maps had a smaller map option, which closed of large portions of the map. These smaller maps were limited to certain modes.
Citadel
Suppression - Breach - Control - Demolition - Escort - Extraction
Crucible
Suppression - Demolition - Control - Convoy - Escort
Devil's Road
Suppression - Control - Convoy - Extraction
Killing Fields
Suppression - Demolition - Control - Convoy - Escort
Antenora
Suppression - Breach - Control - Extraction
Boneyard
Suppression - Breach - Extraction
Storm Front
Suppression - Demolition - Control - Extraction
Tidal Fury
Suppression - Breach - Demolition - Control - Extraction
Blackwoods
Suppression - Demolition - Control - Extraction -
Fault
Suppression - Breach - Demolition - Control
Harvester
Suppression - Breach - Demolition - Control - Convoy - Escort - Extraction
Waterworks
Suppression - Breach - Demolition - Control - Escort
Later, three map packs were released containing maps from older SOCOM games. The maps were the following:
Map Pack #1
After Hours
Liberation
Last Bastion
Map Pack #2
Blizzard
Blood Lake
Desert Glory
Abandoned
Map Pack #3
Crossroads
Fishhook
Frostfire
Guidance
Game mode breakdown
Demolition
A neutral bomb in the middle of the map is marked on each players screen. Once one team retrieves the bomb, they must go and plant it at the other teams base. As the defending team prevents the team from planting the bomb at their base, they also must try to kill the bomb carrier and take the bomb back to the other teams base. This cycle will go on until one team plants the bomb, or until one teams' members have all died. Once a team plants the bomb, they must defend it. If the bomb is defused, the defending team wins. If the bomb is not defused, the attacking team is the winner of that round. Demolition is also arguably the most popular game mode of SOCOM 3, if not the entire franchise.
For all ranked games, re-spawn is off.
Suppression
Suppression is a straight up team death match. Two teams start at their spawns on either side of the map, and whichever team kills every member on the opposing team first, wins. If time runs out while both teams are still alive, the team with the most players alive wins. If there is an equal amount of living players on each team, the round will end in a tie.
For all ranked games, re-spawn is off.
Convoy
In Convoy, one team starts out defending two drug caches, while the other team must use at least one of two convoy trucks supplied to load the drugs onto the truck and take them to the extraction zone. The defending team has no vehicles, while the attacking team spawns with trucks armed with machine gun turrets, the two convoy vehicles, and for some maps, tanks. If the defending team destroys the two convoy or kills every member of the opposing team, they win the round. If the attacking team loads up at least one truck and takes it to the extraction point, or kills every member of the opposing team, they win the round.
The SEALs are always the defending team, while the Terrorists are always the attacking team.
For all ranked games, re-spawn is off.
Extraction
In Extraction, the Terrorist team has to guard hostages from the SEALs team. The SEALs team has to get at least 2 out of the 3 hostages to one of the extraction points on the map. If the Terrorists team kills 2 of the 3 hostages, the SEALs team automatically wins the round. If the SEALs team kills 2 of the 3 hostages, the Terrorist team automatically wins the round. If the SEALs team extracts 2 or more hostages, the SEALs win the round. If the Terrorist team survives the round, while keeping 2 or more hostages alive, the Terrorists win the round. To extract the hostages, simply walk up the them and press the "square" button to get them to follow you, and hit it again to make them hold position. The Terrorists can also do this, letting them lead the hostages to any part of the map they can get to. If one of the teams members have all been killed, that team loses the round.
For all ranked games, re-spawn is off.
Weapons & Equipment
Note: Some weapons are shared between the SEALs and Terrorists.
SEAL Weapons
- M8 -Assault Rifle
- IW-80-A2 - Assault Rifle
- HK-36 - Assault Rifle
- M14 - Assault Rifle
- M16A2 - Assault Rifle
- M4A1 - Assault Rifle
- M4-90 - Shotgun
- 12 Gauge Pump - Shotgun
- M40A1 - Sniper Rifle
- L96AW - Sniper Rifle
- SR-25 - Sniper Rifle
- M87ELR - Sniper Rifle
- MK. 48 - Light Machine Gun
- M60E3 - Light Machine Gun
- HK5 - Sub Machine Gun
- HK7 - Sub Machine Gun
- 226 - Pistol
- Mark 23 - Pistol
- 9mm - Pistol
Terrorist Weapons
- AG-94 - Assault Rifle
- RA-14 - Assault Rifle
- AK-47 - Assault Rifle
- M16A2 - Assault Rifle
- 552 - Assault Rifle
- STG 77 - Assault Rifle
- TA 12 Gauge - Shotgun
- 12 Gauge Pump - Shotgun
- M82A1A - Sniper Rifle
- L96AW - Sniper Rifle
- SASR - Sniper Rifle
- RTK-74 - Light Machine Gun
- M60E3 - Light Machine Gun
- 9mm Sub - Sub Machine Gun
- F90 - Sub machine Gun
Weapon Attachments
- M203 Frag Grenade Launcher
- M203 HE (High Explosive) Grenade Launcher
- M203 Smoke Grenade Launcher
- M203 Red Smoke Grenade Launcher
- GL-36 Frag Grenade Launcher
- ZX25 AIRBURST HE Grenade Launcher
- Low Scope
- Medium Scope
- High Scope
- 12x Scope
- Red Dot Site
- Thermal Scope
- Pistol Suppressor
- Suppressor 1
- Suppressor 2
- Bipod 1
- Bipod 2
- Bipod 3
- Rifle laser
- Pistol Laser
Explosives and Ammunition
- Smoke Grenade
- Red Smoke Grenade
- Flashbang Grenade
- HE Grenade
- M67 Frag Grenade
- HE Grenade
- C4
- PMN Landmine
- Claymore
- H2 Anti-Vehicle mine
- AT-4
- RPG-7
- Slug Ammo
- Extra Ammunition
Crosstalk
SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs added the ability to "crosstalk" with
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo.
You would sync your
system to your
system and be able to get certain unlocks that would not be available normally. Unlocks consisted of things ranging from online skins, to weapons.
Crosstalk unlocks: SOCOM 3 to SOCOM: Fire Team Bravo 2
- ZX25 Airburst - Complete the Southeast Asia missions of SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs on Ensign or higher unlock this attachment for use in the single player of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo.
- 9mm sub - Complete the North African missions for SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs on Ensign or higher to unlock the 9mm sub machine gun for use in the single player of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo 2.
- STG 77 - Complete the Poland missions for SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs on Ensign or higher to unlock the STG 77 for use in the single player of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo.
- Al-Kamil Sarwat - Complete the North African missions for SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs on Ensign or higher to unlock this character for use in the multiplayer of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo 2.
- Gamal Imad - Complete the Southeast Asia missions of SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs on Ensign or higher unlock this character for use in the multiplayer of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo.
- Dr. Basia Mironova - Complete the Poland missions of SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs on Admiral difficulty to unlock this character for use int the online of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fire Team Bravo.
Note: These are only some of the unlocks available. There are many more unlocks consisting of different music and cinematic videos.
