#its a break from the odd tension youve felt

[qoldenskies]

i think about splinter walking in on the aftermath of caged lungs a lot

[thataveragewriter]

Hello, I will please like to as for a request if its not a bother,Hanzo a fem s\o, she is a trainee in overwatch and she wants to join, due to that she has to fight against hanzo cause he is one of the best fighters, but everyone readers loses of course, and hanzo feels bad for her, but he can't let her win because Jack will know if he is doing it, han starts falling for reader but she actually starts "hating him" because she can't win, then Hanzo tries to give her some flowers or m... (1\2)

A/N : right, I will forever apologize for the lateness of everything! But its finished! well kind of, This will be a two-part series cuz its long and … yeah! Also I'm terrible with fight scenes, forgive me T_T wait for the next part, which will be possibly done soon…. :’)

Hanzo x reader - fight me

Being a new recruit was never easy. You were treated as the underling from the lack of experience you had, much unlike your peers who seem to come from a military background. With only sports as your background experience, you went through more rigorous training than the other trainees. You wished to show your supervisors, in this case, was the head of overwatch Jack Morrison, that you were more than a pretty face. Spending numerous hours in the training suit, you managed to work yourself to death trying to develop your physical strength with sheer fortitude.

“Agent [l/n], you’ve exceeded your latest physical combat and endurance examination with an impeccable score. It is most impressive, good work soldier” The older male said, his lips formed a small smile of approval.

“Thank you, sir” you said as you tried to contain your heavy breathing. The firm gaze the Commander had on you was intimidating yet you did not wither under his scrutiny.

“However, in order to truly improve yourself and rank up, you must be faced with a more advanced opponent” Jack continued. You wondered whether the commander himself would spare with you, though it was a daunting task. You cocked your head in confusion, silently prompting him to continue. The commander chuckled lightly at your uncertain look.

“I’m assigning you to work with Hanzo Shimada from the recon squad. His skill is admirable in both combat and on the battlefield, so I feel you will greatly benefit from this, agent” Jack said as he placed a hand on your shoulder as a sign of reassurance.

“I…yes sir, thank you for this opportunity!” You say, a little too loud and excitedly. The other trainees look in your direction and you cower a little from the attention. An embarrassed blush forms as you fidget.

“Tomorrow at 0700 sharp, come to the training grounds and I will introduce you.”

“Don’t take it easy yet Agent, I assure you Hanzo will not be an easy opponent” The commander chuckled as he walked away, leaving you to soak in his words.

As you watched Jack form disappearing, you heaved a deep sigh you’ve been holding in. You then stretched, feeling your bones crack and ‘pop’ in certain joints released the built-up tension you’ve been building up.

‘Mann, I just wanna rest all week, my bones are gonna break any day’  you thought as you let out another sigh then headed back to your room for a shower. The day went on without another hitch. A couple of scouting lessons and then dinner.

Your mind wandered to the oncoming task, you realised you haven’t once met the mentioned male. Sure, you’ve heard of Hanzo, a renowned archer for his unprecedented skill with the bow, and how he caused a form of anxiety amongst the trainees due to his background and impressive status. Though you have yet to meet the man in question, it didn’t deter your determination as you had confidence in your combating skills.

It was evening, in time for dinner. You were a naturally reserved individual yet you made acquaintances with a couple of members from the other squads. Swiftly, you finished your dinner and decided to head back to your bedroom.

After a while of wandering through the white pristine halls, your anxious mind kept thinking of the possible outcomes tomorrow. With a sigh, you headed out toward the garden, behind the building. Stepping out into the cool air of the night, you felt revitalised from the comforting cold breeze.

“it is a fine night, would you not agree?” A voice said behind you, catching you off guard. You yelped a little as you flinched at the sudden voice. You turn, coming face to face with the owner of the voice. A hint of a smile was present on the male’s features.

“My apologies for my unannounced presence” The male said. You glanced up, taking in his unusual choice of clothing yet admired his silky locks and intricate sleeve of tattoo that covered his arm and chest.

“I-It’s no problem, I was just  …a little surprised that’s all” you nervously chuckled. The male cracked a small smile as he looked over your figure. You felt small under his gaze, you looked away and out at the sky.

Unbeknownst to you, Hanzo found you ethereal in the moonlight. He couldn’t help himself when he began approaching you from behind, his heart seems to have controlled his movements when he found himself speaking to you. Watching you flinch, caused a warm swelling in his usual cold being, you were causing a mystical change to the older Shimada.

“Sorry, I don’t think I introduced myself. I’m [y/n] [l/n]” you smiled as you stretched your hand out toward the male. He gladly accepted with a hint of a smile. His firm grip caused excited flutters in your

“It’s a pleasure [y/n]. I’m afraid I must take my leave. I am certain faith will make our paths cross once more in the near future” the taller Asian male said, his accent noticeable and soothing.

Before you could interject, the unnamed male took his leave. You felt a little foolish for not getting the handsome Asians name and mentally scolded yourself.

‘What the heck [y/n]??! You didn’t even get his name, you fool!” you screamed in your head, your hands tangled in your hair in frustration.

With a sigh, you calmed yourself down and headed to your room, getting ready for tomorrows task.

Hanzo’s POV.

Hanzo left you outside with a feeling of minimal satisfaction. Earlier, the strike commander approached the archer to request a friendly sparring with another agent, you. Whilst slightly reluctant he still accepted the proposal given by Jack. Jack had mentioned you were easily climbing your way up the ranks with your combat and intellectual skills and Hanzo wanted to get a first-hand impression of the so-called ‘advanced trainee’.  

The Japanese male was meditating in his room, mentally preparing for tomorrow’s sparring when thoughts of you entered his once calm mind. After he saw you, his heart began hammering at an alarming rate, severely confusing the male. Emotions like these were never enticed before and this was an odd sensation he welcomed.

With a ‘tut’, a sly smirk began forming at the corners of his firm lips as he remembered what he had told you.

“Our paths will certainly cross more than once, my dear [y/n]” he said to himself, a humorless chuckle followed.

Time Skip

—

The day had arrived of the fated combat. Despite it being labeled as ‘friendly sparring against talented agents’ you took it much more personal. The strike commander himself was testing your abilities and if you won, you were promised an advancement in your ranks.

The passing of breakfast and an early morning run was quick and you left for the training room, where a number of trainees gathered along with Jack. As you opened the door, all eyes immediately shifter toward your approaching form. The golden commander looked back and greeted you.

“Morning agent, glad to see you didn’t chicken out” Morrison chuckled, his eyes glinting with anticipation for the days’ event.

“This is my only opportunity to prove myself, of course, I wouldn’t flee that easily” you say with a grin, excitement and adrenaline filling your veins.

A sly grin makes its appearance on his face as he commends you for your determined attitude.

“Now then, just to wait- never mind he’s here” Jack began before being interrupted by the door once more. Everyone including you turned toward the door to see your opponent.

In that instant, you felt your heart flip in a million different directions. The same attractive male from yesterday! A flaming blush began forming as you gaped at the sight of him.

“I-it’s… You!” you yelled accusingly as you pointed at the figure.

“Did I not tell you, our paths would cross sooner than you anticipated” He said, a hint of smugness noticeable in his words.

“Well, I sense some familiarity here, but let me give a proper introduction. [y/n], this is Hanzo Shimada, a respectable archer from the Shimada clan located in Hanamura, Japan. Hanzo, this is –“Before the commander could finish, Hanzo interjected.

“I am familiar with agent [y/n] [l/n], thank you” He said, a monotonous manner.

You rolled your eyes at his manner, despite his handsome looks, his smug demeanor seemed to irritate you.

“Let get this over with!” you say, a little too loud for your own liking. Both Hanzo and Jack looked at you.

A smile formed on the commander’s lips as he clapped to get everyone’s attention.

“Ya heard the girl, get to positions!” with an authoritative voice, everyone moved aside and let you and Hanzo in the middle of the room.

Your intent gaze met the dark pairs of Hanzo’s soulful eyes.

“I will not take it easy on you, dear [y/n]” Hanzo spoke to you, a slight smile visible.

“I wouldn’t wish for it” you smirk and stand in position.

Jack stood between you two, to commence the fight.

“Ready? Start!” with that, you launched yourself at the male.

You began with a solid punch toward his handsome face. In a swift manner, his hand countered your punch. Then in a split second, you retrieve your hand and move out the way for his oncoming blow. You missed his leg trying to swipe under you and fell with a thud. With a groan look up and see Hanzo’s fist coming to strike you for which you fluidly grab it and pull him close enough to head-but the smug male. You took advantage of his dazed state, as you grabbed his arm and attempted to twist it behind his back. It was as if he snapped back to reality and foresaw your endeavor. Hanzo lifted his leg and with full force drove it in your gut. You staggered back, coughing in the process. Before you knew it, you were being held down by the more experienced Japanese male. You struggled against his hold but that only prompted him to further drive to dig you into the ground with his weight and grasp tightening on your arm.

“That’s enough Hanzo” upon hearing that, Hanzo promptly got off you. You got up, refusing his outstretched arm and glared at him.

You stood aback from Hanzo and watched with fire in your eyes. How could you let him win?!

“It was a fair fight but seemed like Hanzo had the upper hand” Jack concluded.

Hanzo watched your glare with apologetic eyes. He felt a tinge of regret and frustration, he must’ve hurt you in the process he thought. But, he couldn’t help but admire the way you held your form in battle. With such grace and force, you were an ideal partner for both sparrings and on the battlefield. A warmth had spread through his being as he watched you squirm beneath him, filling his mind with indecent thoughts.

“Looks like you’ve got a bit to work on there agent [y/n]” Jack said before telling the other trainees to go for their next session. Jack left with the others, leaving you alone with Hanzo.

“I apologize if I have caused you any discomfort [y/n]” He said sincerely, with no trace of mocking.

You scoffed and walked away.

“You’re obviously a much better fighter than me, there’s no need for such familiarity” you spoke coldly.

“But [y/n], I wish to indulge in a mutual friendship with you, if you would allow” He pleaded for you to give him a chance. 

You were being slightly unreasonably cold to the male for winning against you, yet this was the only obstacle in your way of further advancing in the next ranks. However, it was an order from the commander for which he could not disobey, nor would you have been satisfied if he was to purposely lose against you. It was a rather uncomfortable predicament you’ve landed into.

“I wish to be nothing more than opponents, agent Shimada. So… please don’t try to incite something more” you softly trailed away, feeling disappointed in yourself and looking toward the ground for some form of comfort.

You waited a moment, hoping for him to try and stop you again. The air was filled with a tense silence. You sighed and left the room with more on your mind than disappointment and frustration.

Hanzo stood there and watched your retrieving form disappear through the doors. He had noticed the change in your demeanor yet he kept it to himself. He saw the feeling of dismay took over you as your head hung low and your feet lightly dragging on the ground as you left. Hanzo clutched his chest as it felt like his heart dropped at that moment. He cursed himself for doing this, though he was not given a choice.

‘This cannot go on. I must make amends with [y/n], perhaps then will I feel at ease’

He needed you to acknowledge his regret and these mysterious build-ups of emotions he had not experienced before. He wished to experience them with you and you only. Hanzo pledged to himself gain your trust and perhaps something more along the way. 

.

[jjang-jjang-hope]

Seeing Their GFs Tattoo for the First Time

Disclaimer: none of these pictures are mine, I just think the tattoos look cool af.

S E O K J I N:

he had just come back from three months on tour and wanted to see you. since the two of you meet and fell in love in the fall, and he went on tour in the spring, he didn’t get to see you in anything less than pants. the two of you were curled up in the dorm, watching a new movie on netflix with the boys. while most of them sat on the couch, Tae ended up on the floor, and you and Jin were curled up on the recliner. you pulled the blanket closer to your face, hiding it as the murder got closer to the main characters. 

“Wow, Noona has a tattoo.” Tae called as your leg lay exposed from bunching up the blanket.

“What?!?!?!” Jin asked, eyes almost bugging out of the sockets. he grabbed your leg and pulled the ankle up to his face in a joking manner. his eyes flicked between the details on the tattoo and your face, the movie long forgotten as all seven boys had their eyes on you.

“when did you get this,” Namjoon asked, eyeing the small piece from the couch.

“like two years ago. i keep forgetting i have it to be honest,” you joke, trying to ease the tension of the room. you look to your boyfriend, a little worried because you couldnt read his expression.

“It’s cute and delicate, just like you.” he said as he let go of your leg and wrapped his arms back around you and planting soft kisses all over your face, making you smile like an idiot and laugh, all as the boys mumbled “gross” and “get a room”.

Y O O N G I :

both of you were idols with a love story straight out of a drama or fanfic. Yoongi was the producer on your latest album, as the two of you spent more time together the more you fell for him. once the album was complete he confessed his feelings to you and youve been together ever since. tonight was the first red carpet you two would walk as a couple, and you wanted it to be perfect. dressed in a champagne colored halter jumpsuit that had no back or sides, you felt like a princess that was waiting for her prince to arrive in the carriage. seconds after the doorbell rang, you almost sprint to the door, grabbing your silver clutch and matte gray pumps before opening the door to let your man in.

“hello gorgeous,” he said pulling you in for a kiss. he eyed you up and down as you slipped on your heels. just as you were about to head out the door, he grabbed your hand and stopped you/

“huh, i’ve never seen this before....” his fingers traced over the blank ink on your skin. 

“ah that’s because its new. when i was visiting the states i got it. i didnt tell you because i wanted to surprise you.” you held his hand and looked into his eyes lovingly.

“its beautiful. you're beautiful. but were going to be late if i continue to keep you here so lets go.” he teased, throwing his arm over your shoulders and closing the door to your apartment behind the two of you.

H O S E O K :

Thursday, your weekly date night. Well at least it has been since the two of you started dating a month ago. Hobi was running late at work and wanted you to come to the studio and get takeout with him and just chill. You agreed, knowing that his studio had air conditioning and you needed an escape from this summer heat. 

You arrived with chicken and beer and gave him a quick kiss before setting it down. As you turn around to set up everything on the little coffee table he has, your hair fell over your shoulders exposing the spine tattoo even more. 

“Baby?” He questions, his eyes tracing over the line work and taking it all in.

“Mhmm?” You answer, keeping your focus on the food.

“So what other tattoos do you have?” Hobi teases, coming up behind you and running his finger over it and your spine causing you to shiver and look over to him.

“Only the one but if you dont believe me i’ll gladly show you after dinner.” You tease back, throwing in a wink as well.

“I’ll hold you to that promise.” He smiled, pulling  you in for a hug and kissing you gently. 

N A M J O O N :

“The boys say you’re hiding something from me,” Namjoon joked as you both sat in front of your computers, on opposite sides of the country.

“Well maybe I am~” you tease back, biting your tongue and making a mental note to not trust Kook or Jin with secrets. Namjoon and you are high school sweethearts and have managed to last this long and in secret, especially with his carreer. 

“Baby girl, you better tell me before I get on the next plane home.” He said sternly, eyeing you down through the computer screen. You cover your smile with your hand as you began to laugh - an old habit the Joon used to try and break but has come to terms with it and it’s one of the things he loves about you.

“Good, i’m in need of cuddles.” You smile lovingly at your man, engrossed in just seeing him. As much as you missed him you knew he would be home soon and spend a week cuddled up in the bed of your shared apartment.

“I wish I could hold you in my arms, its lonely without you.” 

“Awwwe you're so soft when were separated. Maybe we should spend more time apart?”

“Never. I want to spend all my time with you. Also stop changing the subject. Y/N tell meeee.” He pleads. Giggling you pull your left foot up to the screen and show him the tattoo. 

“It’s to always remind me of you when you’re away. You’re my rock, my sun, my moon, my earth. Plus it’s a reminder of our first date.” You looked at him through the laptop and saw him smiling.

“Baby girl I love you.” 

J I M I N :

You two meet when he was a trainee at Big Hit, and you were in charge of teaching the other member's how to dance. The classes were always at odd hours since you were still in high school and the only reason you did teach them was as a favor to your uncle, Bang PD. 

After about two hours, and with help from Hoseok and Jimin, the others were able to get the dance down. Now they just had to perfect it. You sighed and turned to face the mirror, putting your hands on your head and taking deep breaths as you slightly stretched out your waist. 

You usually kept your hair down when at BigHit, seeing as how you got a tattoo underage and didnt want your uncle to see.But today was different, he was gone for the day since your Aunt was sick. It was also hot as balls, and dancing made you hotter. Pulling the hair tie off your wrist, you throw your hair up into a tight ballerina bun. 

“Y/N, how come you never wear your hair up? It looks good like that. You look cute,” Jimin said as he looked at his hands, hiding a slight blush. You giggle at how cute hes being. Jimin’s always been your favorite, the two of you were close in age and even went to school together. Plus he was the easiest to teach and you two both danced contemporary. 

“Thank you chimmie, but can you keep a secret?” You ask, eyeing around the room to make sure the other boys were occupied. Jimin nodded in response, his eyes locked with yours. You pull back your right ear and show him the little flower tattoo.

“Uncle would flip and tell mom if he knew.” 

“Y/n thats so cool! It’s as cute as you are.”

T A E H Y U N G :

The two of you had just gotten back from your 5 month anniversary dinner and ended up back at your place. After the door closed, tae had you in his arms and his lips were all over you, trailing down your jaw to leave nips and marks down your neck, his hands went to strip you of your jacket then unzip your dress.

“Fuck,” he mumbled under his breath as he pulled your legs around his hips, pulling you from the door to throw you onto the couch. You smiled lovingly at your boyfriend as he finished removing his shirt before he goes back to removing your dress. 

Once you were only in your bra and panties, he stood back, admiring your body with his eyes. Once they landed on your hip they paused, his hand coming out to trace over the lines of the design.

“This suits you, its stunning. My only problem is what happens to it when were married and you’re pregnant?” He asked, his eyes lingering over your body.

“As long as it stay moisturized it should be fine,” you cooed as you reached up to pull him back down onto the couch.

“Mhmm then maybe you should get more,” he said his long finger still trailing lazily over it.

J U N G K O O K :

 The two of you were playing video games in his room, you were obviously kicking his ass. After winning the match, Kook jokingly tosses the controller down and starts to tickle you, saying it was only fair since you cheated.

You ended up laughing and falling backwards, your skirt exposing your thigh in the process. Kook leaned over to you as he laid on his side, his head being supported by his arm. 

“I’m never playing games with you again.” He promised with a smile plastered onto his face. You rolled your eyes and went to go say something when his eyes left yours and paused on your thigh.

“That’s so cool,” he said eyeing the tattoo, “I wanted to be a tattoo artist and always wanted a tattoo. Did it hurt?” He asked as he absentmindedly traced over it with his fingers as he spoke.

[viralhottopics]

‘Ghost Recon: Wildlands’ review: Ambitious but poorly executed

Ghost Recon: Wildlands isnt just an open world game its a daunting expanse of unrealized potential.

SEE ALSO: 5 tips you’ll want to know before you start ‘Ghost Recon: Wildlands’

At first blush, Ghost Recon: Wildlands is a mesmerizing experience. The rocky hills in Itacua, the first province in the game, create a beautiful, treacherous landscape that is glorious to behold. But Wildlands quickly reveals itself as a husk, devoid of any life or meaningful story, with more veneer than actual substance.

A good start to the story breaks bad quickly

Wildlands narrative starts off compellingly enough. You play as a Ghost Recon operator, call-sign Nomad, in the wild lands of Bolivia, under the CIAs Operation Kingslayer. Your mission is to clear out the Santa Blanca cartel and rid Bolivia of its narco-state ties. But it isnt long before you discover the myriad flaws and plotholes that run rampant throughout the games latter half.

Yuri and Polito, the first provinces buchones (minibosses), were a fascinating pair to track down. Their cringe-inducing talk of necrophilia was enough to motivate me along the missions that would lead to their inevitable execution. Unfortunately, Yuri and Politos end was one of the only satisfying story conclusions in the game.

Everything in Wildlands takes place in an open world, which means that the buchones can be taken down in any particular order. Which sounds great until youre stuck in choice paralysis. I got so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of provinces to explore and buchones to execute that I began to resent the cartel map and its execution targets. Ten hours after starting the game, its repetitive nature and tone deaf narrative caught up with me.

The deeper Wildlands thready narrative gets, the more stale the ideas feel. Its flaws start with inconsistencies in the story but completely unravels when yet another cinematic rewrites a major plot point. But it was the ending both of them that was the worst offense. Not only is Wildlands narrative conclusion a massive letdown in terms of tension and story resolution, its treatment of drug trafficking and cartels is appallingly ignorant and still somehow heavy-handed.

Theres a way to handle those themes that doesnt rely on stereotypes or tired tropes. The Mafia games, especially the most recent installment in the series, provides a far more nuanced perspective of what it means to run a large drug operation. Lincoln Clay, Mafia 3s protagonist, and his gang leaders feel tangible, believable. Wildlands couldnt decide whether to be serious or satirical, evident by its bombastic characters that felt too ridiculous to be taken seriously, even if that was the purpose. Wildlands is a poignant reminder that painting broad strokes on top of existing real world issues is not the way to tell a compelling story.

Sniping is everything and your drone is your only friend

Story isnt always necessary to enjoying a game but, sadly in this case, Wildlands misses the mark almostall the way across the board. Thankfully, between decent gunplay, enjoyable long-range combat, and a drone that has more personality than anyone else on your squad, it manages to claw its way back to mediocrity.

The gunplay is mediocre in comparison to any number of third person shooters, including Ubisofts own The Division, mostly because the contextual cover system is twelve ways to ridiculous. The cover system is unreliable, accounting for at least a third of my deaths it was hard to stay fully protected because there was little indication as to what was considered true cover and what was only a cosmetic hiding spot. The latter obscured my line of sight but didnt give me any protection from enemy fire. But in spite of the unintuitive cover system and the shrug-worthy gunplay, there were a handful of moments that made the game worth playing.

The long-range snipe is where Wildlands really shines. There isnt much to shooting from the hip, even after youve put points into that particular skill. But the shots I made with my eye down the barrel or through a high-powered rifle scope were often the most exhilarating they challenged me to think tactically, rather than just react to the environment. The quick audible feedback, followed by the target dropping out of his sniper tower when the shot struck true from 300 meters away (regardless of whether or not it alerted the enemy to my position) was often the best part of beginning an encounter.

The majority of the game is played at long range, so moments like this are fairly frequent, which means theres a lot of fist-pumping along the way.

Sadly, the only things that your AI squad is good for are fist-bumping one another in background chatter and soaking up sicario bullets. The background information on Holt, Midas, and Weaver indicates that they have special roles within the team. Unfortunately, those roles arent realized within gameplay. Youre still the one laying C4 charges and blowing up trucks full of coke, even though you have a demolitions expert in the squad. So, while its easier to play stealth-heavy missions with the AI (as their presence doesnt alert enemies), theyre little more than meat shields in the heat of battle.

Your drone, however, is your constant companion. In most altercations with either UNIDAD, the military police, or the cartel, the drone was the only way I stayed alive. Flying it (while safely in cover, of course) allowed me to mark targets, blow up a group of enemies, distract another group, and even revive a teammate remotely. My drone was my in-game bestie the only thing that kept us apart was a drone jammer and I always, always dealt with those first.

Vast spaces too empty for their own good

From breathtaking vistas to lush jungle rivers all the way to desolate salt flats, Wildlands has constructed a collection of incredible landscapes to explore. While Bolivias existence as a narco-state is a work of fiction, the environment is as close to real life as you can get without hopping on a plane (or three). Its a joy to ride a dirt bike around the early provinces, capturing shots of sunrises and twinkling stars, but the world is otherwise empty.

Strangely, the more you explore, the more overwhelming the world feels, in spite of the desolation in the environment. It takes a long time to travel from mission to mission the roads and mountains are unforgiving and expansive. As you uncover more intelligence within each province, the TACMAP becomes the most unsavory place in the game. Without a way to filter, it devolves into a lumbering beast with a plethora of icons obscuring the map and making navigation a chore.

Open world games shouldnt be daunting. Rockstar and 2K Games both managed to create open worlds that dont feel like youre drowning in them. So why didnt Ubisofts land?

Outside of the cartel hit list, Wildlands does very little to acknowledge progression. Theres the odd soundbite from DJ Perico, Santa Blancas propaganda-spouting mouthpiece, but there is nothing in the cinematics or the gameplay that recognizes the cartels destabilization. The videos from El Suenos perspective feel disjointed enough that its hard to believe that any part of the cartels operations are aware of one another. Story progression felt like a checklist of requirements rather than the interwoven narrative that it could have been.

Crackdown tackled a similar structure to Wildlands, but integrated the gang leaders executions into both the story and the gameplay. Each gang leader that you took out led to the decreased effectiveness of the gang itself. Taking out a particular leader could mean that enemies began to carry pistols instead of assault rifles; or typically well-defended hideouts would see their numbers drastically decreased. Sometimes, you had to fight certain leaders first before you could even think about tackling some of the games bigger fights.

Wildlands gives the player full reign of what to do and where to go next a true open world experience. But as I progressed through the game, it didnt feel like my actions impacted the game. It was a matter of finishing out a set of missions in order to get to the next set of missions, in order to maybe get the hint of a story. Crackdown, on the other hand, demonstrated through both gameplay and narrative how important it was to be tactical and strategic about the order of execution.

Huge, open world games need diverse soundscapes

Wildlands requires a lot of point A to point B travel but doesnt offer much in the way of companionship. Your options are either to listen to your squad mates drone on, or to endure the same two songs that play on the radio over and over again until youre fairly certain that you are, in fact, in hell. The combination of the two work to create an aggravating experience in between the major story beats.

Theres some satisfaction in looping through the terrain in order to pick up the plethora of meaningful collectibles, but even that wears thin.

Theres a hollowness to how your Ghost, call-sign Nomad, interacts with their squad mates. While Nomad perks up with comments about the mission every once in awhile, Midas, Weaver, and Holt are usually silent. The intermittent broisms including various musings about sex with twenty-two-year-olds and snorting coke to cope with altitude sickness cement how vacuous the game presents its operators. Granted, its a Tom Clancy game and exaggeration is usually the order of the day, but the dialogue writing feels downright lazy after more than a couple of hours with the squad.

There are only so many times a person can hear this medal has a coca leaf on it, thats kinda cool before they are driven to summoning an Elder God in order to end all existence.

Despite its best efforts, Wildlands can still be fun (with friends)

Somehow, out of the cocktail of mediocrity that the game serves up, Wildlands still manages to be kind of fun in partnered co-op. Hopping into a party, bantering with friends and taking down sicarios is pretty much the only way to enjoy playing the game.

With the exception of the day/night cycle, the entire multiplayer experience was disjointed. Weather conditions, radio audio, and incidental chatter was delivered locally, rather than synced across all players in a session. It could be a torrential downpour in my instance of the game while the sun was shining brightly in yours. But in spite of that, the multiplayer experience is what initially sold me on the game.

Cooperative play set a tactical atmosphere that solo play missed. While AI squad mates wandered around of their own accord, getting in the way of my tactical plans, real-life companions and I were able to coordinate our efforts more explicitly.

Everything except stealth missions were easier with human players because we had specialized our Ghosts skill trees. My co-op partners skillset was best suited for vehicle combat, so he often drove. My Ghost was far better at reconnaissance, so I would scout ahead with my drone, marking targets and blowing up small groups of sicarios along the way.

Were not booking a return trip to Bolivia anytime soon

Ghost Recon: Wildlands is an enormous departure from what makes Ghost Recon a reputable tactical squad-based shooter franchise. Beyond narrative fluff, the three AI Ghosts are indistinguishable from one another. Gone are the series staple of individual commands for squad members and the teams specialized skills in favor of a trite story with an empty, repetitive world. The mish-mash of ambitious, poorly executed ideas detract from what could have made the game truly great.

Sniping is a lot of fun. And roaming the gorgeous Bolivian landscape is absolutely breathtaking, no matter which province you find yourself in. But Wildlands myriad missteps are experiential landmines that blow up in your face in almost every province, with immersion and enjoyment suffering as collateral damage.

Amanda Farough has been writing about video and tabletop games for a number of years. Her tastes are eclectic and varied, with a love for strategy and action. You can find her on Twitter at @amandafarough, where she is likely shipping her Overwatch main, D. Va, and Lucio. You can also find her previous work at her personal site.

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