+ Posted by David Seymour // Design Director, Slant Six Games

In anticipation of the Confrontation cover story in the May issue of EGM, 1UP has posted two new screenshots. The initial reaction has been positive, and the dev team is really excited that the world can finally see some of their hard work. This has also been a huge relief to SealTeam-6, who has the unenviable job of telling SOCOM’s huge, hungry fan base every week that:

• a) yes we are still working on the game, and
• b) no, there is no new information we can share at this time

No more! The flood of information is coming in the May issue of EGM. As to the hundreds of private messages and emails that we get every week, we read and appreciate all of them. Whether it’s a quick note to inquire

“What the [heck] is taking you [fine fellows] sooooo long??”

or an encouraging

“Please don’t [mess] up the new SOCOM!!”

we feel the love. The overwhelming message is that you want Confrontation to be great, and you want it soon. So to address those points, the game is looking, playing and feeling better than ever and we are working hard to get it in your hands as soon as possible. Hang in there, Confrontation is coming!

As for the just-released screens, here is a quick comment about each screen to address the flurry of forum posting that they have caused.

This is indeed Crossroads, the most fan-requested SOCOM map. This shot is taken from our new OTS camera, but the player is backed up into a wall here so it might look a bit confusing. This is the right in front of the SEAL spawn, looking down the street in the direction of the warehouse. The commando in the upper right is aiming a M87ELR, and his teammate by the tree is wielding a G36-C. The mercenary charging up the street is firing with an F90.

This is a brand new map, which has a 16 player core area and an expanded footprint for 32 player matches. This ruined shopping center is a great sniping location, and is a hotly contested control point in our internal sessions. The player here is aiming an M60-E3; eagle-eyed fans will also spot an AK-47, a USAS-12 and a SASR sniper rifle in this shot.

Also, SealTeam-6 requested that I specifically iterate this point “for the record”, so here we go:

There is an option to use classic SOCOM camera! It looks and feels like the original classic camera!

Repeat after me…

There is an option to use classic SOCOM camera! It looks and feels like the original classic camera!
There is an option to use classic SOCOM camera! It looks and feels like the original classic camera!….

Finally, I would like to welcome aboard the new community manager for all things SOCOM, Abigale. She is going to be working to keep the communication flowing between the SOCOM community and the dev team.

Cheers

Finally a real shooter on PS3.

Those others RFOM and Killzone are turnoffs compare to the great SOCOM

Ya this is my favorite shooter game byfar

Those screens don't look so hot. Click on them, and click "view all sizes" to see them in 1280x720.

Gimmi new trailer.

so hyped for this game...

I'm sorry, but this just looks like crap...

(click on the image to view it full size)

Euhm Socom never really looked very good =/.

But that is not why I enjoyed Socom 1 and Socom 3.

I loved the gameplay very much =p.

It always reminds me of Counter Strike =).

Holy crap that's hideous. Where do they come off thinking they can get away with graphics like this on the PS3? That's ridiculous. There is clipping on the freaking bricks on the ground. What the hell... stick to Call of Duty 4.

socom II was the greatest socom...

IMO call of duty has never touched the awesomeness of SOCOM.

that is my imo.

This would be a system seller for me if Metal Gear and FF werent on PS3.

I agree SOCOM2 was the best one.