Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is a third-person tactical shooter video game developed by Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Milan and published by Ubisoft. It was released worldwide on March 7, 2017, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. This game is the tenth in the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon series and the first in the series to include an open world environment.
The game changes from the futuristic setting of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter to a setting similar to the original Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon. Ubisoft described it as one of the largest open world games they have published. The game world includes many different environments, such as mountains, forests, deserts, and salt flats.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands received mixed to positive reviews from critics. The game sold more than 10 million copies by March 2020. A sequel, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint, was released on October 4, 2019.
Gameplay
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is a game where players use cover to fight enemies in an open world. The game is viewed from a third-person perspective, with an option to switch to first-person for aiming. Players control members of Delta Company, a fictional group of elite soldiers in the U.S. Army. Unlike other games in the series, this one takes place in the modern world, not a futuristic one. The weapons and gear in the game are similar to those used by real military forces. Some equipment, like drones that mark enemies and show objectives, is unique to the game. These drones have limited abilities until upgraded.
This game is the first in the series to include an open world with nine different types of terrain, such as mountains, forests, deserts, and salt flats. It also has a dynamic weather system and a day-night cycle. During the day, players can see enemies more easily, while at night, they can hide better and sneak up on sleeping guards. Players must observe the environment before starting missions. The game includes vehicles like dirt bikes, helicopters, and dune buggies. It also has side missions, which are not found in earlier versions of the game.
Players can reach mission locations by parachuting from a helicopter, walking, or driving. They can complete objectives in different ways, such as using stealth, close combat, or weapons. The game includes outposts that players can capture. Players can use one hand to grab enemies for protection and the other to shoot. They earn experience points to level up and improve their character. Characters can be customized, and items found on enemies can be used. Weapons and gear can be upgraded. The game's AI characters act based on their own goals and reasons.
Each of the 21 areas on the map is controlled by a "buchon," who leads one of four cartel divisions: Influence, Security, Production, or Smuggling. Completing missions in an area and gathering information unlocks missions to target a buchon. Killing or capturing a buchon weakens their division. Eliminating all buchons and their leader in a division makes the division's head vulnerable. Capturing the head weakens the cartel's boss. The game includes a cooperative multiplayer mode where up to three players can join to explore the world and complete missions. Players can also play alone with three AI teammates, or disable them for a solo experience. A competitive multiplayer mode was added in 2017. It includes a 4v4 elimination match with revives. Players can level up in multiplayer to improve character classes.
Plot
The game takes place in Bolivia in July 2019. Bolivia became more unstable when a Mexican drug group called the Santa Blanca Cartel took control of parts of the country. The cartel was led by a violent and religious leader named El Sueño. Under his control, the cartel gained more power and made Bolivia the world’s largest producer of cocaine. To fight the cartel, Bolivia’s government created La Unidad, an elite special forces group. After months of fighting, both sides agreed to a truce to stop more violence, though some members of La Unidad secretly worked for the cartel. DEA Agent Ricardo “Ricky” Sandoval was sent undercover to gather information about the cartel. He later worked for El Sueño himself. The United States had to act when a bomb attacked the American embassy in La Paz, and Sandoval was killed by the cartel after his secret mission was discovered.
A Ghost Recon fireteam was sent to Bolivia as part of Operation Kingslayer, a joint mission by the CIA, DEA, and JSOC. The team included Nomad, the leader and gunner; Midas, an expert in vehicles and combat; Holt, a hacker and engineer; and Weaver, a sniper. The team worked with Karen Bowman, a CIA contact and friend of Sandoval. They met Pac Katari, leader of the Kataris 26, a group resisting the cartel. Pac Katari asked the team to rescue Amaru, whose ideas inspired the Kataris 26. With help from Bowman and the Kataris 26, the Ghosts were free to attack the cartel in any way they chose.
The Ghosts worked to break up the cartel by attacking drug production sites, stopping smuggling operations, making the cartel look bad to corrupt leaders, and causing fights among the cartel’s leaders. They captured or killed El Sueño’s top helpers, weakening the cartel’s control. El Sueño invited the team to meet him, but they did not find him at the meeting. Instead, he called them on the phone and offered money to work for him, but the team refused and threatened him.
While fighting the cartel, the team found audio tapes of Sandoval’s reports to Bowman. Sandoval had become troubled by his mission, including the crimes he committed to stay undercover and his superiors’ refusal to act against the cartel. After recovering Sandoval’s body, El Sueño sent them a tape of his confession. The team learned Sandoval had caused the embassy bombing and framed the cartel to force the U.S. to intervene. Though angry, the team continued their mission because the cartel still posed a threat.
After weakening the cartel, Pac Katari claimed he had found El Sueño, but the team discovered Amaru’s body instead. Unable to contact Bowman, they found her captured by the Kataris 26. Pac Katari broke his alliance, claiming the rebels must kill El Sueño themselves to avoid being seen as puppets of the U.S. The team rescued Bowman and raced to El Sueño’s mausoleum to stop him before Pac Katari killed him. After fighting through rebels and cartel members, the team surrounded El Sueño, who had killed Pac Katari. However, Bowman received a call from her superiors, revealing El Sueño had made a deal with the Department of Justice to give up other cartel leaders in exchange for protection.
The story’s ending depends on whether the team fully destroyed the cartel. If remnants of the cartel remain, Bowman will kill El Sueño, leading to her dismissal from the CIA and arrest. She does not regret her actions, fearing El Sueño could become a dictator with U.S. support. In the main story’s ending, the team fully dismantles the cartel, and Bowman takes El Sueño into protective custody. El Sueño gives information about other cartels, terrorists, and arms smugglers. Bowman predicts El Sueño will either be extradited by Mexico or start a new cartel, restarting the cycle. She and the team prepare for future battles.
After the game’s release, Ubisoft announced two downloadable content episodes set in Bolivia after the main story.
In the first episode, the player controls an unnamed Ghost sent undercover by the CIA to find “El Invisible,” the leader of Santa Blanca’s smuggling network. The Ghost pretends to be a mercenary and befriends gang leaders who help smuggle drugs. With help from Karen Bowman and a local fisherman named Señor Sonrisa, who is a CIA informant, the Ghost learns clues about El Invisible. The Ghost kills the gang leaders, but El Invisible recruits the Ghost into the cartel, fakes their death, and imprisons them. The Ghost escapes, steals a device El Invisible uses to control smuggling, and seemingly kills him. When the device is decrypted, it releases a virus that attacks the CIA. The Ghost realizes Señor Sonrisa is actually El Invisible, who planned the attack to escape, harm the CIA, and disappear. The CIA spends two years tracking him, and the Ghost is sent to kill him in Arizona.
The second episode follows the Ghost Recon team returning to Bolivia. The cocaine trade has collapsed after Operation Kingslayer, and the Kataris 26 have fallen into chaos after Pac Katari’s death. The Bolivian government tried to rebuild La Unidad with foreign special forces, now called “Los Extranjeros.” These forces became corrupt and took control of cocaine production. When Señor Sonrisa’s data breach exposed CIA agents in Bolivia, the Ghosts returned to rescue them. Their mission failed when their helicopter was shot down. They rescued a CIA agent named Socrates, who suggested targeting Los Extranjeros’ leaders and rebuilding the Kataris 26. After killing Los Extranjeros’ commander, Colonel Merlo, the group fell apart, and evidence of their crimes caused a political scandal that changed the Bolivian government.
Development
The development of Wildlands started in 2012 and was announced at the end of Ubisoft's E3 2015 press conference. Ubisoft stated that Wildlands would include the biggest open world environment the company had ever made. To create a realistic Bolivian setting, the developers traveled to Bolivia for two weeks and sought help from Bolivian people. The game used a modified version of the AnvilNext engine to support the large open world. Ubisoft released a 30-minute prequel short film called Ghost Recon Wildlands: War Within the Cartel on February 16, 2017, on their Twitch channel and later on Amazon Prime. The film features Tip "T.I." Harris and was executive produced by Roberto Orci, Jay Williams, Noam Dromi, and Orlando Jones through the production company Legion of Creatives. Avi Youabian directed the short.
Reception
When the game was announced at E3 2015, some critics said it was one of the most unexpected reveals at the event. Wildlands was nominated for several awards, including IGN’s E3 2015 Game of the Show, Best PlayStation 4 Game, Best Xbox One Game, and Best PC Game. It also received one of GameSpot’s Best of E3 2015 awards. The game was named the best co-operative and best shooter by Game Informer in their Best of E3 2015 Awards. A beta version of the game was released on Steam from February 23 to February 27, 2017. On March 1, 2017, Ubisoft announced that the beta had attracted over 6.8 million players, making it the most successful beta in the company’s history.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands received "generally favorable" reviews for the Xbox One version, while the PlayStation 4 and PC versions received "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic. The game sold 4 million copies in its first six months. The Guardian praised the size of the open world but noted that civilians in the game seemed unaware of the conflict happening around them. The reviewer also said the villains were written as "at least two-dimensional characters." The Guardian praised the multiplayer mode but said solo play felt "a little soulless." Game Informer’s reviewer appreciated the large and varied open world and the diversity of missions, though most missions involved clearing or infiltrating enemy bases.
Both The Guardian and Game Informer noted that enemy patrols could disrupt careful plans. The Guardian said the shooting style did not match the Tom Clancy series, while Game Informer said the frequent appearances of patrols made the game feel frustrating. The Guardian gave the game 3 out of 5 stars, and Game Informer gave it 8.25 out of 10.
An EGM reviewer criticized the controls, saying aiming felt "stiff and imprecise" and vehicle control felt "too loose." However, the reviewer praised the variety of gadgets, such as drones and explosives, and support options like mortar strikes and vehicle drop-offs. Push Square described the gadgets as "uninteresting" and said the game did not feel like a Ghost Recon game, even though it had "a nice mix of stealth and action" and "enemies that drop with a burst of bullets." Push Square said the open world had "impressive environments" but criticized mission design and enemy AI.
GameStar praised the game’s scenery and textures, calling the shooting "convincing" and praising the multiplayer. However, they criticized the story, dialogue, and characters. They gave the game 85 out of 100. A Destructoid reviewer said missions were very difficult to complete, and a USgamer reviewer agreed, noting some missions required "unrealistic" solutions. Both reviewers said missions felt repetitive. Destructoid criticized the open world, calling it "a cheap movie set," while USgamer praised the game’s graphics and said the world was "graphically stunning" and "massive." USgamer also praised the variety of weapons and accessories. Destructoid gave the game 2.5 out of 10, and USgamer gave it 4 out of 5.
In March 2017, Bolivia’s government expressed concern about the game’s portrayal of their country as a violent narco-state and filed a formal complaint with the French embassy in La Paz. Bolivia’s Interior Minister said the country could take legal action. Ubisoft responded by stating that the game is a work of fiction, similar to movies or TV shows, and that the setting was chosen for its landscapes and culture. The company said the game’s premise is not based on Bolivia’s reality but hoped the game’s world would reflect the country’s beauty.
Wildlands was the best-selling retail game in the UK and the US in March 2017, beating games like Horizon Zero Dawn and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was one of the biggest video game launches in 2017 and became the fastest-selling title in the Tom Clancy franchise, behind Tom Clancy’s The Division. The NPD Group ranked Wildlands as the seventh best-selling retail game in 2017. More than 15 million players have played the game since its release. In May 2020, Ubisoft said Wildlands (and 10 other games from the 8th console generation) had sold over 10 million units by March 2020.
The game was nominated for "Best Co-op Game" at PC Gamer’s 2017 Game of the Year Awards. It won "Best Cooperative Multiplayer" at Game Informer’s Best of 2017 Awards and also won awards for "Best Setting" (Bolivia), "Best Comeback" in multiplayer, and "Best Cooperative Multiplayer" in their 2017 Shooter of the Year Awards. EGMNow ranked the game 23rd on their list of the 25 Best Games of 2017.
Sequel
In early May 2019, the game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint was introduced during a live online event. It is a sequel to the 2017 game Wildlands.