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| SWAT 4 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Irrational Games |
| Publisher(s) | Sierra Entertainment |
| Producer(s) | Sara Verrilli |
| Designer(s) |
|
| Writer(s) | Sara Verrilli |
| Composer(s) | Eric Brosius |
| Series | Police Quest |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 2 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | The Stetchkov Syndicate |
| Genre(s) | Tactical shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,multiplayer |
SWAT 4 is a 2005tacticalfirst-person shooter video game developed byIrrational Games and published bySierra Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games) exclusively forMicrosoft Windows. It is the ninth installment in thePolice Quest series and the fourth installment in theSWAT subseries. InSWAT 4, the player commands apoliceSWAT team in the city of Fairview, New York. Unlike its predecessor,SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle,SWAT 4 does not have an overarching plot. Instead, gameplay takes place over a series of mostly unconnected deployments of the player's SWAT team, as they are sent to apprehend criminals, terrorists, gangs, and cults in and around Fairview.
SWAT 4 was built on Irrational Games' Vengeance Engine powered byUnreal Engine 2 technology. Like the rest of theSWAT series,SWAT 4 places heavy emphasis on following proper police procedure, minimizing casualties, and ensuring the safe apprehension of enemies as opposed to simply killing them.
The game was well received by critics and players. Anexpansion pack,SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate, was released in 2006.
InSWAT 4, players control apolice tactical unit as they are deployed to handle situations such asarrest warrants,hostage-takings,bomb threats, andshootouts.SWAT 4 is a tactical shooter, where characters can be killed easily and in few hits. Therefore, tactics and planning are emphasized over mere brute force. Enemies, called "suspects", range from individuals and small groups to trained and organized terrorists.
A significant aspect ofSWAT 4's gameplay is therules of engagement (RoE), which dictates the player's acceptable actions anduse of force.SWAT 4 emphasizes the idea that "SWAT is a life-saving organization", and thus prohibits both the use oflethal force unless done justifiably and inself-defense, and thereckless or excessive use of force. Violating the RoE results in penalties for unauthorized use of force, which may influence the outcome of the mission; examples of such violations include killing or incapacitating a hostage or officer, killing an unarmed or fleeing suspect, not markingevidence (such as dropped weapons or objective items), and nothandcuffing hostages and suspects.
Per its RoE-focused gameplay, the game highlights usingless-lethal weaponry such astasers,pepper-ball guns,baton rounds, andriot guns toarrest suspects. Lethal weaponry such ashandguns,rifles,submachine guns, andshotguns are available, but are only intended to be used against suspects that necessitate the use of lethal force (such as those who attempt to harm officers or hostages and do not surrender). Weaponry aside, equipment such asstun grenades,stinger grenades,fiberscopes,door wedges,multi-tools, andbreaching devices are key tools intended for frequent use. Players can also equip their officers withbulletproof vests andcombat helmets that offer varying degrees of protection.
Like in previousSWAT entries, the SWAT team is divided into two "elements",red andblue, with the entire entry team being referred to asgold, while the team leader (the player) is designatedwhite. The player is able to command each element and individual team member to perform actions including "stacking up" at an entryway, using equipment, holding position, or even moving on their own to perform actions elsewhere. Team members will often, but not always, only listen to the player before acting; for instance, officers will only arrest a surrendering suspect if ordered to, but they will independently shoot armed and resisting suspects.
SWAT 4 features several multiplayer game modes, all of which are team-based, pitting SWAT against Suspects. The multiplayer modes are:
SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate is anexpansion pack forSWAT 4 released on February 28, 2006, in North America and on March 10, 2006, in Europe. It follows the Fairview Police Department's operations to defeat the Stetchkovcrime family.
Various improvements to the game are added inThe Stetchkov Syndicate, such as the addition ofVoIP to multiplayer games, seven new singleplayer missions, two new multiplayer modes, seven new weapons (including the ability to punch non-compliant individuals), 10 player co-op with up to two teams of five, stat tracking, and ladders and rankings for multiplayer were added. New game mechanics were also added, including the ability to hold commands until the leader gives the signal in singleplayer, the ability to divide players into red and blue elements in multiplayer, and the chance for surrendering suspects to pick up their weapons if they are not arrested in time.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 85/100[1] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer Games Magazine |   [2] |
| Computer Gaming World | [3] |
| Edge | 7/10[4] |
| Eurogamer | 8/10[5] |
| Game Informer | 8.25/10[6] |
| GamePro |  [7] |
| GameSpot | 8.5/10[8] |
| GameSpy | [9] |
| GameZone | 8.8/10[10] |
| IGN | 9/10[11] |
| PALGN | 7.5/10[12] |
| PC Format | 88%[13] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 79%[14] |
| PC Zone | 86%[15] |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [16] |
SWAT 4 received "generally favorable reviews" according to thereview aggregation websiteMetacritic.[1] On a computer game sales chart compiled byNPD Techworld, it claimed tenth place for the week ending April 17.[17] It finished 11th for the month of April overall, at an average retail price of $48.[18]
GameSpot's Bob Colayco stated that "as a realistic police simulator,SWAT 4 definitely hits the mark. Though the frame rate gets chunky at times, and there are a couple of irritating bugs and quirks, the AI delivers on most counts in a game that is designed with great replayability."[8] The website later criticized a feature of the first patch forSWAT 4, where updated environments featured advertisements for real-world television series,[19] and after the game was closed data regarding how the player treated the product placement was sent to the developers.[20][21]
IGN's Dan Adams said that "Irrational's new addition to the venerableSWAT franchise does a brilliant job of picking up on all of the things that makeSWAT work so exciting from the outside perspective". Adams was also critical of the friendly AI, stating that "sometimes the team will bust into a room on command and take down everybody with enough efficiency to be impressive while other times they'll run straight past an enemy looking to cover a certain area of the room only to get shot in the back of the head".[11]
SWAT 4 was a runner-up forComputer Games Magazine's list of the top 10 computer games of 2005.[22]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 80/100[23] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer Games Magazine | [24] |
| Computer Gaming World | [25] |
| Eurogamer | 8/10[26] |
| GameSpot | 8.2/10[27] |
| IGN | 8.5/10[28] |
| PALGN | 7/10[29] |
| PC Format | 80%[30] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 70%[31] |
| PC Zone | 77%[32] |
The Stetchkov Syndicate received "favorable" reviews, though they were slightly lower ratings than the originalSWAT 4, according to Metacritic.[23]