Parents' Guide to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands

This tactical open-world shooter might be violent, but the flexibility in gameplay will keep you coming back for more. Most shooters have you charge into battle guns blazing like a one-man killing machine, dodging lead like raindrops and soaking up damage like you're one part sponge and two parts Terminator. But the Ghost Recon series has never been like most shooters, and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is the best the series has ever offered. Take the calculated, tactical planning that's been a cornerstone of the franchise and drop it into a massive, open-world environment filled with all kinds of terrain, vehicles, weapons, and skills, and you end up with an amazing gaming experience that you can play almost any way you see fit. Whether you sneak through the shadows, eliminating threats and accomplishing objectives with no one the wiser, or go in big and bold, crashing right through the front gates in an armored jeep, remotely blowing up a nearby fuel tanker to take the enemy by surprise, the game is nothing if not filled with options. But no matter which path you choose, you're going to need to be sure to work as a team. Trying to go lone wolf in Wildlands is a surefire way to end up a dead wolf.

Ghost Recon Wildlands is all about teamwork and strategy. No matter if you're going solo with an AI squad, going online with a handful of buddies, or even diving into an open match and hoping for the best, working together is key to overcoming the numbers game against the Santa Blanca cartel. Admittedly, if you're going to go online, you're usually better off setting up a match with people you know vs. people you don't. In open matches, you never know who you're going to get. You could wind up with an elite group that takes on missions with surgical precision, or you could wind up with a group that will run you over with a truck just as soon as they'd cover your back. The latter type of match can take a chunk of the fun out of the game, but sometimes even those chaotic moments are good for a laugh. The most impressive feat in Wildlands is that it gives players a huge sandbox to play in, but it always gives something to do to keep things from getting stale. The game's version of Bolivia includes thick woodlands, snowy mountains, salt flats, and more. One minute it's bright and sunny, the next you're trudging through mud in a thunderstorm. The world around you feels truly alive, ever-changing, and with a mood all its own. What Ubisoft has managed to do is create a place you're not just there to save but a place you genuinely feel is worth saving.