The SOCOM series has three hand-held games, and the most recent one is called Tactical Strike. This one is unique compared to its other console relatives. Not only does the player have the option to take command of a team of United States Navy Seals, but they also have the option to take command of any of the number of international units that perform duties analogous to those of the SEALS. These international units include the Dutch KCT, the German KSK, the Australian SASR, the Italian 9th Parachute Assault Regiment, the Spanish UOE, the British SAS, the French GIGN, and the South Korean 707th Special Mission Unit.
The story’s action takes place in Panama, where the player’s national ambassador and the Panamanian ambassador are kidnapped by a local group of rebel narcotrafficante kidnappers known as “La Mano Los Gente.” It is important to note that this phrase is written in highly improper Spanish, as it would translate literally as “The Hand The People” because the “de” is missing from the beginning. However, the story is still interesting to read. The fictional band of criminals, who have a humorous name, are holding the pair of diplomats hostage for ransom, and it is up to the player to carry out an operation that gets progressively more complicated and challenging to free the two hostages.
The gameplay is different from previous SOCOM games in that there is still a squad of four men to control; but, rather than bringing up a menu screen and then moving the mouse to a particular spot to give an order, this new game utilizes a locator box that is dragged around the surface of the ground to deliver commands. This allows the user to select a particular target location or rally point, depending on the circumstances, and then to utilize a specific button to issue commands to the soldiers, such as taking cover, establishing crossfire, defending, ambushing, and so on. The use of certain weapons, such as close combat knives, rifles, satchel charges for demolition, handguns, a shot fired by the squad’s sniper, or throw grenades, can be ordered of them, of course. as selecting an Aimpoint to throw a grenade, a dynamically adjustable moving arc will emerge to display the path that the projectile will take as it leaves your hand.
Nine separate non-linear missions can be played, and players have the option of two instant action missions for each stage. Pre-rendered cutscenes are used to tell the story of the game.
