Game Concept- The concept of the game is simple, use two different Special Forces characters, each with their own specialties and follow them through difficult missions to end the terrorist threat. The storyline is good, each mission leading to save different events that a terrorist group can exploit. Each character uses their own types of weapons and skills to claim victory for the good guys. Raptor is the first person you control; he deals in heavy artillery and heavy demolition. Owl is a different breed, using stealth and sniper weapons to defeat the enemy. This mix allows the game to take on a wide personality of skills that the gamer has to master as they play through the game.

The game can be difficult and frustrating at times. There are no skill level settings in the game, which can make it difficult for a beginner. By having no skill levels, once a player gets through the game, there is not much of a reason for them to go back and play the game again. A gamer can go back and replay old missions to gain a higher level of completion, but that might seem useless for most people. If you're smart though, you will replay missions for it will help your characters gain more health and energy points for later missions. The missions can be difficult and the checkpoints where the missions are saved are spaced out at distant intervals throughout the mission. This is where the frustration begins for if you get to the end of a checkpoint (some may take over 30 minutes of game play) you need to succeed or it's back to the beginning. At the end of each checkpoint is where the real action gets intense (and it should), so you have to be patient when trying to get to the last point because terrorists begin to come out of hiding when you are about to reach that point. Also, there is no in-game save during a mission, so you will have to complete a mission before turning off your Xbox. Remember, the challenge of the checkpoints and missions is not a bad thing, it just can be maddening at times. Games should be difficult to master and a gamer should not be able to race to the end of a game in a few days.

Game Play Controls- The game controls are set up in an easy fashion to play - so easy a player might wish for a few more options in their controls that the game does not offer. What I have noticed in my young first person shooter career is that each video game default controller set up is differently. That is the first obstacle any player would need to get over is how the controller is set up with switching weapons, sensitivity and overall movement. Since the game has excellent graphics and smooth movement, the game play is enjoyable. A gamer can get easily immersed on how easy it is to move either Owl or Raptor around the board. Though the movements are real, it can be confusing and frustrating when the characters get next to obstacles and go into a crouch position or strafe position against a wall when you don't want them to. This is something that the gamer should be able to improve on as they master the game play.

One of the big problems I encountered in the game were how super-sensitive the targeting controls were compared to other games. What made this worse was that there was no sensitivity control adjustment for targeting in the options to help out a gamer. Buttons were easy to use and one nice concept about the controls was that the gun and grenade switches were made with the thumbpad. This allowed for less confusion with the buttons and made for a more fluent switch of weapons. An expert or novice player should not have a problem getting used to the many controls it takes to maneuver the characters throughout their many missions.

Final Thoughts-Special Forces: Nemesis Strike is a first person shooter that reminds me of playing these types of games back in the day when Nintendo was king. The long missions with few checkpoints make it a difficult game to get through entirely without having to replay many segments of the missions. There is limited game options at the gamer's disposal, so the player has to become accustomed to the game as it is. Bonuses of the game are unlocking special types of pictures of the characters and music for game play. The game does has some amazing missions with intriguing situations. Players will love piloting different vehicles and using different weapons as they move through a mission. They will also enjoy the different strengths of each character they get to command. Missions and graphics are excellent. One mission that any player should enjoy is Owl's free fall missions throughout the game. The graphics and game play have to be one of the most exciting created in this genre of video game. It gives the gamer a sense falling at great speeds and is unlike anything I have seen. Though you will be frustrated at getting through some of the missions, Hip Games did a great job in creating a solid first person shooter game where the action is real, the storyline consistent, and the game play fun.