Ghost Recon: Wildlands went from a game I didn’t even want to play, to one of my top three favorite games of all time. The open world, and the freedom to do things pretty much however I want is an unbeatable combination. I was of course excited to hear about a new game on the way, I even made a list of things I’d like to see implemented. The folks at Ubisoft put on quite the presentation. With a running length of almost an hour and a half, their livestream contained the announcement trailer, the actual announcement itself, a gameplay trailer, and a question and answer at the end. I picked out the important stuff and have it compiled below.

Although multiplayer numbers have fluctuated throughout the history of the franchise, Breakpoint will remain a four person co-op with the ability to complete it solo as well. If you do choose solo, it will be a little harder according to the developers. Part of the reason is an absence of AI help in this game. The game remains a persistent, open world for you to explore. Ghost Recon Breakpoint will be bigger than anything the Ghost Recon team has done before.

In place of Bolivia, the Ghosts will be traveling to Auroa, an archipelago in the middle of the Pacific ocean. There will be 11 biomes spread across the islands including rainforests, snowy peaks, barren deserts, dramatic fjords, and futuristic cities (which we’ll get to in a minute). The main island alone is just as big as the entire Wildlands game, which means with the addition of more islands, the world will become even bigger. These other islands will be added in future content updates. PvP will also be available at launch this time.

Auroa is owned by Skell Technology, which you might remember from the recent Operation Oracle mission in Wildlands involving Cole Walker. The island is a high-tech utopia with a near future sci-fi setting. Auroa boasts all the finest technology from skelltech, the very vision of sustainable eco-cities. Drones are a big part of the island’s inhabitants, and one of the main enemies Ghosts will be facing. The island was built for robotics research after all. The perfect place for Cole Walker, the game’s main villain, to set up his new base of operations.

Building on the successes of Wildlands, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint introduces some new game mechanics. Starting with the three items that made it from my wishlisht, You can now breach fences with a torch. I love some destructible terrain. The AI is more realistic. It is constantly patrolling, looking for you. When you are suspected, they coordinate with each other to investigate. Bodies are now able to be moved. This includes allies and enemies. Outside of my wishlist there is a rocket launcher and a smoke grenade available. A raid that requires four players will also be featured, where players will face the highest technology Skell Technology has dreamed up. PvP and PvE will share progression, and you will use the same character for both. Your character will also be able to switch between four classes: Sharpshooter (sniper), Panther(assassin), Assault, and probably some type of support class. Three more classes will be added during the first year.

Something else new is the addition of survival game type mechanics. You will have to manage thirst and hunger, as well as the new injury system. Your character will limp, throw up blood, and give various other clues depending on the severity of your injuries. You will have to manage them carefully. Additionally the environment will be an important concern, offering help to cover you up with mud in order to hide, or the danger of sliding down cliffs and breaking a leg.

I personally have some reservations about a couple of things. The injury system seems like it could be more trouble than it’s worth. I’ve had a bad experience with injury systems in games being overly punishing in the past. The second reservation is about the islands coming in future content. The Wildlands DLC broke the game up into smaller parts, which I was not a fan of. It seems like Ubisoft is doing the same thing by adding smaller islands and that still doesn’t seem appealing. We’ll see though, I do have an open mind about it.

In Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, players have now become the hunted. More info about the game will come with E3 in June, and more PvP content will be announced at Gamescom in August. What are your hopes and dreams for Breakpoint? Leave them in the comments below.
With three out of five wishes fulfilled, I’m feeling pretty optimistic that I’ll be granted at least one more at one of these conventions. Maybe even two.