Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Join our monthly RPG Club
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2026
  • Deal of the Day
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • RPG Hub
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action Games

Black Ops 2 vs. Ghost Recon - Comparing two visions of the future

Features
By Lorenzo Veloria
Published 16 May 2012

Will we be using wrist mounted iPads or wearing holographic sunglasses in the future?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A decade or so isnt too far away, but the theories on advances in military technology between the two development studios share some similarities but quite a few differences. Gaze into the crystal ball and peer into the future, as we take a close look at Black Ops 2s and Ghost Recons visions of tomorrow.

Page 1 of 16
Page 1 of 16
Black Ops 2's future has lots of robots

Black Ops 2's future has lots of robots

There's even some Star Wars inspired AT-AT style walkers...

Page 2 of 16
Page 2 of 16
That armor's too strong for blas... bullets!

That armor's too strong for blas... bullets!

Armored ground drones are no strangers to Blops future world. They even come in two varieties (at least, of what weve seen so far), the four legged CLAW and the speedy ASD (which rolls on treads rather than legs). These guys come mounted with heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. That's all you need to clear out dug-in infantry.

Page 3 of 16
Page 3 of 16
Ghost Recon has its own robots too

Ghost Recon has its own robots too

In the Ghost's world, drones don't make an appearance in as large a scale as in Black Ops 2, but remote controlled robots do show up on these future soldiers battlefield. The small, flying, quad-rotor drone used by the Ghosts is a little more advanced than the Blops counterpart. This little guy transforms from a flyer to a remote-controlled car making stealth infiltrations all the more sneaky. Also, in GRFSs multiplayer, the quad drone can be equipped with low impact rockets, which comes in handy for taking out infantry from above. But these are only a small part of the Ghosts' arsenal.

Page 4 of 16
Page 4 of 16
The Warhound is a Ghost's best friend

The Warhound is a Ghost's best friend

The Ghosts have their own walking quadroped, the Warhound, which is more advanced than the CLAW. Instead of being completely controlled by remote (weapon targets are designated by a Ghost) the Warhound follows mission objectives on its own. This armored artillery also packs quite a punch, with its onboard mortar launcher and guided missiles.

Page 5 of 16
Page 5 of 16
Black Ops 2 sticks to traditional camouflage

Black Ops 2 sticks to traditional camouflage

Granted, we havent seen everything the COD soldiers have up their sleeves, but so far it looks like they will be relying on traditional fatigues as their camouflage. A fairly low-tech solution compared to the Ghosts

Page 6 of 16
Page 6 of 16
You can't see Ghosts

You can't see Ghosts

Now these guys have it going on when it comes to staying hidden. They are called ghosts after all. They employ an optical camouflage that bends light around them, rendering the soldier nearly invisible. This does seem like it strays more toward the sci-fi side, but whos to say the Predator-like invisibility wont be completely possible in the next few decades.

Page 7 of 16
Page 7 of 16
Black Ops: battle ready tablets

Black Ops: battle ready tablets

Undoubtedly, theyll be able to get real-time info on the battlefield, city maps, building schematics, and maybe the ability to hack drones (judging by the titles emphasis on cyber warfare). Hopefully, Mason thought to install Zork before heading out into the field.

Page 8 of 16
Page 8 of 16
Ghost Recon: a heads up display for real first person shooting

Ghost Recon: a heads up display for real first person shooting

It's funny to think our current military already uses Xbox 360 controllers to control robots. Ubisoft just ran with that "gamers as soldiers" idea with the personal HUD. All those hours gamers spend in team deathmatch might prove to be excellent military experience in the future.

Page 9 of 16
Page 9 of 16
Black Ops 2: Get to the Chopp... uh, hover jet

Black Ops 2: Get to the Chopp... uh, hover jet

There are still helicopters in Blops 2's future world (remember, there's police chopper crashing in the trailer), but we also saw what looked like transport jets. The engines on the ends of the wings rotate, presumably making helicopter-type maneuvers. So, perhaps the military decommissioned choppers for faster moving hover jets.

Page 10 of 16
Page 10 of 16
Ghost Recon: If it ain't broke...

Ghost Recon: If it ain't broke...

Rather than sticking high powered jet engines to the side of a fuselage, the Ghost's future military has stuck to the tried an true helicopter. They don't look much different than the Black Hawk helicopters used today.

Page 11 of 16
Page 11 of 16
Black Ops: today's weapon prototypes are the future's standard

Black Ops: today's weapon prototypes are the future's standard

Not every weapon is as unfamiliar as the KARD though. The XMD assault rifle and SAW light machine gun have also made appearances, so if you were looking forward to ray guns, remember, it's not that far in the future.

Page 12 of 16
Page 12 of 16
Ghost Recon has advanced ballistics

Ghost Recon has advanced ballistics

There are some familiar guns like ACR assault rifles and even the KARD pistol available to the Ghosts, but things get real fancy when you take a closer look at their bullets. Besides armor piercing and incendiary rounds, they have homing sniper rounds. Used in conjunction with a special targeting scope, the bullets lock on to a target's head and can change trajectory mid-flight to meet it's target. It seems pretty unfair, but that's pretty much the point of creating advanced weapons.

Page 13 of 16
Page 13 of 16
Black Ops 2: There's no use hiding behind walls

Black Ops 2: There's no use hiding behind walls

We know the image above is just a guy walking behind what looks like the x-ray machine from Total Recall, but the spec ops soldiers will also be able to see hidden enemies with special x-ray scopes and blast them with cover-penetrating ballistics systems.

Page 14 of 16
Page 14 of 16
Ghost Recon: X-ray vision gives the Ghosts the advantage

Ghost Recon: X-ray vision gives the Ghosts the advantage

The Ghosts don't play by the rules either. Their high tech sunglasses have magnetic and thermal vision modes and the soldiers are equipped with a number of sensor probes which also highlight enemy locations - meaning there aren't many places for the bad guys to hide. This is wall hacks at its best.

Page 15 of 16
Page 15 of 16

Which game captures the future setting better? Which do you think is more realistic? Let us know what you think about shooters set in the future in the comments below.

Page 16 of 16
Page 16 of 16
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PlayStation Xbox Platforms
PRODUCTS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Call of Duty PC Xbox 360
Lorenzo Veloria
Lorenzo Veloria
Social Links Navigation

Many years ago, Lorenzo Veloria was a Senior Editor here at GamesRadar+ helping to shape content strategy. Since then, Lorenzo has shifted his attention to Future Plc's broader video game portfolio, working as a Senior Brand Marketing Manager to oversee the development of advertising pitches and marketing strategies for the department. He might not have all that much time to write about games anymore, but he's still focused on making sure the latest and greatest end up in front of your eyes one way or another.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
A soldier vaulting over a stone wall with an assault rifle raised in one hand in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 should feel "ripped from the headlines," says Call of Duty developer: "It's been a while since we've seen the grunt perspective"
 
 
Nomad, the custom character leader of Ghost Squad, smokes a cigar and wears an eyepatch against a black background
Open World Games Ghost Recon Wildlands is the closest I'll get to more Metal Gear Solid 5, and its free Last Rites update fits the bill
 
 
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
Tom Clancy's Massive Ghost Recon Wildlands update just added a feature fans have been requesting for 9 years
 
 
Close up of G'AIM'E Time Crisis Lightgun AI-powered camera lens on woodgrain table.
Retro G'AIM'E is back with new Time Crisis Lightgun prototypes at Tokyo Game Show that ditch AI for gyro
 
 
Cropped Ghost Recon Wildlands art from the PlayStation Store shows a man looking out at a vast landscape, a helicopter in the background.
Tom Clancy's New Ghost Recon game officially confirmed by Ubisoft after "years" of development
 
 
Black Ops games in order: A man walking through a ruined city during Call of Duty Black Ops 2
Call of Duty New Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 PS5 update turns the ports into Modern Warfare 4 ads
 
 
Latest in Action Games
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto Rockstar wins without doing anything as GTA 6 leaker Cyberleek retreats after meme coin crashes
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto "Please tell me you're kidding": GTA 6's two delays flabbergasted Take-Two CEO
 
 
Man covered in blood smiles
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 was delayed for years after Rockstar scaled back "Project Americas"
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto Rockstar vowed GTA 6 wouldn't be finished "by crunching" after Red Dead Redemption 2's development
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 took 13 years, but Rockstar says GTA 7 won't
 
 
The Legend of Zelda Zelda: Link's Awakening's Nintendo Switch remake now has a PC port if you can stomach an "almost exclusive use of AI"
 
 
Latest in Features
Scarlett Johansson in The Exorcist: Martyrs
Conventions 5 biggest announcements from New York Comic Con
 
 
Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) in Daredevil: Born Again season 2.
Marvel TV Shows What Marvel's Television and Animation NYCC panel means for the future of the MCU
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 screenshot
The Legend of Zelda After 2 hours, Ocarina of Time's remake feels like a homecoming, and a true Zelda celebration
 
 
Tommy Shepherd in VisionQuest
Marvel TV Shows Paladin explained: Who is VisionQuest's honor-bound bounty hunter?
 
 
A Nazgul leads an army of orcs across a stone bridge against cloudy, green-yellow skies
Tabletop Gaming One Ring RPG designers promise "many adventures ahead" after Lord of the Rings campaign approaches $3 million in pledges
 
 
James Spader and Paul Bettany in VisionQuest
Marvel TV Shows Who is the fiery android in VisionQuest? The Marvel history of Jim Hammond explained
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Marvel's New York Comic Con panel felt like a eulogy for the current era of Marvel TV
    1
    What Marvel's Television and Animation NYCC panel means for the future of the MCU
  2. 2
    Arc Raiders Ruins and Reverberations guide and walkthrough
  3. 3
    VisionQuest's E.D.I.T.H. star brought elements of Tony Stark into her role: "Tony's legacy is in there"
  4. 4
    Avatar: Seven Havens books three and four have been in the works "for a bit"
  5. 5
    Paul Bettany says Wanda Maximoff is like a "ghost" that Vision is "haunted by" in VisionQuest

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...