Wikipedia

Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way

Spec Ops: Rangers Lead The Way (Spec Ops: Ranger Assault in Europe and Australia) is a tactical shooter video game developed by Zombie Studios and published by Ripcord Games exclusively for Windows. Players take control of United States Army Rangers; the game's subtitle is the Ranger motto. It is the first game in the Spec Ops series.

Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way
Developer(s)Zombie Studios
Publisher(s)Ripcord Games
Producer(s)Sandra B. Smith
Designer(s)
  • Eric Church
  • Javier Garavito
  • Mark Long
Programmer(s)Wyeth Ridgway
Artist(s)Mel Guymon
Composer(s)
  • Roland Barker
  • Joseph Zajonc
SeriesSpec Ops
Platform(s)Windows
Release
Genre(s)Tactical shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

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Spec Ops: Rangers Lead The Way is a tactical shooter game.

Development

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Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way was designed to be more of a simulation than previous video games involving the control of ground forces. The developers chose the United States Army Rangers as the subject because of their dangerous missions, aggressive combat tactics, and high casualty rates.[2]

Zombie conducted extensive research for the game, including consulting and using motion capture with a former special forces instructor, attending live fire drills at Fort Lewis, and photographing real soldiers for texture mapping.[2]

Originally the game was to be published for both Windows and PlayStation by BMG Interactive.[2] The PlayStation version was to stream data in order to eliminate load times and utilize true 3D-clipping in order to eliminate tearing in polygonal seams.[2] In mid-1997 BMG Interactive shut down its North American operations,[3] and as 1998 opened the game was still left without a publisher.[4] Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way was also originally planned to have no music. BMG executive producer Mike Suarez commented, "Why waste money on a CD-quality soundtrack? We're focusing on what's more critical to the gameplay and giving it a production value that more than makes up for the absence of music."[2]

The game was picked up by Ripcord Games, which opted to release it only for Windows.[5]

Reception

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The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[6] Next Generation said that the game "succeeds at delivering the tension and excitement of a true Army Ranger mission."[15]

Expansion

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Spec Ops: Ranger Team Bravo
Developer(s)Zombie Studios
Publisher(s)Ripcord Games
SeriesSpec Ops
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
Genre(s)Tactical shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Spec Ops: Ranger Team Bravo is an expansion pack developed by Zombie Studios and was published by Ripcord Games. The expansion launched exclusively for Microsoft Windows on October 23, 1998. The add-on features three new campaigns in Bosnia, Vietnam, and Iraq, and a multiplayer module.

Reception

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Ranger Team Bravo received more mixed reviews than the original Spec Ops according to GameRankings.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "News for April 22, 1998". Online Gaming Review. April 22, 1998. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved December 6, 2019. RipCord's SpecOps: Rangers Lead the Way has hit store shelves.
  2. ^ a b c d e "NG Alphas: SpecOps". Next Generation. No. 30. Imagine Media. June 1997. pp. 82–84. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Cleaning Time: Corporations Slim Down". Next Generation. No. 31. Imagine Media. July 1997. pp. 22–23. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "Sneak Previews: Spec Ops" (PDF). GamePro. No. 114. IDG. March 1998. p. 66. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  5. ^ "The Fall of BMG: Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way". Next Generation. No. 41. Imagine Media. May 1998. p. 47.
  6. ^ a b "Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  7. ^ Cirulis, Martin E. (June 18, 1998). "Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  8. ^ Chick, Tom (June 1, 1998). "Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Nguyen, Thierry (September 1998). "Rangers in the Rough (Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 170. Ziff Davis. p. 225. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Key, Steve (July 1998). "Spec Ops: [Ranger Assault]". Computer and Video Games. No. 200. EMAP. p. 56. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  11. ^ Edge staff (June 1998). "Spec Ops: Rangers Assault [sic]" (PDF). Edge. No. 59. Future Publishing. p. 90. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  12. ^ Bergren, Paul (July 1998). "Spec Ops [Rangers Lead the Way]". Game Informer. No. 63. FuncoLand.
  13. ^ Hubble, Calvin (June 1998). "Spec Ops [Rangers Lead the Way] Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on April 19, 2004. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  14. ^ Dunkin, Alan (May 21, 1998). "Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way Review [date mislabeled as "April 12, 2000"]". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on October 30, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Spec Ops [Rangers Lead the Way]". Next Generation. No. 43. Imagine Media. July 1998. p. 109. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  16. ^ Shoemaker, Richie (July 1998). "Spec Ops: Rangers Assault [sic]". PC Zone. No. 65. Dennis Publishing. pp. 94–95. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  17. ^ Hulsey, Joel (October 23, 1998). "Ripcord Releases Spec Ops Multiplayer". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Spec Ops: Ranger Team Bravo for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  19. ^ Chick, Tom (December 9, 1998). "Spec Ops: Ranger Team Bravo". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  20. ^ Larka, Lance A. (March 1999). "Spec Ops:Ranger Team Bravo [sic]" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 176. Ziff Davis. p. 162. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  21. ^ Dunkin, Alan (January 11, 1999). "Spec Ops: Ranger Team Bravo Review [date mislabeled as "April 12, 2000"]". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on November 12, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  22. ^ Klett, Steve (December 1998). "Spec Ops: Ranger Team Bravo". PC Accelerator. No. 4. Imagine Media. p. 100. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
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