Global Operations is a first-person, team-based shooter that places players in the role of a counter-terrorist or special forces soldier, or as a member of the revolutionary and terrorist groups they oppose.   These groups are drawn from real units and conflicts around the globe, for a total of 26 forces battling it out in 13 different hot spots.  Each of the 13 maps comes with a set of mission goals that must be accomplished by one of the sides, while the other tries to prevent them from doing so.

Global Operations stresses team cooperation, and to facilitate this cooperation players must choose from one of six (seven in the multiplayer game) specialties before entering a game.  The Commando is a generalist who can use a wide variety of weapons without specializing in any one type in particular.  The Heavy Gunner can operate large automatic weapons, but does so at a cost to speed and the ability to use small arms and rifles effectively.  The Sniper is a long range specialist, and is perfect for players that like to take out enemies from afar.  There is also a Medic, who's primary responsibility is to provide healing to injured team members, and a Demo class, who can plant and defuse explosives.  The last two specialties, Recon and Intel, are particularly interesting.  The Recon class can use a device to locate and track nearby enemies, but when doing so can not use a weapon.  Players near a Recon team member will also be able to see the locations of these nearby enemies.  Finally, there is the multiplayer-only Intel specialist.  The Intel player does not participate directly in the action, but instead monitors several cameras of the action, sending messages to the team and setting waypoints.  While online, though, players willing to take on the Intel role are rare, probably because it is a lot more fun to participate directly in the action.

Games of Global Operations are timed, with one side winning if it can complete the goals for a map before the timer expires.  Global Operations does not tend towards the realistic model of injury chosen by some other tactical squad-based games.  While a few well placed shots will take you down, you will have a grace period before you die.  If a Medic can reach you in time, you can be revived and get right back into the option.  If you are not rescued in time (or choose not to wait for a medic), then you will be temporarily taken out of the game and will have to wait for the next player insertion/deployment.  While waiting, you can spend your funds to rearm or improve your weapons.

Speaking of funds, each player is given an initial amount of cash, the amount depending on the specialty chosen.  This cash can be spent on weapons and weapon upgrades, special items, and armor.  Cash is accumulated during play by eliminating enemies or accomplishing specialty-based bonuses, such as reviving a teammate when playing as a Medic.  You'll have plenty of choices as to how to spend your cash, as the game boasts over 30 different real-world weapons.

The focus of Global Operations is definitely on the multiplayer game, but it can be played in single player mode.  First, there are a series of tutorials that help to familiarize you with the different available specialties in the game.  They are a bit on the inconsistent side, with some tutorials quite short and abruptly ending - it's best to just stick to the the single player campaign to try out the various specialties.

The single player campaign itself is not so much a campaign, but a progression through the game's 13 available maps.  Completing the first mission unlocks the next, and so on until the progression is completed - there is no semblance of a story or anything else tying the missions together.  All of the missions are played from the special forces and counter-terrorist sides, but after completing the campaign it is possible to play as the terrorists.

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