SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fireteam Bravo 2

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fireteam Bravo 2 followed on from the first entry in the portable offshoot of the military series and expanded on practically everything that worked in its predecessor – from commanding the SEAL squad to online combat. Slant Six Games again built on a tactical approach to firefights: the player advances using cover, issues orders to teammates, and plans the advance through missions focused on sabotage, rescue operations, and combat against organized enemy forces in a new conflict setting.

Compared to the first game, new weapons, vehicles, and more varied environments were added, and the campaign also offered more elaborate storytelling tied into the broader mythology of the SOCOM series and its command characters. The emphasis on a more realistic pace of firefights – slower movement, the need to take cover and think through your approach instead of a headlong assault – was retained, setting the series apart from the more arcade-like console shooters of the time, as was the need to conserve ammunition, watch enemies' field of view, and rely on cooperation with AI teammates rather than a lone charge forward.

The multiplayer component was once again among the strongest things the game had to offer, expanding the range of team modes and maps, which let Fireteam Bravo 2 keep an active player community long after release and made it one of the most-played online titles on the PSP scene of the time, where players kept meeting up even years after launch.

Why play it: A polished tactical shooter that showed the portable SOCOM experience could be deeper than just a lightweight version of the console entries.