Publisher: Vivendi Universal      Developer: Irrational Games   Expected: Early March 2006     Players: 1 / online      www: swat4.com

Nearly a year since the release of the highly successful first-person shooter, SWAT 4 – this new expansion pack offers a final showdown against one of the most ruthless organised crime outfits in the world. The game allows players to take control of a squad of up to five police officers tasked with performing dangerous operations such as high-risk arrests, hostage rescue and counter-terrorism. As the unit’s commander, players must follow authentic police tactics as they breach and clear a concrete jungle filled with armed felons and innocent bystanders alike. Your squad of trained officers are called in to take on a series of disturbances that eventually lead them to the root of the problem, an eastern European crime family known as the Stetchkov syndicate, that has taken up residence in the city. Detailed graphics and realistic AI and hostage behaviour (now hostages will run away in terror or refuse to co-operate), new weapons modelled off real-life SWAT arms and some of the best team-based co-op gameplay ever experienced; this add-on will be a dream come true for SWAT fans. For those who haven’t played the original SWAT 4 – a special Gold Edition should be out in stores late April.