With the impending release of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, I finally get to sit down and watch the mini-movie prequel to the game. Called "Ghost Recon Alpha" it is one of the most compelling game prequels that was produced that did not rely on the usual computer graphics and instead had human actors for a production that surely would whet the appetites of video game players before the game gets released in 3 days' time.

Set in Chelyabinsk province in Russia, a Ghost Recon team was tasked to infiltrate a previously closed military based where they had to eliminate a war criminal and arms buyer. The team was able to eliminate both but they found out that the deal was about nuclear missile warheads (RSM-56 Bulava) which were to be released as soon as payment had been made. They had to deactivate the warheads before they fall into the wrong hands and had to fight both groups until their explosives expert, Chuck, was able to get to the warhead and proceeded on deactivating these.

However, an elite ops unit which I presume to be also of Russian in origin, was also in the vicinity and had equivalent technologies as the Ghost Recon team, as a group was laying down in ambush with their own active camo (stealth cloaks) but detected by their attack-recon drone. A firefight happened again between the groups with an assault land-moving drone used by the opposing unit was deployed. The Ghost Recon had to cover Chuck as he went on to deactivate the warheads and terribly exposed. The team leader had to distract the assault drone whilst one team member had to mount and drive a Russian BMP to use against the assault drone.

The Ghost Recon prevailed over the opposing unit which still remained unknown, but Chuck took a fatal hit to the head after deactivating all the warheads and had to be "erased" to avoid leaving a sign of the Ghost Team in the area. As they double-checked the area to find any signs of enemies, they noticed a cargo container behind the ambush line that is now a line of dead soldiers. Whilst proceeding to go to the cargo container, a helicopter came into the scene and managed to airlift the cargo which I also presume to be another set of nuclear warheads. The movie ends with the City of London as the final scene.

My take in the story of the game is for Ghost Recon to find and secure or destroy the stolen nuclear warheads that may be detonated either in London, or another city, with a well-funded, high-tech unit that they will be going against (and of course either capture or kill evil group behind such operation). The mini-movie features the high-tech gadgetry such as the quadcopter drone that does not only reconnoiter but can also do offensive actions either in auto-pilot or with a human operator. The active camo was also featured there, but it was only for a brief scene. I also noticed that Chuck was wearing an exoskeleton to assist him carry the additional weight as he had a bulky backpack.

For first person shooter game fans, Ghost Recon Future Soldier is a third-person shooter, which can go into first person shooter view when aiming. The player will have to mark targets for the units to focus on and be able to operate the quadcopter and the War Hound. Also to be expected in this latest Ghost Recon title is the "Gunmsith" which will allow you customise the various weapons used in the game.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will be released in North America on the 22nd of May 2012 and will be initially be for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Other regions will start sales on the 24th of May with the United Kingdom sales on the 25th. PC Versions will be released on 12th of June for North America and the 15th of June for the UK.