America's Army: Rise of a Soldier
A single-player Xbox game based on Major Jason Amerine's Afghanistan experiences.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
America's Army: Rise of a Soldier was built by Secret Level. It bundles the original America's Army with a new single-player campaign inspired by Major Jason Amerine's time in Afghanistan during 2001. The title launched in the U.S. on November 17, 2005 for the Xbox. A version for the PlayStation 2 was worked on for a while but never came out. Unlike the earlier America's Army games, this one is not free.
The game shares a lot with the PC version of America's Army. Most of the maps from the PC release appear here. Online play was available through Xbox Live until April 15, 2010. It can now be played online again using the replacement Xbox Live service called Insignia.
**Plot**
The player begins as a recruit going through Rifleman training. Their convoy is ambushed in National Tunnel, and with help from squadmates, they escape Old Town. Next, the player trains as a Grenadier. Right after training, they help the 10th Mountain Division defend a convoy from attackers. The following three missions take place in a mountain, where the player prevents enemy forces from escaping with supply crates dropped by C-130 transports.
The player then becomes an Automatic Rifleman, defending a base in the oil fields and pushing back attackers. They eventually find a stash of money funding the terrorists inside a radio station's tunnels. After that, the player trains as a sniper and is sent to arctic regions to kill high-ranking officers, capture enemy territory, and hold the line.
Next, the player becomes a Ranger Fireteam Leader, carrying an M4 carbine with pre-selected modifications. They go through MOUT training again, now able to give limited orders to squadmates. The Rangers then raid a drug processing base, defend it from an ambush, and head to a desert base to capture a high-ranking officer and defend the base from enemy attack.
Finally, the player becomes a Special Forces member, able to modify their M4 carbine and lead indigenous forces. The last two campaigns involve capturing the main leaders behind the attacks and helping local allied forces protect Old Town. The campaign ends after Old Town is successfully defended, and the player and fellow Special Forces members return home.
**Reception**
According to the review aggregation site Metacritic, the game received "average" reviews.
- Developer
- Secret Level
- Release date (US)
- November 17, 2005
- Platform
- Xbox
- Genre
- First-person shooter
- Based on
- Major Jason Amerine's experiences in Afghanistan (2001)
- Online service
- Xbox Live (until April 15, 2010; now playable on Insignia)
Lore & Background
The game's plot follows a recruit who progresses through multiple roles. After Rifleman training, the player's convoy is ambushed in National Tunnel, and with squadmates they escape Old Town. Following Grenadier training, the player aids the 10th Mountain Division's convoy and then completes three missions in a mountain to prevent enemy forces from escaping with supply crates dropped by C-130 transports. As an Automatic Rifleman, the player defends a base in the oil fields and discovers a supply of money funding terrorists inside a radio station's tunnels. Assigned as a sniper, the player operates in arctic regions to kill high-ranking officers, capture territory, and hold the line. As a Ranger Fireteam Leader, the player uses an M4 carbine with pre-chosen modifications, undergoes MOUT training, and can give limited orders to squadmates. Missions include raiding a drug processing base, defending it from OPFOR, and capturing a high-ranking officer at a desert base. Finally, as a Special Forces member, the player can modify the M4 carbine and lead indigenous forces to capture main leaders and protect Old Town. The campaign ends with the player and fellow Special Forces members returning home.
Reader's Guide
America's Army: Rise of a Soldier is notable as a console adaptation of the U.S. Army's recruitment-focused game series, but with a paid, single-player campaign rather than freeware. Its significance lies in bridging the original America's Army's multiplayer focus with a narrative based on real military operations in Afghanistan, specifically those of Major Jason Amerine. The game received average reviews according to Metacritic. Its legacy includes being one of the few Xbox titles to later become playable online again via the replacement Xbox Live servers called Insignia, after the official Xbox Live service for the game ended on April 15, 2010. The cancellation of the PlayStation 2 version left the Xbox release as the only console version. The game's inclusion of most maps from the PC version of America's Army helped maintain continuity for players familiar with the series.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Secret Level and released in the United States on November 17, 2005 for the Xbox.
- A PlayStation 2 version was in development but was ultimately cancelled.
- Online modes were available via Xbox Live until April 15, 2010, and are now playable again on the replacement servers called Insignia.
- Most of the maps from the PC version of America's Army are included in Rise of a Soldier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is America's Army: Rise of a Soldier?
It's a first-person shooter for the Xbox that pairs the original America's Army multiplayer with a brand-new single-player campaign. The title hit U.S. shelves on November 17, 2005.
Who developed America's Army: Rise of a Soldier?
Secret Level built the game, taking the existing PC America's Army framework and layering a new narrative campaign on top of it.
Is America's Army: Rise of a Soldier free to play?
No. Unlike the earlier America's Army entries, this Xbox release was a paid product you had to purchase rather than grab at no cost.
What is the single-player story in America's Army: Rise of a Soldier about?
The campaign follows Major Jason Amerine through his service in Afghanistan in 2001. It plays out as a new narrative mode set across the same maps used in the multiplayer portion.
Can you still play America's Army: Rise of a Soldier online?
Xbox Live support for the title was discontinued on April 15, 2010. Online matches are now available through the Insignia platform.
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