Soldier of Fortune steers the first-person shooter genre away from the supernatural weaponry of Unreal and Quake and toward the realistic tactical combat of Rainbow Six and SWAT 3. In Soldier of Fortune, stealth, caution, and cover carry as much importance as accuracy and firepower.
Players assume the role of John Mullins (also the name of the game's real-life mercenary consultant), a soldier for hire who accepts the most dangerous missions the U.S. government offers, including recovering stolen nuclear warheads and infiltrating war-torn Kosovo. Hawk, a burly sidekick voiced by The Green Mile Oscar nominee Michael Clarke Duncan, accompanies Mullins primarily in scripted sequences that advance the grisly story. Solder of Fortune's single-player story line exceeds genre standards and rivals Valve's classic Half-Life for depth and excitement.