Ubisoft today announced that the PlayStation 2 version of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 has achieved gold status and begun production. The realistic military shooter is the third Ghost Recon title for the PS2, and it will hit store shelves November 30.

　　The PlayStation 2 version has a completely different plotline from its Xbox counterpart, which is due November 16. Set in 2007, the shooter begins with the fabled supersecret commandos known as the "Ghosts" descending on North Korean targets. The game challenges gamers to quell a nuclear threat in a series of events that tie into the Xbox version. Sam Fisher, hero of the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series, makes a cameo appearance in the game.

　　Ghost Recon 2 for the PS2 features an assortment of high-tech weaponry, a realistic physics engine, and online support of up to 16 players. The offline mode was developed by Ubisoft Shanghai, while Ubisoft Paris developed the online component.

　　Ironically, Ghost Recon 2's plotline has earned it condemnation from the real North Korean government for its depiction of the Stalinist state as a global threat. One North Korean newspaper called the game "propaganda" and accused America of showing "hatred" toward the country. Ubisoft designer Christopher Allen defended the story, saying the plot focuses "on a splinter group in the North Korean military, not the entire country."

　　To be fully debriefed on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of Ghost Recon 2, check out their gamespaces.