We live in troubled times.

Open any newspaper, turn on any news broadcast and images of conflict and war are a disturbingly regular feature. Such is the modern day media and international attention drawn to such engagements, the methods and options open to conventional armies can often be limited. However, where some see only misery and devastation, others see an unconventional business opportunity.

Pandemic's Mercenaries is set in the present day; a military coup headed by General Choi Song has been staged on the eve of an historic reunification between North and South Korea. Despite international efforts to resolve things peacefully, anarchy soon erupts with many different factions all vying for control. In desperation, a $100 million-dollar bounty is placed on the General's head by the international community. While the rest of the world only sees impending conflict and strife on a massive scale, Executive Operations, a multinational 'gun for hire' corporation, sees a very lucrative gap in an up-and-coming market.

You can choose to play as one of three members of Ex Ops, as they drop into the troubled Korean hotspot in a bid to capture both The General, and his so-called 'Deck of 52'; the General's top military and scientific confidants and the backbone of the coup.

Whilst it may sound like the plot for a Tom Clancy novel, 'Mercenaries' soon puts any complicated wrangling to one side to allow you to concentrate on the most important thing - blowing stuff up.

Taking the now tried and tested formula of the latest 'Grand Theft Auto' games, Pandemic places players in a world where they can go almost anywhere. Accordingly, you can traverse the vast environment by land or air in any number of vehicles. These range from civilian cars, APC's, attack helicopters and everything in-between.

However, where many recent GTA imitators have tried and failed, 'Mercenaries' shines through on numerous fronts.

The mission is to bring the General and his 'deck' to justice, by either killing or capturing them - whichever the player deems most fitting. Information needs to be gathered on their whereabouts by completing missions for the various factions fighting for control of the area. These range from The Allied Forces (bedecked in their blue UN Peacekeeper-inspired flak helmets) to the separate forces of both North and South Korea, and even the Russian Mafia - the ultimate opportunists who see the hotspot as a potential area of growth for their nefarious activities. Carrying out missions for a faction will earn you their favour, money and information, but ultimately involves upsetting one or more of the others (who will then have no hesitation about opening fire when you next encounter them). However, the choice is yours and you need not support any of the three factions (North, South and Russians) you don't like the look of.

The game is a visual delight. Using the same quality of graphics found in 'Full Spectrum Warrior', Pandemic have created a solid-looking virtual battlefield which is more believable than any that has come before it. Character animations are fluid overall and lighting effects are impressive. Streetlights, desk lamps and bawdy neon signs all cast an impressive glow on both characters and environments.

Litter and propaganda pamphlets swirl around the player's feet as they stand amid the wartorn, deserted streets. Where civilians are to be found, they often rush past in grim determination to avoid your gaze in fear of being shot. Helicopters and jets from the various factions roar overhead, whipping up dust as they go, while tannoys bark orders and loudly herald the latest propaganda to any beleaguered inhabitants within earshot. Special mention also needs to be made of the sound which features voiceovers by veteran actors Carl Weathers (Predator, Rocky) and Peter Stormare (Fargo, Armageddon), as well as some particularly rousing music when things heat up and all hell breaks loose.

As you tour the countryside and urban centres, there is clear evidence of the bitter conflict that has raged since the coup. Countless smoking or burning buildings can be found, some of which have been reduced to nothing but rubble. Burnt-out military and civilian vehicles are a regular and chilling site, serving to remind you that this is a war zone where life is cheap.

There is still plenty of live combat to be seen too. While they may or may not be neutral towards the player depending on their actions, some of the factions hate one another with a passion and will fight to the death should they meet on a backwater road or village street. This can make for some exhilarating moments when you become trapped in the middle of a raging firefight. Aided by a robust physics engine, these moments initially act as a good lesson in survival when a flaming jeep, that has been propelled into the air, heads in your direction.

Added to the 'go anywhere' idea is a not so much a 'do anything' but rather 'blow anything up' philosophy. Almost everything in the game is destructible; from scenery to roadblocks, vehicles to buildings. Very few gaming experiences will provide such a sense of dirty satisfaction as the first time you level a three-storey building in a shower of dust and masonry.

Armaments are plentiful and varied, ranging from submachine guns to RPG's, C4 detonation packs through to air strikes. Again the game gives the player the tools to do the job and then lets them decide how and when they should be used.

In earning money for captures or kills (as well as other pieces of collateral damage against factions), players are able to purchase weapons, equipment and vehicles to be used to approach a mission in a number of ways.

If the target is entrenched in a heavily guarded compound players can opt to try and find an alternative route inside which will draw little attention. Or they can go all-out, attach C4 to the front of a car and use it as a brutal battering ram, tearing down the dirt road and leaping out before hitting the detonator and causing maximum carnage.

Similarly, once you have subdued your quarry (assuming you've chosen not to extinguish their life for whatever heinous crimes they've committed), you can evac them for incarceration in a number of ways. Either pick them up and call in an air evac, or if the area is too 'hot', simply bundle them over your shoulder or into the nearest vehicle and head for a more suitable location. It is this level of choice throughout that raises 'Mercenaries' above the crowd.

That’s not to say the game is without its faults.

Forsaking plot for gung-ho action is a gamble which will leave some players wondering what the overall point is. However once in the thick of things, exposition and character development will be at the back of most people’s minds.

Controls feel clunky at first and may take some time to get to grips with. Handling of the vehicles is particularly troublesome until mastered, but the tangible feeling of difference between each type of transport will go some way to helping players overcome this in the early stages.

The camera can also be a bind at times. While complete control over the viewpoint is given to the player, it lacks a function to zero the point of view behind the player and to quickly view behind or to the side;something that was more than useful on a few occasions whilst playing 'Grand Theft Auto'. Similarly, having been spoilt by the delights of swimming in San Andreas' murky waters, the lack of any such ability in 'Mercenaries' disappoints.

In a game where freedom is all, the limited stealth-related abilities is a real missed opportunity. While covert infiltration is not impossible, it could certainly have been implemented better; perhaps with the inclusion of the simple ability to wall-hug and crouch behind objects for concealment (or even cover when under fire).

Enemy A.I., while generally competent, does have a few odd moments with enemies unresponsive to comrades being shot even when right next to them. Some traffic, mostly civilian, seems to suffer quite badly from bouts of drink driving.

However all these do nothing to detract from the overall enjoyment and rip-roaring sense of fun that the game provides. The term 'Sandbox' has been bandied around for many games on this generation's hardware, but with the aptly titled 'Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction', Pandemic have created just that - a wondrous and inspiring playground which will provide hours of entertainment.