SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault/New features

One of the main new features of this game is the ability to play an all new story mode online. It is set in the fictitious region country of "Adjikistan", and replaces the SEAL team with up to three other players via online play.

In addition, the online play section includes all the SOCOM 3 multiplayer maps as well 10 new multiplayer maps for Combined Assault. The SOCOM 3 maps can be played with players using a SOCOM Combined Assault disc, however SOCOM 3 disc users would not be able to play any of the new Combined Assault maps without purchasing the game.

The ranking system has also been reworked. The player doesn't just have to defeat the other team to get one's rank higher, but the player also has to win games and rounds.

The biggest addition to Combined Assault is the online co-op. You can team up with up to three other players and either play single player campaign missions, or the instant action missions. This mode allows you to play any unlocked levels in single player on a variety of game modes. This adds replay value to the game, as you can also unlock "Badges" after completing specific objectives. After a player receives a certain amount of badges, they unlock weapons and weapon attachments. These unlocked weapons are used mainly in offline mode, but two weapons are able to be used in online multiplayer matches once they are unlocked.

Some other changes include a different in-game command menu (more like SOCOM 2), and the ability to complete the campaign mode in any order the player wishes (for example: you can complete objectives in no specific order, and you can choose which mission to play).

New items include Medkits and Ammunition kits, which are able to revive/heal a SEAL team member and replenish ammunition of multiple types of weapons respectively. Body Armor is an option and Beanbag Launchers are a non-lethal alternative to stunning an opponent in long-midrange combat.

Changes
To comply with the game's new rating of Teen by the ESRB, some elements of the game were altered. Some major changes were the removal of blood and changing the names of the enemies to mercenaries and paramilitaries to make the game more politically correct. The dialogue in the game was also cleaned up, to remove racial slurs and obscenities. The phrase "dead" has been replaced by "incapacitated" and blood was replaced with gray "dust" instead. These changes caused controversy within the SOCOM community.

Individual "Rifle Butts" in Close Quarters Combat no longer kill an opponent, but temporarily stun them. Multiple "Rifle Butts" either kills the enemy or forces him to surrender.

On the Armory screen, instead of being shown in combat uniform, the SEALs are shown in officer uniforms, which would only be correct for SPECTER, slightly incorrect for JESTER (since he is a CPO), and completely incorrect for KILLJOY and SIMPLE, who are regular Petty Officers.

New weapons
New to the SOCOM series, is the option to use non-lethal weapons to subdue and capture enemy combatants. Non-lethal weapons include: Flashbang grenades, bean bag rounds and pepper spray rounds, and stinger spray grenades, which eject a series of rubber balls upon explosion.

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Combined Assault also includes new items that are not weapons but are equipped the same way weapons are, such as medkits, ammo kits, and body armor.