I’ve always been a sucker for the Battlefield games. The huge battlefields these games provided always had huge potential for some intense online combat. Whenever a new Battlefield title is announced, I always have high expectations for the online carnage it would bring. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 does not disappoint.

Campaign:

Bad Company 2 provides some of the most action packed gameplay you’ll encounter this year, accompanied by some extremely cinematic moments. The campaign spans across some very interesting locations. You will find yourself traversing the lush jungles in South America, the cold mountains in Northern Russia and even American territory. You will be taking part in some intense battles in every scenario, fighting several waves of local militia and Russian operatives. The improved “Destruction 2.0”, which allows you to literally chip away at enemy cover and bring down entire structures, adds to the fun factor. To possess so many improvements over the previous instalment’s weak campaign is quite an achievement.

However, the campaign’s plot and lasting appeal seems to suffer because of the over the top action. The game starts off with an interesting take on the events leading up to the modern era with a prologue set in the Pacific Theatre of WWII. After the prologue has ended, the game will return to the perspective of Bravo Two, formerly Bad Company. The game’s plot is explained mainly through the use of cut scenes, making the explosive action feel episodic. The inability to interact during any significant plot twists is a bit of a letdown and makes everything feel a bit anticlimactic. There are some more memorable and tolerable scenes near the end of the game, but it isn’t enough to make the whole campaign a success in terms of storyline. It doesn’t hinder your chances of having fun, but it will hinder your chances of expressing much interest in what the campaign has to offer other than the intense gameplay.

Another notable flaw is how insultingly short the overall experience is. I blasted through the campaign in five hours, while the hardest difficulty only took me an extra hour to complete on my second playthrough.

The campaign has its fun moments, but is not worth the asking price for those who are searching for a decent single player experience.

Bad Company 2 is a gorgeous game. Character models are well animated and textures are very detailed. The backdrops are breathtaking, with some good shadows and lighting effects on each battlefield. The guns look and sound fantastic. The explosions look great and each battlefield is very atmospheric.

Multiplayer:

While the multiplayer is unlikely to revolutionize any multiplayer aspects of the FPS genre, the online experience that accompanies Bad Company 2 is worthy competition for multiplayer giants like Modern Warfare 2 and Halo 3.

Conquest and Rush return for another outing, both allowing for two teams of 12 to compete, followed by the addition of two new game modes. These new game modes are Squad Rush, a bite-sized version of Rush, and Squad Deathmatch, pitching 4 teams of 4 players against each other on one medium sized battlefield. There is also a hardcore option for each game mode, significantly reducing the player’s health, limiting visual aids on the HUD and increasing weapon damage. While Rush had the largest maps, I found Conquest to be the most enjoyable. This was mainly due to the insanely competitive maps Conquest possessed, allowing for a steadier flow of points.

Bad Company 2 introduces attachments and specifications to the series, as well as a new arsenal of weapons and gadgets. While the majority of the new weapons can take a while to unlock, they certainly do add to the variety that the four customisable classes provide.

The most entertaining feature of the multiplayer is how teamwork can make such a huge difference in how important your role is when it comes to winning a match. Each online squad can hold up to four players and rewards each of your attempts at teamwork with bonus points. It also makes the intense combat far easier to master if your communication skills are decent. I found organising strategies with my squad mates a fun and rewarding experience. However, getting lumbered with an uncooperative squad or a squad with a limited number of players can be infuriating.

While the overall experience is very entertaining, I did find myself encountering a few problems. There was no effort to balance games. For the first few hours, I competed against gamers with extremely high levels and noticeably superior kits. The inability to communicate with the rest of your team is also a bit of a letdown. Even if you are not part of a squad, it is impossible to gain any voice communication with any other players. The visual aids ease this problem, but it can lead to frustration in some cases, especially if you are losing. This is certainly not a multiplayer game for any “lone wolves“.

VIP System:

Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s online mode contains a service available only to those who purchase a new copy of the game, while those who intend on purchasing a used copy will have to pay for VIP access. This is a system that bears several similarities to Mass Effect 2’s Cerberus Network. This VIP system will provide free DLC to VIP users, with the exception of the original Battlefield: Bad Company and premium themes, which requires an online purchase to download. Two map packs have already been distributed so far, while others have yet to be announced. While it has been done before, it is a nice little feature for those who buy the game new. Think of this as a little warning to those who go hunting on eBay.

Final Word:

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a solid title. Neat visuals, some excellent cinematic cut scenes and the brilliant destruction set a good example for what game engines nowadays are capable of. Throw in the epic multiplayer and you have a title that is easily recommendable to any online gamer out there. While the single player is mildly entertaining, it is best that single player fanatics wait until Bad Company 2 hits the bargain bin before considering a purchase. However, fans of online warfare should definitely consider picking this one up if they are willing to lose several hours of their free time to one of the most enjoyable online experiences available.

Genre: FPS

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC (Reviewed on Xbox 360)

Developed by: EA Digital Illusions CE

Published by: Electronic Arts