Overview
Bad Company 2 was as the first title developed by Electronic Art’s DICE and utilizes the Frost Bite game engine as before, but oh my… how it has evolved.
The four likeable miscreants, Marlowe, Sweetwater, Haggard and Sarge are back in the army and are recruited to a ‘special forces’ team with the primary objective being to extract a Major Aguire who has been kidnapped by Russian militia operating in the South American jungles. You play as Marlowe who together with the other three need to work your way through lush jungles, dusty villages and snow-topped mountain ranges. Gathering intel, destroying targets, using every imaginable vehicle an army force would, Bad Company 2 takes you on a macho, humorous albeit cheesy, tactical and engaging military adventure. And this time it has substance to it.
Gameplay and Features
My biggest quandary with the previous title was the uninspiring storyline. I went through the story basically going through the motions to get to the end. It wasn’t bad, but certainly not memorable. Bad Company 2 is a lot more interesting and involving because of it. The characters still have their continuous cheesy banter, but this time I actually listened. The single player campaign is certainly no chore this time round, I was excited to go on and on this time with plenty of variation to.
The campaign’s pace fits nicely between the ‘other’ two big shooters, Modern Warfare 2 and Operation Flashpoint. While you will use tactical approaches, it is not as drawn out as OF and still linear. Again, while it cinematic and has quite a few action-packed scenes, it is not as fast and furious as MW2. The campaign was a good balance between tactical and adrenalin and way more cinematic than the first title from. The difficulty is also really nicely tuned. I played on normal and it was never too easy and still challenged me, just not to the point of frustration.
Visuals are vastly improved in many areas, not that the first wasn’t good. You will notice that the developers really polished and made use of aspects like smoke, dust, rain and other elements to really give you the visual feeling of being in the locale. Graphics are stunning from plush jungles filled with texture and depth to the chaotic dusty air in the sandy villages, really selling you the ambient environment. Character’s modeling is of the highest quality and in some cinematics you could easily mistake it for actual footage. I found the gfx a little grainy here and there, but stunning overall. Another aspect that I noticed a huge improvement visually was your view. The gun in view and movement is so realistic and well designed, which is really important for a first-person shooter. Bad Company 2 does it as well as the best of them. Sound and the sound-effects are much like the visuals, stunning and realistic totally submerging you in the battles.
I know we have seen destructible environments before, but this title does it as well as the very best. I was stunned at how much of the environment I could destroy, and how totally believable it all looked before and after. DICE really deserve credit on the how they managed to achieve such a seamless, realistic look with the destruction which created visual splendors.
Now when it comes to Multiplayer, very few if any do it as well as Bad Company. Multiplayer is comprised of several modes. If you played the first tile, you will recognize ‘Rush’ and ‘Conquest. Squad.’ Rush is now smaller, less players and is a more focused. ‘Deathmatch’ and ‘Team Deathmatch’ modes are similar to this series’ opposition and regulars to these game types will feel at home with these two. You will defend areas, attack tactically or frantically; however you want really as you are not pinned to a game-style. You have some new vehicles to enjoy and flank your way around the diverse maps, on land, water or the sky. A nice edition to the multiplayer mode was the ability to create a private lobby and invite friends only. Because Bad Company is a huge multiplayer game, you can expect plenty of achievement/trophies, XP and other rewards to be won.
Likes
- Improved visuals.
- Improved weapons.
- Improved cinematics.
- Improved dialogue
- SP is actually good this time round.
- Destruction was superbly delivered.
- MP is enormous fun.
- Look out for the banter aimed at MW2.
Dislikes
- Gfx a little grainy.
- A few inconsistencies with the destruction. Some things could not be destroyed that would be in reality.
- Still some cheesy dialogue.
- How much hours am I going to loose playing online when I should be sleeping.
Conclusion
The Bad Company sequel is a superlative FPS now with a rich singleplayer campaign as well as multiplayer. While most will buy this purely because on the promise that the first title set in its online form, they will be pleasantly surprised at how good it is going at it alone.
I found the multiplayer even more enjoyable the original Bad Company and it really is this games trump card. Bad Company 2 is less about the stats and more about the fun in my opinion. You do level up, you can track your rewards and compete but it isn’t everything there is to it. You can play in a tactical sniper role, a defensive role, a medic or the attacking soldier. I know this is what most offer in this genre, but I believe nobody does it quite like Bad Company. Whether it’s the vehicles, huge lobbies or the big open maps, Bad Company 2 stands alone in the online-multiplayer rat race.
A sequel truly worthy of its coin.
ZOMBIEGAMER RATING:
Bad Company 2 is also available on Playstation 3 and PC. For more see the official website.
Buy your copy here.
