Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Battlefield Bad Company 2 recently got released on the 360, PS3 and PC platforms. It’s been a while since I last played a battlefield game, Battlefield 2142 was the last one I touched. Since then however I never felt the urge to play the original Battlefield Bad Company or the recent online only Battlefield 1943. The original Battlefield Bad Company seemed too oriented towards console gaming and not so much PC. Battlefield 1943, aside from the graphics didn’t really seem to offer anything new to the franchise. So why has Battlefield Bad Company 2 got me nursing a semi in my panties you ask? Do read on…

Single Player -

I started to play the game on the hardest setting hoping to experience a challenge but sadly it would seem the challenge comes not from the increased damaged the enemy AI deals to you, but the idiocy of your teams AI. While at times they do down one or two enemies, most of the time they were waiting on me to push forward and in turn they would become static. I found this very odd considering I’m not even the squad leader and am incapable of interacting at all with my squad. The missions felt very scripted and at checkpoints, the game would fade out into a brief cut scene and then throw you back in to the game. I would have preferred if you could remain in first person view throughout the story telling. Pulling the player away from the game to watch a video and then quickly throw them back in just ruins the pace of the game. Other check points would have your squad mates all of a sudden appear ahead of you which is just dumb. One minute your moaning about your squad being too far behind you and then the next second you’re playing a game of catch up as their already attacking the enemy base.

What I would have preferred to see is the single player focusing on the squad play that DICE studios execute so well online. Being able to play through the missions as one of the classes would be more interesting and challenging. Imagine 4 different ways of playing the same mission, where each class has unique objectives only they could achieve or perhaps the ability to switch between any 4 of the squad members during play. 4 player cooperative mode would have been interesting to see as well, especially with the recent success of Borderlands. It’s a shame that the single player differs so much from the online experience. Online your part of a squad that works together, but in single player your character seems to be able to do everything and your squad seems incapable of doing anything… most of the time.

The game levels look amazing. Some wide open areas with lush backgrounds and good distancing resolutions. I would have liked to have seen more close quarter battles. So far I’ve only been fighting out in the open and the buildings I do go into are never bigger than one or two rooms and sadly always the same floor plan. The environments are well designed and the Destruction 2.0 engine adds a lot to the dynamic of the game and the way the player can affect and manipulate the level. That said I don’t find myself utilizing the ability to blow things up in the same way as I do online. In single player it seems to be very cosmetic and not built into the strategy to complete a mission.

I haven’t completed the single player yet, but these are my first impressions. Battlefield has always excelled in multiplayer and that’s where Bad Company 2 really stands out.

Online Multiplayer -

I need to get this out of the way now. Battlefield BC2 online is awesome! I’ve always enjoyed the online experience the Battlefield series has offered and it’s great to return to series after having played 2142 almost 2 years ago. Battlefield differs from other online shooters in that it focuses more on squad play and teamwork. You can still go at it lone wolf if you wish, but you won’t be achieving as much as you would working with a squad. Which is what you want to be doing in order to increase your rank and unlock new weapons and items. The game rewards are increased too, for example aiding a fellow squad mate will be worth more experience points, as opposed to aiding a player on the same team as you. This in turn emphasises the player to stay with their squad during the game, as opposed to running off with some other player. The ability to spawn with your squad is great for getting straight back into the action and decreases the time needed to meet back up with your squad. Battlefield is a big game and there are times where you will find yourself running A LOT! Thankfully there are vehicles to jump into for both transport as well as blowing the crap out of pretty much anything. Tanks, helicopters, ATV’s and even Jet Ski’s make an appearance. The overall online experience is greatly increased with the Destruction 2.0 engine. Nearly everything is destroyable, which adds a new level of thinking when playing. You might be safe behind a concrete wall from bullet attacks, but along comes a tank and blows a hole in your wall and your either dead from the explosion or greatly exposed to enemy. The entire environment can change. The forest you ran through for cover earlier has been cut down by a gun fire and now you’re forced to risk being shot out in the open or take a different route entirely. It’s all very dynamic and adds an interesting concept to FPS online multiplayer which isn’t seen as much as I’d like.

There’s a nice variety of maps and game modes to choose from too and providing you can find a good squad to play with or better yet with friends on mics, you should have a really good time playing this game online, increasing you rank and unlocking new upgrades.

See you on the battlefield.