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Battlefield: Bad Company 2

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The Crowned Multiplayer FPS

Mar 4, 2011

by Garyuu
posted in Siliconera Bounce

Exclusive to the Lunch Network

Rating:

(I will note that this is an old review that I think deserves a spot here. Take that as you will.)

Before the release of the first Battlefield: Bad Company in 2008, EA Digital Illusions CE (or DICE) released what could be a preview of the evolution of the Battlefield series. Not only did they attempt to emphasis a lot of humor with the characters and posting parody trailers, but also adding something new for the first-person shooter experience, blowing stuff up! This new incentive gave birth to more dynamics for the players, allowing to create a number of solutions while changing the shape of the battlefield, especially in the multiplayer. Even the campaign itself was a comedy galore, presenting interesting characters as well as a not-so-serious, but still great plot.

During the development of Bad Company 2, Infinity Ward's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" became the talk of the town. It was the first to claim the crown of the best online multiplayer game. Everyone knows it; Everyone plays it. That alone is reason enough for more people to experience it's greatness. In spite of this, there are just some things that Modern Warfare can't do that Bad Company can. And it starts this year with the next FPS that could be next in line to claim the thrown, Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Presentation/Story: The game starts off pretty well with some simple options. You can choose the story campaign or the multiplayer. On multiplayer you can join a random game, while choosing which modes to play in. You can also choose to play with your friends and create clans of your own. EA also presented an in-game store for the VIP players, or so it seems. When you input a certain code given by EA, you have access new content for the multiplayer experience, such as new maps, skins, and weapons.

Overall, the story of the game is good, but not as good as it was from the first game. If you're like me and you laughed your ass off while the characters in the game do some crazy shit, you'd expect to see that in the next game. Unfortunately, you won't. The plot seemed interesting from the beginning, the Japanese create a secret and destructive weapon. The beginning happens to be a prologue from the past until it transitions itself towards the present time with Marlowe, Haggard, Sweetwater, and Redford...or Sarge. Even if you might be taken into the story, it's certainly a fail that EA didn't bring back the humor it once had. It was what made Bad Company special in the first place. Still, the characters are funny as hell, and even if you don't see much humor in the cutscenes, there's always the special conversations mid-game. What adds even more flavor is that DICE has the guts to makes Modern Warfare 2 references. One note to add is the variety of weapons you can find and collect as well as gold crates to blow up.

Gameplay: Controls are the same as any other FPS, along with the D-pad for the use of gears from the classes you play as and the Select(PS3) or Back(XBOX) button to spot enemies for your squads. Those buttons are also used when pointing at your teammates whenever you need some ammo or health. Bad Company 2 presents an amazing range of weapons and perks, all stacked in a unique unlock tree. The types of weapons range form sub-machine guns, light machine guns that have the most bullets, and sniper rifles. There are four classes in all: Assault, Engineer, Medic, and Recon.

The Assaults are your standard attackers. They always move to the front lines with everything they have in their arsenal, equipped with sub-machine guns and grenade launchers. They are also equipped with ammo boxes for your squadmates. Engineers fix up vehicles and destroy enemy vehicles with their RPG's and anti-tank mines. Medics are the healers, of course. Their light machine guns have the most capacity, but they're hard to handle (it depends on how you use them). They are equipped with med-packs that heal nearby units and the defibrillators that revive them. And lastly, the Recons, or rather the snipers. They shoot at long distances and are equipped with motion sensors, C4 Explosives, and mortars.

The main faction of the gameplay is DICE's revamped version of blowing shit up: Destruction 2.0. The aesthetic that allows players to use anything at their disposal to blow up every part of a building, forcing it to tumble down to the ground. Use a knife to break fences and doors; use grenade launchers to destroy heavy machines guns. Get a squad to use C4 explosive all over a building and watch the fireworks. These aren't even half of the number solutions you can come up with. As for the guns, there's no scope drifting.

Like every Battlefield game, vehicles are a necessity. From Bradleys to UAVS, they are another way to wreak havoc across the battlefield. Players would complain that these vehicles are overpowered, but alas, this is WAR!

Sound: The sound quality is also top notch. It reflects the realism of what explosions, gunshots, and the whiffs of rifle rounds sound like. The voice acting is more true to what soldiers at war are supposed to sound like. "How so," you ask? In war, men cuss. Get ready to hear a motherload of F-bombs all over the battlefield. This also makes the multiplayer experience feel more alive.

Multiplayer: This is the main focus of Bad Company 2, and it expands more and more through EA's involvement. If you had just bought and played this game after becoming a master in Modern Warfare 2 and whatnot, you must have felt like a raging, AIDS-infected, adolescent fool. The multiplayer experience is way different and it requires a lot more thinking and skill. For instance, always spot your enemies with the back or select button. It the best way for your entire team to find your enemies and go on a kill spree. You will earn points for being a good sport about it. I use this a lot no matter which class I use, giving my squad ammo whenever they need it and just spreading med-packs around.

There are 4 modes of multiplayer: Conquest, dominating 4 points with your native flag while defending them from enemies; Rush, setting charges on M-COMS or defending them from enemies "trying" to disarm them; Squad Team Rush, the 4 vs 4 version of Rush; and Squad Deathmatch, 4 squads taking each other out until they've reached 50 kills. My favorite was Rush and Squad Deathmatch in Arica Harbor. I'm more familiar with the environment and it has good shortcuts and sniping spots.

Speaking of points, you will unlock more weapons and perks for gaining experience for your classes. Your total experience adds up to how much it takes for you to rank up. If you play an Assault class killing enemies with it, you will earn EXP for it. You will earn a lot more for playing your role, like giving your teammates some ammo. This is the same for all classes, especially the vehicle experience you get. Learn how to utilize them all and dominate the opposing team.

You're in a squad, so act like you are. One of the best mechanics in the online multiplayer is the squad spawning system. This allows you to respawn either on your home base or on top of your teammates. This is the best use of strategy, much like real warfare itself. I went as far as to spawn near my squadmmate whenever he's near an M-COM. What I love most about being in a squad is communication. You listen to your own squad this time. You may not communicate with anyone else, but it's better than hearing one whiny 12-year old in the team.

As far as my enjoyment was on multiplayer, I knew I was going to have a great time ever since I played the demo. Being honest here, first-person shooters were never my preference. I thought it was a waste of time if you just lose more than you win and the fact that games such as this can drive you insane. But when I first saw the first Bad Company, with it's hilarious singleplayer campaign, I knew maybe there's hope for me to like FPS's, if only a little. Bad Company 2 managed to fill me with interest, using so many ways to win and having fun with my teammates. Not only that, I love killing tanks with C4's.

Final Verdict: DICE had no intention of coming in second place with this marvelous sequel. In truth, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has risen above the fame of Modern Warefare 2. Why, you ask? The fact that many people are transitioning from MW2 to BC2 is proof that they are getting tired of the boredom and glitchiness of it all. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is declared the new king of online multiplayer shooters. You will not be disappointed when you buy this game. This could last you for more than half a year, if not longer.

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About the reviewer

Garyuu
Ranked #523

Member Since: Feb 21, 2011
Last Login: Aug 29, 2012 10:13 PM UTC

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About this video game

Wiki

Battlefield Bad Company 2 is a first-person shooter, and sequel to Electronic Arts' 2008 release, Battlefield Bad Company. Following the continuing combat adventures of misfits of the US Army's Company "B," Bad Company 2 features the characteristic humor and grit of the Bad Company series, as well as a variety of gameplay improvements and additions, including 2-24 player online support; all-new four man squad gameplay; and more. Couple this with the variety of vehicle related items and classic Battlefield weapons included with the Limited Edition for PlayStation 3 (see complete list below), and you have the Ultimate Battlefield Bad Company experience to date.
Battlefield Bad Company 2 game logo

Story and Gameplay
Like the original Battlefield: Bad Company game, Bad Company 2 is a first-person shooter following the exploits of Company "B" of the US Army's 222nd Battalion. In this new adventure, the more mature yet still infamous company of misfits are tasked with interceding in a series of conflicts that have the potential to ignite of a new World War. Game environments cover snowy mountains, all the way to jungles and deserts.

Cavalry / infantry combat in the snow in Battlefield Bad Company 2

Classic military combat gameplay.
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A vehicle blowing up after taking fire in Battlefield Bad Company 2

New destructive abilities.
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ATV and combat helicopter in action is Battlefield Bad Company 2

Ultimate online vehicle warfare.
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Firing on a approaching ATV with passenger in Battlefield Bad Company 2

New squad-based play options.
View larger. As the action begins players have their pick of four distinct character classes, and weapons, gadgets and specializations. Within these, players have over 15,000 kit ...

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