Battlefield Bad Company 2

[RedRaven]

Picked up this title today on impulse, not played any of the previous Battlefield titles so its all new to me.
Played for a couple of hours so far and got to say I'm really enjoying it. The game starts at the end of WW2 with your self and 3 other soldiers on a small dingy on a mission to collect a defecting scientist. Its kind of a play for a few minutes then cut scene while they progress the plot. The cut scene's are not exactly cut scene's, it all happens with what is already on screen so it flows well, and will this is happening you are still able to look around the area with the mouse (or console equivalent). A nice touch.

After a simple but action filled mission to grab the scientist and escape it then moves forward in time to around now with an alternate out come of the past 60 years, seeing most of the globe under enemy control. Thats where it all starts for real and about as far as I've got!

The gameplay is nice and straight forward, it pretty much a Run & Gun style as you progress toward mission objectives and the unfolding story. So far would say it is a kind of like Borderlands style play with OFP style setting. And probably similar to titles like "Modern Warfare" series. And as with most games of this type there is the usual array of On-line gameplay too (which after less than ten minutes saw me die horribly and quickly twice ::) ).


Give me a couple more days to get some game time with it and will post a more comprehensive review :-X

[Art Blade]

Thanks for the review, Red -- have fun :)

[eor123]

I've played through it a couple of times. It's enjoyable. Single player mission is too short -- about 5 to 6 hours on Normal Difficulty. If you aren't into Multiplayer, you just aren't getting your money's worth with FPS's now. IMO.

Pretty much run and gun straight through action but you do seem to have more control over the pace of the game than on MW 2 . The teammate AI is better in this version. They go about their business and don't bunch up behind you in a firefight, allowing for some flanking. That was one of my main gripes with the Bad Company 1.

Wisecracks keep it from getting too dark.  Haggard referencing "The Iliad" as a "hell of a book" was priceless.

"Hey, I can know stuff."  ;D

Lots of weapons to play with.

Enemy AI is pretty smart. They seem to have an uncanny ability to see through walls and find you. And speaking of walls -- don't hang around behind one very long. It won't be there indefinitely in a firefight. 

I was glad that in this one, the Sgt. doesn't yell, "I see Russians!" every 30 seconds.

Play through on Hard is fairly challenging but not as difficult as I thought it should have been. It may need an extra hard level for hardcore gamers. Helicopters are VERY hard to kill, though.

Seems odd there is no stealth mission. 

The "evil Russian mastermind with a special weapon" story line is getting a little stale, IMO.

There are two humorous jabs at Modern Warfare 2 in the game -- a reference to pussies with heartbeat monitors on their guns and snowmobile races being for sissies. 

[Art Blade]

Nice impressions, Eeyore :)

If you aren't into Multiplayer, you just aren't getting your money's worth with FPS's now. IMO.

I see, you are right about some FPS that seem to concentrate on MP, selling a crippled SP version just to have an alibi for whatever. There are FPS that completely skip the SP aspect, Quake III Arena was just one early example.

But there are still SP FPS games that are brilliant, although they tend to have RPG elements these days (FallOut3, Stalker series, just to name a few). Maybe we'll get another SP star without much of an RPG, that is Just Cause 2, which I am looking forward to. :)

[spaceboy]

Hey guys, been meaning to mention this one too.  Any long time OWGer will know I brought up Bad Co. 1 a lot as one of my favorites (albeit first) next gen games.  I loved the single player action, humor, and destructive environments.  I played A LOT of MP of that game, for months on end.  The destructive environments made for different game outcomes all the time.  The game was just plain fun.  When you introduce several vehicle types, lots of good weapons, destructible environments, and big open maps it is a WIN in my book.

The amount of hilarious situations especially when gamers poor helicopter piloting skills get involved, seemed neverending.

Anyways, onto BFBC2 and I'm probably a third of the way through the campaign, and enjoying it.  I agree with Red and eor.  I actually miss some of the humor from the first,  this one still has some, but just not as much.

The MP is back and with lots of new maps, plus a slightly improved destructive engine, the fun is already beginning. I've only played a bit so far, but I'm lovin' it just like the first installment.  For SP only, I'd say rent it, but I definitely recommend the MP.  Yes you will die a lot in the beginning, but once you get used to the maps, and branch out into some vehicles, or just aim an RPG at the side of a building - it's so satisfying.

[eor123]

On the second play-through I slowed down a bit and picked up more of the humor. After a fire fight or when an objective has been reached, if you pause and  hang out for a while with the guys you will hear more.

There was  a discussion about how erections came to be known as "woodies."  References were made to Woody Allen, Woody Guthrie, and the question was posed as to why they weren't referred to as clarinets with scenarios using "clarinet" in lieu of erection.

Picked up a "Predator" reference -- Sgt. says, "They're dug in here like an Alabama tick." Jesse Ventura's line.

My favorite lines:

Sgt [when trying to figure out a computer] :  I knew I should have taken that Adult Ed course -- probably would know how to do Powerpoint to."

Haggard [after getting a pep talk about how there would be no more Superbowl Sundays or Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders if they don't stop the weapon from being used]: "I'm off to save me some cheerleaders."

Sgt: "Fcuk it, retirement would have been boring anyway."

Sweetwater:  "Who the Hell goes to war wearing a cowboy hat?"   I suspect that may be a reference to another game or movie.

Haggard's exchanges with the helicopter pilot were great. I have a suspicion we might see Flynn again in Bad Company 3 which is obviously in the works, given the ending of BC2.

     

[spaceboy]

good ones.

From the first game:

Haggard- "I just like it when stuff blows up"

I loved how Sweetwater was "in love" with "Juliet" the handler that gave them info over the mics.  Also, the ramblings of Haggard about women or whatever were just priceless - I should play it again to spark my memory.

The feeling for BC2 is that these "misfits" still have their great sense's of humor, but are now involved in a bigger, more intense mission.  You can see it in their mannerisms a bit as well as their voices.  It's like they're stepping up to the plate once again, but not for themselves primarily, but for the country.

The four characters really felt likeable and "real" to me, so despite what some people say about the SP not being very good, I've found the games action packed, funny, and really enjoyable.

[eor123]

When the satellite crashes into the village, Haggard appears to either brush debris or tears from his face and quietly murmurs,  "That is the greatest thing I have seen in my entire life."
;D

[spaceboy]

Yes!  I meant to post that.  I played that part the other day and thought that was a great line.  The driving sequence right before that was alot of fun.  I'm at the point in the tanks right after recovery of the black box, but I've been sick for a couple days and haven't played  :(

[Art Blade]

welcome to the club, space... I'm still trying to recover myself and don't feel fit enough to play (much).

[spaceboy]

thanks Art, sorry to hear you've been ill as well.  I was surprised I never felt good enough yesterday to take in a couple hours of gaming at some point, but I just wanted sleep...

[PZ]

Sounds like illness is everywhere - we've many people out from w@&k due to illness.

Get well, guys - I know you must have felt really poorly not to be able to play.

[Art Blade]

I'm mostly alright by now (man, haven't had such a fever attack in decades). I heard from my boss that in his department are more than 10 people at home, ill. Quite a number!

[nexor]

Posted a few clips

[PZ]

Nice video (I liked the smaller ones - less pixelated).  The minigun sounded like an angry hornet's nest, and in one of the videos there is a bridge reminiscent of the Goka Falls bridge in FC2.  :-X

[nexor]

Watch the guy with the RPG on the right hand side of the screen.......... :)

BFBC2 11

[Art Blade]

looks like he lost some ground there  :-()

[spaceboy]

beautiful.  And that right there is why the game rocks because buildings online in MP are just like that.  That was not a set piece.  That's just how the game's engine works in both SP and MP.  Nowhere is safe from good quality explosives.  :)

[PZ]

That's really cool  :-X

[nexor]

Some action................... :)

BBC2 12

[Art Blade]

The scene depicted in the vid above could easily bear with a caption like this:

"Alright, boys.. dinner's ready! Hot beans for everyone!"  :)

[B33 ENN]

Haggard's exchanges with the helicopter pilot were great. I have a suspicion we might see Flynn again in Bad Company 3 which is obviously in the works, given the ending of BC2...

Spoiler

Hard to see that happening as he took an RPG for the team in one of the end levels?  :D I wish he hadn't though because by the end I started to like him a lot too! In the beginning I didn't because the way they portray him and the fact he wears no helmet/radio gear made him not believable as a special forces Blackhawk piloting courier!  8) Maybe if they'd had him in an old clapped out 'Nam Hueyflying as a privateer...  ;)

Reading this thread's made me want to play through BC2 again  :-D

[deadman1]

Bad Company 3 will most likely be a MP only game like BF 2.

[spaceboy]

Bad Company 3 will most likely be a MP only game like BF 2.

What makes you say that deadman?  I hope you haven't read that somewhere.  As much as I like the Bad Co. multiplayer portions, it's the single player that drew me in originally and endeared me to the characters.  I think they lend an overall feeling to the game, that even when in MP and it's the heat of battle you know it's a game unlike COD games that in my opinion, take themselves too seriously. 

I'd hate to see an MP only version of Bad Co.  I don't mind the MP only DLC add-ons as I'm currently enjoying the Vietnam pack a lot.  I hope they would keep with the same model and release a quality, entertaining campaign, along with the incredible MP, supported for a longer time with very nice DLC.

[deadman1]

Bad Company 3 will most likely be a MP only game like BF 2.

What makes you say that deadman?  I hope you haven't read that somewhere.  As much as I like the Bad Co. multiplayer portions, it's the single player that drew me in originally and endeared me to the characters.  I think they lend an overall feeling to the game, that even when in MP and it's the heat of battle you know it's a game unlike COD games that in my opinion, take themselves too seriously. 

I'd hate to see an MP only version of Bad Co.  I don't mind the MP only DLC add-ons as I'm currently enjoying the Vietnam pack a lot.  I hope they would keep with the same model and release a quality, entertaining campaign, along with the incredible MP, supported for a longer time with very nice DLC.

BFBC2 was the first battlefield game that had a SP campaign so if DICE makes BF 3 like the previous ones it´ll be MP only. I hope they will include a SP campaign because you I liked that portion of the game, but I´m not holding my breath on that one.