Video Game Review: Truly Remarkable Action of ‘Battlefield: Bad Company 2’

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CHICAGO – If you notice that your multiplayer maps in “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” have been a little emptier lately it’s because everyone has picked up their weaponry and marched over to “Battlefield: Bad Company 2,” one of the best shooters ever released and a title that nearly everyone who has ever enjoyed an FPS will be playing through 2010 and beyond.

Video Game Rating: 4.5/5.0

When shooter fans were still more likely to pick up a mouse than a wireless controller, DICE ruled the multiplayer day with the “Battlefield” games but Infinity Ward stole their thunder in recent years with the “Call of Duty” franchise. Despite my clear love for the “COD” titles and the recent “Modern Warfare 2” (read the review here), I’m here to say that DICE has unequivocally stolen it back. “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” is the most detailed, accomplished, and wildly addictive multiplayer shooter in a very long time. Only one major design flaw and a few smaller issues in the single player portion of the game hold the title back from perfection.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Photo credit: EA

Most people will pick up this highly anticipated title for the multiplayer and it’s still the meat and potatoes of “Battlefield: Bad Company 2,” so that’s where we shall begin.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Photo credit: EA

“BBC 2” features four types of multiplayer (or, at least, it will as one was having difficulties as of this review but should be resolved soon), all of which are heavily focused on co-operative or squad play. You can be a “lone wolf” in “Bad Company,” blasting your way through anything that moves, but it won’t get you nearly as far or keep you alive nearly as long as if you go with the squad mentality of the game. Players are put in squads of four for “Rush,” “Conquest,” “Squad Deathmatch,” and “Squad Rush”.

In “Conquest,” the player is put on one of two armies that fight for control of three areas of a rather large map (there aren’t as many as I would have liked at launch but more are supposed to be available any minute now, especially to those of us with the VIP code that came with pre-orders, but EA is having store problems). The player can choose from several types of soldier with rather descriptive titles like “Assault,” “Recon,” “Medic,” or “Electrical” and then would be advised to work with squads within their army to maintain control or take a new area. It’s a familiar “Capture the Flag” multiplayer structure but it’s so expertly executed that it will feel completely fresh even after dozens of hours.

“Rush” is a little more complicated. There are still two teams, but this time they’re divided into attackers and defenders. One group must defend a pair of M-Com stations while the others tries to plant charges and blow them up. If they succeed, the map expands as the defenders “fall back” to another pair of stations, which can happen one more time before the attackers win and each section of the map gets more difficult for the attackers. The defenders can die an unlimited amount of times (as it’s not their death but the M-Com destruction that counts) but the attackers have a limited number of lives.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Photo credit: EA

It’s a brilliant multiplayer experience for a number of reasons, not the least of which that it virtually forces the player into what the game is all about - squad mentality. The player would be wise to choose a squad as he can spawn with them when he dies instead of starting back at point A. Even without headsets, it’s not long before good squads develop a rhythm and strategy, although you should be warned that sometimes your dumb buddy will fly your helicopter into the ocean or, as happened to me tonight, just stand there defending an already blowed-up station.

The final two modes are “Squad Deathmatch” and “Squad Rush,” the former of which is available now and the latter of which is reportedly going to be so any minute. “Squad Deathmatch” is a more refined, less crowded variation on the first two titles with two squads of four fighting to fifty kills. “Squad Rush” will feature two squads fighting for property.

The maps of “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” are incredibly well-designed and wildly entertaining and that’s really half the battle with a multiplayer shooter. They play to all of the various types of soldier and shooter fan. Like finding high ground and picking off sorry souls with your sniper rifle? You’ll constantly be finding new places to do so. Like jumping in a tank and blowing up property? The destructible environments are remarkable. These are perhaps the most well-designed multiplayer maps ever to come with a title at launch.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Photo credit: EA

As for the combat experience, it’s everything that “Battlefield” fans have come to expect with tons of pins, insignias, and new weapons to unlock as you progress. Once again, when you knife a player, you can take their dog tags. The arc of the multiplayer experience is perfect in that it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly racking up new prizes, but they’re also not too far between. You should be warned however that the weapons you start with are pretty weak and you should be aware that most of the people on the multiplayer battlefield now are going to have the increased firepower that comes with experience. Plan your strategy accordingly.

All of these words and I haven’t even touched on the single player experience. The good news is that, unlike the first “Bad Company,” it’s pretty damn good. Clearly inspired by the storytelling in the “Modern Warfare” games, the adventure follows the rowdy boys of Bad Company on a journey around the world trying to track down a weapon of mass destruction first found during World War II. The screenwriting and dialogue are predictably weak, but the variety of environments, weapons, enemies, and general gameplay keeps the experience entertaining. The graphics are remarkable with a sense of depth that’s nearly as impressive as “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” the new bar for this kind of game. As for complaints, there are too many cut scenes and they’re often not incorporated that well into gameplay, and the vehicle missions (copter, tank, etc.) seem a bit underdeveloped although they’re brief. These are minor complaints for what is an enjoyable FPS experience.

A more prominent complaint, and what holds “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” back from a perfect score is a simple one - there’s no co-op in the story. You follow a mission with other soldiers who provide cover fire and flank for you, but you can’t play co-op? Not even just two players? As most gamers know, co-op is becoming increasingly popular and one would think that a title like this could have really blown the doors open on the co-op shooter experience and set the bar for future developers.

It’s early in 2010 but I’ve already been very impressed by this young year with good titles like “Darksiders,” “MLB 10: The Show,” and “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” and great titles like “Heavy Rain” and “Battlefield: Bad Company 2”. And what I love about those last two games is how drastically different they are, hinting that this could be a wonderfully diverse year. And just think - we haven’t even told you about “God of War III” or “Final Fantasy XIII” yet. The only problem is that if this rate of quality continues, I may be too distracted to take your dog tags. See you on the battlefield.

Before you pick up your gear, check out this spectacular preview to prepare:

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com