Battlefield: Bad Company 2 review Pt. 2

Though the teams are a little on the small side (especially considering the PC version offers 16 vs 16), there's always an enemy to shoot because of the game's squad respawn system. When you're apart of a squad, you have the option to automatically reappear on your teammate's position, eliminating the need for lengthy run back times in order to get back into the fight. Unless, of course, you have a team of snipers who like sitting a mile away from the front lines. Then you're probably in for a rough match.

What also makes Bad Company 2's multiplayer mode so exceptional is the revamped class system. In the first Bad Company, classes were somewhat unbalanced, particularly Specialists who could knock out tanks using C4 and had the most powerful, close quarters weapon. This time, weapons are better distributed and each kit can be individually customized. For example, the Engineer class automatically comes with a rocket launcher and a drill to repair vehicles, but their sub machine gun can be swapped out for a shotgun and their pistol can be exchanged for a tracer dart gun.

As you play through the multiplayer mode, you'll earn experience points for killing enemies and completing objectives. The more experience points you acquire, the more gear, weapon upgrades (like scopes) and perks are unlocked, enabling you to deck out your kit however you would like.

It's worth noting that weapons are more balanced in Bad Company 2 as well. In the first game, your starting weapons were quickly overshadowed by the next unlock. Now, the stats and attributes are better distributed, making almost each gun a viable selection.

Each class is useful in its own way and your army will need to utilize each one in order to achieve victory. Soldiers armed with sniper rifles are great for highlighting targets from a distance for other players to see, Medics have heavy machine guns and can revive fallen comrades and the Assault class has the ability to throw resupply kits. Knowing how to pilot vehicles effectively is also very important. Driving a jeep or a tank is pretty self explanatory, but learning how to properly use the helicopters and UAV drone requires a little bit of practice.

Once you get the hang of it, though, it's an absolute thrill to sweep over the battlefield, lobbing rockets at helpless foot soldiers and then swooping away unscathed.

There's really no overstating just how amazing Bad Company 2's multiplayer is. At the risk of sounding cliche, when bullets are whizzing by overhead and geysers of rubble and dirt begin exploding in the air beside you, it actually makes you feel like a participant in a full scale war. Supporting this illusion of realistic combat is the game's amazingly crisp audio and its outstanding graphics. While the visuals may not be quite as detailed as Modern Warfare 2, the sheer size of the levels and the destructible environments more than compensate for that.

Final Verdict

Modern Warfare 2 -- what's that? Infinity Ward and Activision's military themed first-person shooter had its day, but honestly, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 dwarfs it in so many respects. The story mode may not be quite as graphically intense, cinematic or awe inspiring as the epic set pieces in Modern Warfare 2, but it's above average. Where Bad Company 2 completely blows away the competition, though, is with its online multiplayer.

In short, there really aren't too many other games that can match the complete package that Bad Company 2 offers. The scale of the battlefield is impressive, there's more guns and vehicles, the environment can be meticulously picked apart and destroyed, and the gameplay actually requires a certain degree of teamwork and cooperation. Recent first-person shooters like M.A.G or Modern Warfare 2 can rival some aspects of Bad Company 2, but they still pale in comparison to DICE and EA's latest battlefield experience.

     
                       
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