PS3 Review – Battlefield: Bad Company 2
The Battlefield series has been a long and fruitful one, dating all the way back to 2002 with Battlefield 1942. The series has done a great job of bringing large-scale chaos into the player’s home with large maps and a variety of vehicles. Now that the Call of Duty series has become the popular-sensation that it is, DICE and EA have promised to up the ante with their latest game, Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Have they delivered? Or have they made promises that have fallen flat?
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 features the same group of ragtag soldiers you had the pleasure of fighting beside in the first game. This time around you are not out for gold, however, as your group is sent out to stop the Russians again, this time from unleashing a deadly weapon called the Aurora. The guys in your squad are all portrayed pretty well, with solid voice work and a decent but occasionally corny script. The story is paced just fast enough not to get stale, but never really pulls you in. Unfortunately, while the campaign mode has its moments, there really just aren’t enough epic moments in the single-player campaign to make it stand-out.
The single-player portion of the game starts you out with a prologue mission back in Japan during World War II where you are first introduced to the weapon Aurora. From there, you start on your campaign spanning over 13 varied missions. You will visit plenty of different settings during the game, from snow to jungles, giving the player a taste of everything. By far, my favorite mission was one where you actually had to move from house to house trying to avoid the freezing cold that would consume you. Besides just your mission, there are collectable guns to find and M-Com Stations to blow up during your missions, which both add a bit of replay value. Once you have found a gun, it will then be available throughout the entire game through the occasional resupply crates, which offers a unique spin not seen in other FPS titles.
One of the big letdowns with BFBC2, like most shooters, is that your friendly AI isn’t helpful in most situations. It’s not that they should do all of the work for you, but for once, I wouldn’t mind them actually killing an enemy standing right in front of them. It is also funny to find that my friendly AI partners are bulletproof. I watched them several times get completely shredded, only to pop right back up and continue the fight. Hoorah! Just like your partners, the enemy AI also has its own hiccups, sometimes standing right out in the open asking to be shot.
Just like the first game, everything is destructable, and this can be good or bad for you. You will find plenty of opportunities to take down a building, laying waste to anyone inside. On the flip side though, no hiding place is a good one, as the enemy can also bring down the house you’re in. This whole dynamic makes for a wonderful orchestra of chaos and destruction as you battle your way to each objective. You won’t have to run everywhere though, as there are plenty of vehicles for you to make use of, though most of your time will be spent on foot. The vehicles handle really well, and you definitely feel a sense of power when driving a tank. Hands down though, the best vehicle by far is the 4 wheeler, especially when you’re driving through the desert.
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19 Responses to “PS3 Review – Battlefield: Bad Company 2”
Nice. How long does it take to complete SP? gosh, if its longer that MW2′s skimpy 5 hours, then maybe it should get that 5th point back.
It took me around 10 hours to complete the single player. There are some collectables and trophies that will extend the playtime by a few more hours too.
I know I’ve definitely played more than 5 hours already and haven’t finished the single player yet, and I’m not one to go around looking for all the collectibles. I kind of have the same problem with BC2 as I did with MW2. I just don’t think there has been much improvement in anything from the first title. The destructible environments are always cool and they have made it slightly more realistic but I feel like that is where the improvements end other than some new modes and the ability to squad spawn in multiplayer. I feel like the graphics don’t look any better than BC1 and I feel they went backwards with having to restart at the last checkpoint if you die in single player rather than just re-spawning like you did in the first. It’s still a fun game, but I just haven’t seen much innovation in the latest onslaught of blockbuster FPS.
i enjoy this story much more than MW2, but i have to agree the AI is funny sometimes. i am really enjoying the SP mode, and do look forward to the third game. i am waiting for them to fix the servers for MP, does anyone know if it has happened yet?
I highly recommend this title. I personally think the multiplayer is superior to Modern Warfare 2 in many ways. This is my third favorite shooter of all-time behind Counter-Strike and Battlefield 2.
screw Modern Warfare 2! why does everything now have to compare to that MW2 piece of crap?
ps great review
@ Jonathan – I’m with you, this is a great MP FPS. Counter-Strike and Battlefield 2 are my top two FPS of all time as well, and BFBC2 brings me back to my Battlefield 2 days. I just wish the campaign supported co-op.
Parts of the review I agree with, but others I don’t. The campaign needs more emotion? Regardless, I love the online. It’s the funnest multiplayer I’ve played in quite some time.
Although this is a thorough review, I have to disagree with the score.
How does this game get 4/5 but Modern Warfare 2 gets 5/5 AND Editor’s Choice? In a scoring scheme, everything is relative. By giving this a 4/5 and MW2 a 5/5+EC its implied that MW2 is just so much superior to BC2, which I disagree with, as I’m sure most of those that have played both games will.
I don’t think either game deserves Editor’s Choice, but BC2 should definitely at least get the same score as MW2. At the end of the day, gameplay is what matters and keeps brining players back. And in that regard, imo, BC2 is vastly superior to MW2 with more balanced gameplay and inclusion of vehicles.
And as Delta_Canuckian said, the storyline for BC2 was enjoyable. MW2′s story was not “gripping”, it was only the cinematics and animations that made the writing seem better than it actually was. They were both very good in their own respect, but to say that MW2 is a 5/5+EC… very far-fetched score.
All these 10/10, 100%, Editor’s Choice, etc. being given to MW2 is just a byproduct of the mass hype that accompanies the release of a past favorite, by a huge publisher. It is entirely non-deserving.
I also feel that giving out a 5/5+EC to MW2 brings the credibility of the EC way down. MW2 should not be put on the same pedestal as GW3 and U2. It just does not work.
After sharing my views, I feel inclined to say that I am a long fan of the website and all the news and reviews you guys provide. Thank you for your excellent and hard work.
I personally found the AI to rather useless but i felt the same about Modern Warfare 2, Now while the MW2 story was a mess, it atleast dragged me in a bit emotionally, made me feel a part of something.. In my opinon, Bad Company 2 never did that and thats why i felt they could have used more passion or gripping scenes in BFBC2
also i did not review Modern Warfare 2 so i was not responsible for that score,
This game kills crappy Modern Gayfare 2.
MW2= rubbish emotionless single and terrible online death matches.
BC= great single player story and variety online.
“I come here to kick ass and chew bubble gum and Im all out of the bubble gum”.
Sorry Cameron, your where deffo on acid if MW2 dragged you in, it was running around with a big squad getting killed every 5 seconds. The SAS parts where ok I suppose, but the US soldier stuff was terrible, i felt nothing apart from Boredom. Then the mutli player was DEATH MATCH all over again. COMPLETE SHIT, the most over hyped game ever. Give me Uncharted 2 any day.
Bad company is different and has more fun elements: Vehicles, destruction, better modes..etc.
“Sorry dudes but my cock has turned blue”
Awesome review! Awesome game!!
I was personally upset i’d spent £6 on a hire copy with its 5-6hrs sp story and the online was pointless with camprs and glitchin mofos a plenty….. Time will tell i guess but Bc2 for me 100%….
BC2 kicks arse! Not really a war type fps fan but bc2 has me gripped!! The online is a total riot (just grabbed my 24hr insignia lol)!! MW2 was a total let down
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this game is definitely better than Modern Warfare 2 in my books. the single player is definitely twice the length of MW2 and the multiplayer is fantastic! it’s definitely in my top 5 games that i play constantly.
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