I gave up trying on Modern Warfare 2 a long time ago. The uneven difficulty in multiplayer, with the “good get better and the bad never improve” structure pissing me off to no end. But I stuck through it and played for the social aspect, mainly due to the fact that all my friends seemed to enjoy it and I enjoyed talking to my friends. Lucky for me, a little game called Bad Company 2 came around, and I was saved. The large scale of the maps, the group system, all of the advanced weapons, and, of course, the destruction, all opened my eyes and I witnessed what a truly fun first person shooter looked like. Read on for my Bad Company 2 review, and find out why this is the true Call of Duty killer.

The campaign, which is about six or seven hours in length, continues the adventures of everyone’s favorite misfit squad as they spit out one-liners and destroy anything and everything in their path. While the first game featured a humorous tale with a wild goose chase for gold (a plot that I swear was adapted from Clint Eastwood’s Kelly’s Heroes), the second time around, things get serious. Kicking off with an exciting WWII level that literally ends with a bang, the details of an experimental weapon said to have the ability to completely destroy the United States are revealed. Of course, the boys in Bad Company get thrown into the mix, and the result is another forgettable yet fun while it lasts campaign that leads to a good day or two of laughs. But let’s face it, you don’t want me to ramble on about the story or single player features. Nobody buys a Battlefield game for the story, and if you did, you’re lying. No, the real reason you are willing to shell out $59.99 is for that other option on the main menu, multiplayer.

I’ll kick of my coverage of multiplayer by saying one thing: Destruction 2.0 is the best addition to any game I can remember in recent memory. Not only does it increase the realism of the game, it guarantees that the map will never be exactly the same. While I may have different interests from the rest of you, I enjoy the feeling of uncertainty when making my way over unknown terrain. And believe, the first time you think, “The hell? There was a building there a minute ago,” you’ll have to smile to yourself.

While most Battlefield gamers will be accustomed to just one available game type, DICE stepped it up for this game and chose to include not one, not two, but three modes for players to compete in. The first, conquest, is the classic base/flag capture mode we’ve been playing since the days of old. This where those snipers come in handy, and it becomes a camping fest to victory. The second, Rush, is exactly what it sounds like. The defenders attempt to protect two objectives while the attackers rush to plant charges and destroy said objectives. The final, and newest, mode is Squad Deathmatch. Squads of four fight against each other in the always fun kill or be killed scenario. Of course, communication is much more important here than in most other games, so it pays to have a few friends who pick up the game as well. It’s never fun to have an entire attacking team sniping from a ridge without ever making a first push to actually attempt to take more land.

I’ve leveled a three story building and killed six people in the process. I’ve taken a group of four across an entire map in a helicopter, landed on the enemies base, infiltrated the building from the roof while dealing with any resistance, and made the winning bomb plant. I’ve led massive charges on an enemy position, comrades dying at my side, and falling gloriously on the field of battle, knowing my squad could continue where I left off. And the funny thing is, this is the first time I’ve ever actually experienced what seemed like an adrenaline rush while playing a game. I now credit Bad Company 2 with renewing my faith in the shooter genre, I can assure you that this disc will be spinning in my tray for months to come.

Score: 9/10

• Pros:
  • Campaign entertains well for what it’s worth
  • Destruction 2.0 now allows for truly complete destruction
  • Multiplayer… all of it
• Cons:
  • The promised ten hour campaign is about four hours less than expected
  • Will there ever be a Battlefield game without multiplayer issues at launch?
  • Random rank resets due to connection problems with EA Online piss you off to no end
• Random Fact:
  • The supposed “Limited Edition” is the regular game but with a code for some extra guns in multiplayer. Once they run out, the regular editions hit the shelves, so buy fast!

  Bad Company 2 was developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on March 2nd on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC.