[craig5320]

Bad Company 2 Review
___________________

From the moment the title is fired up it sucks the player into an interactive cinematic experience and it is as visually stunning as it is immersive. While the opening mission is reminiscent of the Metal Gear Solid 2 intro it doesn't have the same overblown and bloated style.

[BlueMak]

I completely agree, the single player campaign is a masterpiece. The pace is absolutely spot on, the amount of action, story telling, even jokes, and vehicle sequences is perfectly balanced. This is one of the best single player campaigns for FPS that has ever appeared in a game.

I completely agree with the rest of this excellent review too. This game just doesn't disappoint at any level.

[EfrainMan]

I haven't even touched the single-player, thinking it was gonna be meh, and cause of having so much fun in the multiplayer (even when losing it's still pretty fun). I guess I better check it out I take it by "Specialist" and "Support" you meant Engineer and Medic? I see no dearth of players using these classes, and I don't think it's cause of pins. I mean the engie has the rawket lawnchers and the medic has the biggest machine guns of them all which draws more of the action junkies. And squad tactics are so important. A tight 4-man squad with a decent medic or two are seemingly unstoppable thanks to squad spawn, cause if you leave even one alive, especially a medic, they'll be right back into the action in no time.

I still have to get used to sniping and the damn helicopter, but I'm getting there So come on over you MW2 people! You'll get tons more fun, and vehicles, and you still get to knife people!!

[BlueMak]

Usually I am very good at sniping, but for some reason I can rarely hit anyong with a sniper rifle on this game online. I don't know, it's annoying, the only annoying thing for me. So, I am usually an engineer and having lots of fun. Using an anti tank weapon to hs a standing still sniper is always fun lol. Plus I am getting very good with vehicles especially tanks.

Favourite thing in them is when someone with an anti tank weapon fires at you and hides inside a hut or behind a wall. Thinking that provides cover. LOL You just demolish the wall/building. AWESOME.

[Vikingod]

This game is very tempting, though I have some reservations due to my experience with Battlefield 2, which was generally positive, though some annoyances totally ruined the game for me over all (load times, balance between vehicle combat and on foot, etc.)

I prefer games without vehicles, which is why I like MW2, but from what I've read, this games strikes a nice balance. Is this the case?

[BlueMak]

I guess you are only talking about the multiplayer part.
IF yes, then
the load times are.....curious. I find there is a very long time while each round loads, even if it is on the same map. It feels like it takes ages. However, when the level is loaded and the Join In button appears, even if I click on it immediately when it appears, I see the map and there is already a battle going on for what might be at least 30 seconds! I don't know how or why. It's not like I have a 1992 PC or anything. So my answer about load times is...I don't know. For me they are horrible in this game, but for others it feels like not.

The lack of airplanes is a big bonus IMO. Helicopters exist in some of the maps, but if the team is half competent, they don't live for long. Other vehicles, are IFVs and AFVs, and the occasional ATV. I consider them having not enough armour while driving one, and too much armour when fighting against them, so my guess is they are ok.
Just make sure you aim for the sides and back of the vehicles.
In most of the maps the vehicles don't live for too long anyway. Most of the maps are full of buildings and even with an onboard "radar", it's too chaotic to be an environment for them.
What I am trying to say is, they do not feel unbalanced to me. Unrealistic yes, unbalanced, no.

[EfrainMan]

Originally Posted by BlueMak

...the load times are.....curious.

The long-loading bug is well known and documented to be occurring on ATi cards. It's been discussed on Rage3D and EA's Battlefield forums. It's a driver bug so it should be fixed on the next Catalyst.

Also, sniping: you are remembering to aim higher the farther the target is, right? The game has a somewhat realistic bullet travel/drop for all guns. It takes getting used to.

[Vikingod]

Good answer, thanks BlueMak.

The load time issue seems the same as it was for me previously, so I think I know what you're talking about. I didn't realize airplanes were gone, so that is a big improvement.

I'm going to think about this game, it seems like it would be fun, and hopefully ahve a lasting community. I don't buy many games anymore, so i hope they last when I do.

[Vikingod]

Just ordered it from Amazon, got it for $40 bucks shipped. Should be fun I think.

[BlueMak]

Originally Posted by EfrainMan

The long-loading bug is well known and documented to be occurring on ATi cards. It's been discussed on Rage3D and EA's Battlefield forums. It's a driver bug so it should be fixed on the next Catalyst.

Also, sniping: you are remembering to aim higher the farther the target is, right? The game has a somewhat realistic bullet travel/drop for all guns. It takes getting used to.

Good? to head about the bug and the potential fix.
About sniping, I have read everywhere about this more "realistic" aiming, but my experience so far with it is.....@@s. My aim is perfect many times and the target doesn't get hit. Then at times when I just don't take any lead, speed, distance/gravity (no air AFAIK) into consideration, BOOM HS. I will try sniping a few more but I am having a good time as an engineer for now.

Originally Posted by Vikingod

Good answer, thanks BlueMak.

The load time issue seems the same as it was for me previously, so I think I know what you're talking about. I didn't realize airplanes were gone, so that is a big improvement.

I'm going to think about this game, it seems like it would be fun, and hopefully ahve a lasting community. I don't buy many games anymore, so i hope they last when I do.

If you like online FPS, this should keep you for months if not more.

Originally Posted by Vikingod

Just ordered it from Amazon, got it for $40 bucks shipped. Should be fun I think.

Congratulations, it's a great game.
Don't forget the single player campaign, it is very good.

[Vikingod]

I definitely wont forget the SP portion, I always run through it first. Having a good SP game is what tipped me over to buy it actually, the fact that its a full experience makes it worth $40 (i hope!)

[BlueMak]

Good to hear If it wasn't for the single player I wouldn't get it so soon either.
Funny thing is what sold it to me was the demo of the first game. I knew they had gold in there and for the sequel.

[SFOSOK]

I am owning the crap out of this game (hence my sig). All unlocks/pins and good rank so far.



This is one of the only games I can say I love almost every aspect. Being able to take apart a sniper camp spot piece by piece until it collapses on him is amazing. Sticking a tracer to a helicopter and seeing a hail of missiles trailing it is amazing.

[Neshi]

you reckon a dell studio xps 16 would be able to play this?
1gb 4670, i7-720QM, 6gb memory..

[niceguyrichy]

Originally Posted by Neshi

you reckon a dell studio xps 16 would be able to play this?
1gb 4670, i7-720QM, 6gb memory..

well if SFO's sys specs are still up to date, then yeah, yours should work.
haven't got it yet myself (in kinda the same boat as Viking, some of the BS with BF2 left me a bit wary..), but looking forward to it with all i been reading

[BlueMak]

Originally Posted by Neshi

you reckon a dell studio xps 16 would be able to play this?
1gb 4670, i7-720QM, 6gb memory..

My guess, yes.

[EfrainMan]

This thing scales surprisingly well. My second rig is a E5300 with a 4670, and I can play it comfortably (50+ fps) at 1680x1050, DX9, no AA, no HBAO, everything else max'd. Not bad.

[niceguyrichy]

Originally Posted by EfrainMan

This thing scales surprisingly well. My second rig is a E5300 with a 4670, and I can play it comfortably (50+ fps) at 1680x1050, DX9, no AA, no HBAO, everything else max'd. Not bad.

sweet, that's good to know
i'll have to get the kid to pester his grandparents for it in that case, save me a few quid

[comp_ali]

Originally Posted by niceguyrichy

sweet, that's good to know
i'll have to get the kid to pester his grandparents for it in that case, save me a few quid

Lol , you are a bad parent j/k

[SFOSOK]

Rig is up to date.

play it 1920x1200 everything max no AA.

Don't know what the fps is but I can hit a guy running from his spawn on most Rush maps with the more accurate sniper rifles.

Specs are as follows:

opteron 165 @ 2.8
8800GTS512
4gb memory.
vista 64
On steam


Now the game runs smooth most of the time. Even with building explosions and lots of player in one area it doesn't really slow down. I got some lag sometimes but its pretty smooth now. Any frame rate issue are usually without reason few and far between.

[Neshi]

sweetas. that's good to know! cheers

[regularhero]

havent even played the SP yet (suppose i should??) but the full release is awesome and i am glad the beta persuaded me to buy it.

[anonemus]

Will be getting my copy soon and will play this over the weekend. Reading the review makes me so excited! How could I have missed this one!

[anonemus]

Originally Posted by BlueMak

I completely agree, the single player campaign is a masterpiece. The pace is absolutely spot on, the amount of action, story telling, even jokes, and vehicle sequences is perfectly balanced. This is one of the best single player campaigns for FPS that has ever appeared in a game.

I completely agree with the rest of this excellent review too. This game just doesn't disappoint at any level.

Precisely how I feel after spending the weekend playing this! AWESOME game. Really AWESOME!!! I can't wait to play it again!

[BlueMak]

Originally Posted by anonemus

Precisely how I feel after spending the weekend playing this! AWESOME game. Really AWESOME!!! I can't wait to play it again!

I am glad you like it. The game is pure gold. If you want to play modern FPS game, you can't go wrong with this one.

[anonemus]

@ Blue -- I'm an FPS fanatic and really am into COD-type of games. BC2 even trumps MW2 in my book right now

Care to recommend other similar games that I can play? (single player mode only). Thanks in advance!

[Dark Lord]

just picked this up a few days ago too. so far the multi is pretty damn fun.

now, im not sure what the max range is on the sniper rifles, but ive gotta be getting damn close. on a rush map, i just picked some one off from 2 "bases" away. 50 for the kill, 10 for the hs, 272 for the marksman, 30 for the defense kill, and 50 for the savior kill. 412 points in a single kill.

[BlueMak]

Originally Posted by anonemus

@ Blue -- I'm an FPS fanatic and really am into COD-type of games. BC2 even trumps MW2 in my book right now

Care to recommend other similar games that I can play? (single player mode only). Thanks in advance!

Oh, stop it! (nah, go on)

Well, from older games, I still consider Rainbow Six Vegas one of my favourite single player FPS games ever. A great experience.

Clive Barker's Jericho is a very good FPS game IMO, but has a very narrow battlefield (literally, very tight spaces) and away from reality (you basically fight against forces of the Anti-Christ/Satan/etc.

Another game that I believe you will like, IF YOU PATCH IT with all the GBs of patches, is Frontlines-Fuel of War. It's....very cheap to buy now days and the game, patched, is one of the best modern times based FPS game.

Medal of Honor Airborne, Call of Duty World at War, are good FPS games based on the WW2, but I wouldn't say they are the same class as the above games.
Wolfestein (2009) is a half historical half fantasy ww2 FPS. It's a good all around game, not sure about replayability, but has the best ww2 shooting action/effects. It's a joy to shoot and get kills.

If graphics is not a problem, get the original first Ghost Recon. Horrible graphics for today (or even then), you can't see your own gun, but great missions, semi realistic, hard and a great FPS game.

The Brothers in Arms series is also very good for WW2 themed FPS. The first two games are difficult, you can't regain health during a mission and you absolutely positively have to use team tactics or else you won't even finish the first mission. The third game is lighter and has health regeneration like most modern FPS, plus it looks better, but I wouldn't necessarily call it the better game.

The Club, a very fun, very fast FPS game where you get points for the best kills. Think of The Running Man combined with Deathrace 2000, only as a FPS inside buildings and on foot. Very fast paced.

SWAT 3 and 4. Another excellent pair of FPS games. Hard. Takes time to get used to the fact that shooting at the enemy is the worst way to deal with them.

[anonemus]

Thanks for the list, Blue!

The last Rainbow Six I played was the original one and I enjoyed it immensely. I'll take a second look at the series.

Jericho I played up to 50% I think, but I'm really not into shooting aliens.

Fuel Frontiers I have in my PC right now, but I can't do 1080p. It's unpatched; unfortunately I can't patch my games.

I just ordered MOH Airborne and will be installing it tonight. I do remember playing the demo and liked it; but my vcard back then (7600GT, I think) couldn't keep up.

Wolfenstein, I liked the demo. I'll get the full version later.

I do have Ghost Recon in my PC right now that is still played 10%. Team-based FPS with so many controls made me stop playing it; I'll give it another shot.

Brothers in Arms:HH is a sleeper for me. I've been installing and reinstalling it as initially the controls turned me off, and the non-skippable video cutscenes. But when I seriously played it (on my 4850 then), I was hooked! So far, its the most realistic shooting game that I've played! I can't wait for the follow-up (or is there one out already?).

Haven't heard of The Club; will check this out.

SWAT I played the demo before (forgot which version). I'll check it out in the future as well.

Tonight I'll be installing Crysis Warhead (first time for me to play any Crysis game), Godfather and other games for my son as well.

Thanks again, BlueMak!

[BlueMak]

You are welcome.

I don't know why you wouldn't be able to install patches, but if you can't, then don't even try Frontline Fuel of War. With the patches, a great game, without, shit.

Rainbow Six Vegas is very different from the previous games in the series.

Brother in Arms HH, is the latest version of BIA. The previous games are more serious and more difficult.

There is also Borderlands which I like very much, but most people claim it is only worth it with other people. I disagree, although storywise it is perhaps not the best of the lot.