The Best Multiplayer Experience
Bad Company 2 provides the best multiplayer experience currently on the consoles. I think it betters every other serious FPS on console: COD:MW2, HALO, MAG etc.
I didnt play BC1 but was always a fan of the series on the PC and I still play Battlefield 2. I was abit skeptical about DICE's new outing on the consoles but it seems my fears were unfounded as the game has blown me away. While it doesnt match the scale of previous installments with only 24 players, but it matches and even surpasses them in some areas.
Gameplay:
Bad Company 2 has fantastic variety packed in its multiplayer, lets start with 4 classes (Assult - Medic - Engineer - Recon) all of these provide a unique gameplay experience with customisable load outs which you can really talior to fit your playstyle. Most importantly all of the classes feel useful and quite balanced, assult may be the grenade launching gun slinger but he contributes to his team with Ammo boxes on the field.
This brings me on to the next point Battlefield has always been about the team and not solo players, the whole game is designed so everyone feels useful when playing properly and your rewarded so much more for being a team player and not a solo rambo and Bad Company 2 is no diffrent. This was always refreshing with the series and really set it apart from other FPS.
Gunplay itself feels better than ever! The guns have a real weight to them, realistic recoil and bullet drops. You will honestly feel the kick of your gun as it jerks with recoil, the sound is also fantastic with a real roar blasting from barrel.
Vehicles play a huge part in the series and Bad Company 2 doesnt dissappoint with immense variety: Jet Ski's, Tank's, UAV, APC, Boat, Apache Helicopter, Transport Helicopter...to name a few. Each has its own feel but controls stay similar across the board helping to keep you in the action no matter what your decide to use. All of the Vehicles feel powerful but not over-powered despite being deadly in good hands. You will alway feel vunerable knowing a AT turret or a lone Recon with his C4's could blow you to hell. The Minigun mounted on the Transport helicopter is one of the most satisfying guns to fire...as you rain death down from above, you will rip apart buildings and descimate anyone you can get an aim on.
The destruction itself is a huge gameplay feature and it may take time to learn that no wall provides true protection , a single well placed tank round could take both you and the walls out! But its just so damn fun to take out that camping sniper, knock out a small part of a wall to give you an edge while defending your objective or to see your grenade launcher round take down a whole building and it fall on a group of enemies. Once you learn to adapt you will learn how to use the destruction to your advantage. On a visual standpoint it just makes everything so much more realistic, and it feels like a true "battlefield' as walls are smashed and whole structures come ccrashing down.
Overall the gameplay is outstanding, from the guns to the destruction there is always a lot going on and a hell of alot to do.
Graphics/ Sound:
Graphically Bad Company 2 is fanastic when you consider the size the of maps and destruction going on within them, I think it surpasses all the games I have listed above. My only annoyance with the graphics were the amount of "jaggies" on some shadows...but its to be expected and once you are playing you will never notice them anyways. Textures are fairly hige resolution and the draw distances are phenomnal showing off some stunning environmental bad drops from dense jungles to snow capped moutnain ranges. Shadows dynamically change as the landcape changes with every shell and bullet shaping the game world. Tree's and bushes will sway in the wind, smoke and debris will fill the air as the clouds drift across the map.
Bad Company really has some of the most impressive visuals in a FPS, when you consider all the factors. Other FPS game worlds are static will no life, yet BC2 matches and even betters the competition.
Sound in the game is really a stand out feature, you will be in for a treat with all the sounds and effects bringing the war right into your living room! Every gun and every weapon on vehicle or in hand provide sound like they are right beside you, you can feel the punch of the tank cannon firing or hear the gun barrel spin on the apache. Buildings will creak and moan as they loose walls and eventually collapse in a crashing drop. With so much going on in every map, from the destruction to the guns or the helicopter flying over head you will hear it all perfectly and it stunning quality.
Overall both visually and in sound Bad Company excells in providing a stunning experience which pulls you right into the game.
Final Grade: 5 Stars
