Preview: Battlefield Bad Company 2
Game: Battlefield Bad Company 2
Format: PS3
Developer: EA Digital Illusions CE (DICE)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Our good friends over at EA invited tom01255 to jump in on the multiplayer Beta for the upcoming Battlefield Bad Company 2 (affectionately called BFBC2). BFBC2 is the second first person shooter for the next-gen consoles. Whilst its predecessor certainly didn’t redefine the genre, it provided an enjoyable alternative to the genre dominating Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
The Beta level available to us involved a simple attack and defend mission; the attackers seek to set charges at two primary locations, with the defenders struggling to fight them off; disarming the charges before they blow. Once the primary targets, labelled A and B, are dealt with, the map expands to show two more targets. The attackers must then advance whilst the defenders drop back to defend their remaining bases.
Character advancement is fast paced; the beginning will see your chosen class gaining several upgrades before the match is even finished. Whilst this advancement slows once you rank up, there are still plenty of unlockable items and perks as you progress; giving you the ability to mould your character to match your play style; whatever class you choose.
The four classes: Assault, Engineer, Recon and Medic, display fundamental differences that add that extra tactical element to your play. As with many other FPS games; you have the ability to chop and change between classes mid-level if you are killed, or you can simply commit suicide to respawn if the chosen class really isn’t working for you.
Whichever class you choose, you're still going to look badass
Destructibility is a big part of the gameplay in BFBC2. Almost every structure is destructible; walls will crumble and bullets will punch holes through your chosen cover so that constant movement is a necessity. This makes the multiplayer matches more frenetic than other FPS such as Modern Warfare, as you can’t simply camp behind a structure and wait for your opponent to run out of bullets; eventually one of them is going to find you.
Vehicles litter the maps and there’s a great variety available; from tanks and armoured cars, all the way down to the somewhat flimsy but cheek-clenchingly fast quad bike. The tanks, for example, are solid and present the opportunity for some easy kills, but they are destructible enough to provide the right level of frustration; you shouldn’t find yourself throwing the controller against the wall after being wiped several times in a row.
The tanks look and feel believable.
Vehicles are also something of a necessity because the multiplayer maps are a little on the large side. Whilst you can sprint over short distances, it will take you an inordinate amount of time to get back to a battle site if you’ve chosen the standard respawn point. There’s also the handy option of respawning next to anyone in your squad that happens to still be alive; this comes in handy when attacking the enemy bases some way from your respawn point.
With the disillusionment many PC gamers are feeling over the lack of server support for Modern Warfare 2, I can see this new offering being a really big hit. BFBC2 is shaping up to be a fun and in-depth multiplayer experience. It’s due for release in March 2010 on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Keep it locked to NewbReview for a full review as soon as we get our grubby little hands on a copy.
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Looking good. Really liked the first game. Didn’t play the multiplayer much though.
So, should this be a game that we look to play as a group?
I think this could well be. Obviously this is Beta, and there was only one mode available for the Beta, but it’s really shaping up nicely. It’ll be interesting to see the finished product. If there a good number of maps and modes, this could be a must buy.