Review- Battlefield: Bad Company 2 [PS3]

Publisher: EA

Developer: DICE
Released: 5^th March 2010

Other Formats: PC, Xbox 360

Inviting direct comparison to the most successful video game of all time is a risky strategy no doubt. But, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 embraces it; interjecting sharp, cutting remarks via “Bad Company's” bravado dialogue, “snowmobiles are for cissies”. DICE have undertaken a major job in trying to deliver a comparable experience to the might of Infinity Ward's epic shooter Modern Warfare 2, and therefore it's extremely humbling to say that they have delivered with aplomb.

The comparison to MW2 lays with the initial FPS game mechanics, which are positively fantastic. The shooting mechanics are tight, delivering a great sense of force to the weapons. The Modern Warfare-approved cross-hair also makes an appearance upon accurate fire, meaning there is a constant feedback loop that works extremely well. And where MW2 in particular was fiercely criticised, its handling of story- with characters swapped to-and-fro and a highly convoluted plot. Bad Company 2, in contrast, excels, following the misfit “Bad Company” once again- the group of rag-tag characters that form the central core of the game. Delivering comedic dialogue and likeable personalities mean characters are developed well whilst also allowing DICE to craft an engaging narrative (the soldiers are tasked to seek out a secret weapon, codenamed “Aurora”) that entertains to the end. And whilst this means that Bad Company 2 can not quite match its competition's set piece count or style (due to its rooting in a central location), it does have a few neat tricks of its own (the aircraft finale, for example) to keep it feeling inspired and fresh.

The improvement of DICE's own engine, “Frostbite”, has meant that the game is also visually excellent. The dank darkness that opens Bad Company 2's campaign soon envelops to the openness of the bright jungle setting, giving the engine a chance to shine. The visuals are crisp, colourful and incredibly detailed. The upheaval in technology to the engine has also meant DICE have delivered on their promise of true destruction. No other game, other than last year's Red Faction Guerilla have been so successful in doing similar tricks that can alter the way in which the game is played. The original Bad Company's 'hole in the wall' effects have been stripped. Here, witnessing the destruction physics in motion is breathtaking, whilst it also means combat is rich and varied in variety. No longer can the player stay in one place for the duration of a battle, as cover can be decimated in front of you as quickly as you pulling the trigger. On the other hand, it offers great tactical awareness in terms of offing the enemy forces- pick off them one-by-one with a trusty pistol or risk using a valuable RPG in the hope the collapsed building does the work for you? The variety afforded to the player is also improved with the vast openness of the level design on show, only squandered in the final third as the levels tighten and become much more linear. In conjunction with the brilliant visual clarity and particle effects, BC2 also delivers an immensely satisfying masquerade to the senses with its sound. From the metallic clinking of the gun to the low thud of bullets hitting enemies.

The featured single player campaign of Bad Company 2 is a resounding success for DICE and EA. The blend of believable (whilst slightly stereotyped) characters, an involving plot, a good sense of variety in level structure and location and short, snappy and well scripted cut scenes all mean that the experience is incredibly satisfying.

Multiplayer acts as a team-based, tactical FPS experience. Players can choose from any of four weapon kits before each spawn (Medic, Engineer, Assault or Recon), all with an initial primary weapon and a pair of gadgets unique to that class. Experience points are awarded during play, with a level cap of 50 on offer. Game types include a defend/attack objective mode, 'Rush', a capture-the-flag mode, named 'Conquest', 'Squad Death match' and 'Squad Rush'.

Overall, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 deserves to stand on its own two feet, not under the shadow of behemoth Modern Warfare 2. Rather it is, in actuality, a more fulfilling game in many instances. The conclusion to the campaign points straight towards a sequel, and frankly, if the step up from the first to second game is anything to go by, it's going to be fantastic.

Extended Preview- Crysis 2

Release Date: Holiday 2010

Format(s): PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Developer: Crytek

Publisher: EA

Released late-2007, the original Crysis by Crytek was a monumental achievement for a video game. Not only did it perform exceptionally well critically, the game was so technically demanding that to run at its highest resolution was unfeasible, even for the most high-end of rigs. Still the most graphically demanding video game for PC hardware, Crysis continues to be used to test PC efficiency.

A little over two years later, the sequel is well on its way to release for a 'Holiday 2010' launch for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Not to beat about the bush, Crytek have been treading the fine line between hype, 'PA' talk, harsh appraisal and extreme gloating or arrogance.

Lead programmer for the PS3, Michael Gluck, has been raising awareness of the game's graphical output, stating that it will set a new benchmark in terms of visual quality. Speaking with 'Play Magazine' he proposed, “I think with Crysis 2 you will see the quality bar being set at a very high level that games will struggle to excel”.

Similarly, in a remarkable display of one-upmanship, award-winning novelist and lead writer on Crysis 2, Richard Morgan, in an interview with 'NowGamer', has been criticising the most successful video games of recent years, including last year's BAFTA-winning Batman: Arkham Asylum and fan-favourite Halo- to which he says includes “bull*h** characters” and having “no real emotional impact”. Morgan went on to claim that his involvement in the latest Crysis has meant characters have been crafted “with weight and gravitas”.

Crytek have announced that the second in the series is somewhat a “resetting of the franchise”. Set in New York City, evacuated due to alien infestation, 'Nomad' returns to his role as lead protagonist. In addition to a broader freedom provided to the player, the 'urban jungle' setting also allows for improved tactical manoeuvrability and, due to the technical excellence of its game engine, CryEngine 3*, will feature destructible environments- like that seen in Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Crytek have also stated that combat will be “beautiful” with the new and improved 'Nanosuit 2' taking centre stage.

With so many first-person shooters already on the market, and with the weight of such huge releases as Modern Warfare 2 just past, can we really expect so much from Crysis 2? The talk may reek of arrogance but perhaps the current climate in where first-person shooters over-saturate the market, Crytek have had to stand their ground and be as aggressive. One thing's for sure, if it doesn't live up to the hype, they're sure going to know about it. I, for one, am not overly excited about the game. With little announced in terms of actual game play and still a long way off release, I'm hoping it is something more than a visual feast for the eyes and a press release comes along that announces a new game mechanic that will separate this from the competition. Until then, I couldn't really care.

(*Take a look at the 'CryEngine3' demo video on the 'Game Videos' page that showed at this year's GDC to get a feel of what the engine is capable of.)

Original Xbox Live Disabled- The State of Things to Come?

Yesterday marked the end of Xbox Live for the original Xbox console and its games. As reported in February, at midnight last night, the plug was indeed pulled, the service was deemed to be a drain on resources when they could be much more effective elsewhere. Xbox's Mark Whitton claims the move will “provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox Live community”.

But at what cost does this action really weigh? Is this a state of things to come in terms of gaming? An 8 year reign may indeed be enough hours to wring from Halo 2 online, yes, but it marks the start of a worrying future. I'm talking of course towards the medium as a whole moving towards the reliance on digital distribution methods, where not only indie, bite-size titles are released on our online services, but full fledged titles, such as for example, Warhawk and SOCOM: Confrontation for the PS3. Furthermore, the announcement of services such as 'Gaikai' and 'OnLive', which is released in the US this summer (in which full titles are processed and streamed to users via the services own servers), it's hard not to question whether the content we buy now will be available to us, from day-to-day, like a regular disc-based product is. Granted, services such as Steam already exist within the gaming sphere and has been met with huge success since its initial release in 2003, ultimately, referred to as the saviour of PC gaming.

Microsoft's innocuous pull of Xbox Live's proverbial plug casts huge doubts in my mind. So all games still run, which is important to be reminded, however a title such as Halo 2 relies on its online capability, and is now, unplayable. It has been let known to the public that if for some reason Valve was to shut down the Steam service, then all games would be patched to allow to be run in offline mode. With services such as 'OnLive', it can not be this simple...

Now, imagine yourself, the proud owner of such titles as GTA VI and Final Fantasy XVII, all available through an online-only service such as 'OnLive' where the under-the-TV box is merely a thin client, a device that's only purpose is to send and receive digital signals, with little to no processing power of its own. What happens when a service like this is shut down? Does our legally downloaded content vanish into the virtual esther?

Sadly, it is an answer, that after much sifting, I can not locate, but it is worth thinking about. It seems we will only really find out once the service is made available to us. The shift to digital distribution and 'cloud computing' holds a tremendous amount of positives, but also, as covered, can hold its own problems. Is this the future we want, or should we be sticking to physical products?

Preview- Dead to Rights: Retribution

Released: 23^rd April 2010

Format(s): PS3, Xbox 360

Developed by Volatile Games, Dead to Rights: Retribution is a neo-noir crime drama with cover-based, third-person shooting mechanics that sees cop Jack Slate take crime into his own hands in the corrupt Grant City. With the help of his canine companion, Shadow, which introduces new game play opportunities, players must be ready to take action onto the streets in a blend of slow-motion gun play, hand-to-hand combat techniques and brutal takedowns- with inspiration from Eastern action cinema. 

Preview- Monster Hunter Tri

Released: 23^rd April 2010

Format(s): Nintendo Wii

For the first time in its history, the ever popular Monster Hunter franchise comes to the Nintendo Wii in Monster Hunter Tri. Depicting a world where man co-exists with mythical beast, Tri features an expansive story line that sees players fill the shoes of a tough hunter who is tasked by the village chief of Moga to investigate the recent earthquakes that threaten their way of life. Restoring normality will only come about from hunting and slaying the beasts, thus Monster Hunter Tri features 18 new monsters to roam the land, an overhauled AI engine, and updated weapon/equipment load-outs. With the option of two player split screen or up to four player co-op play via Wi-fi, Monster Hunter's debut on the Wii is, no doubt, an expansive package.

Review- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves [PS3]

Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer Naughty Dog

Released: 16^th October 2009

The potential protruding from the foundations of the original Uncharted, 'Drake's Fortune', were clear for all to see. Somewhat of a sleeper hit early into the PS3 life cycle, it had moments of brilliance that were somewhat beset by minor niggles in the works. However, it was an enjoyable title all the same and those that consumed it at the time were taken aback with its wonderful graphical edge and developed storyline.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves arrives just under 2 years after the original. From the very first moment of the game, it just gives and gives, and gives some more. It's no understatement to tell you that a literal cliff-hanger awaits, in only one of the game's many triple-A set piece displays.

Nathan Drake's latest adventure sees him try to solve the mystery surrounding Marco Parlo's final voyage and the secret of the 'Cintamani Stone' to which, it is said, holds great power and the just cause for evil war criminal Lazarevic and his crew to go searching for it also. The plot may sound slightly contrived and generic, however the way in which the story is presented can only be commended to the highest degree. Rarely in video games do we ever see such top quality scripting or voice work that is employed here. The detail within the character models, the well-crafted dialogue that progresses the story perfectly, the affluent voice work, all mesh so that Uncharted 2's storyline just works- it is engrossing and appealing. Characters are developed nicely throughout, from the charismatic Nathan Drake, voiced by Nolan North to the return of hugely likeable Victor “Sully” Sullivan and love interests, Chloe and Elena. Pair this with the way in which transitional cut-scenes are employed so that the action seamlessly works its way from cut-scene to game play and back again without a single load screen in sight and you have a truly authentic cinematic experience that has, as yet, not really been seen in the medium. The graphical prowess of the PS3 really comes into its own on a game like this, Sony have waited and waited for the true dominance of the Blu Ray to really shine- now we understand how powerful Sony's console really is. The hugely realised locales and environments, from intensely harsh snowy mountain tops to greenery and lush forestry via ruined urban sprawl- all popping from the screen in HD glory. One of the best looking games on the PS3? No question. Try one of the best looking games of all time! The orchestral score compliments the visuals perfectly and really adds another layer to the already strong package.

And thus, we come to the game's mechanics. In Uncharted 2, the cover based, 'over-the-shoulder' action is offset by platforming sections and puzzles, which should be expected in the adventure game space. The cover-based game mechanics are, for the most part, smooth and satisfying. However, especially later in the game, it'll take extreme patience to accept some incredibly frustrating annoyances which often see Drake jump out in front of the enemy or off the edge when trying to stick to cover! The inclusion of stealth game play is somewhat more accomplished, allowing for a much more varied game playing experience- the player given the choice to decide to run into the battle no holds-barred or stick to cover like a stiff ninja and take out enemies one-by-one. Platforming sections are simple yet effective, improving pacing of the game whilst breaking up to many rounds of shooting whilst the puzzles are well thought out and neither too difficult nor too easy.

This being an action game, Naughty Dog went all out in delivering some of the most well-constructed set pieces seen in a game. From being merely a pawn in the infrastructure of a collapsing building, to running from a helicopter through the streets of Nepal whilst buildings are laid to rest in your wake- all edited together with real-time game play via the transitions mentioned earlier, this is nothing short of breathtaking. The game design that is also delivered is clever and well thought out, the user interface taking the form of scribbles in Nathan's journal, all viewed in real-time with Nathan pulling out the journal and flicking through its pages with a press of the 'Select' button and flick of the analogue stick respectively. The journal, whilst taking a back seat in the first half of the game, becomes more important later on as it must be used in order to solve puzzles.

At this point, positives are outweighing the negatives at every turn, and alas it can not continue. For all the accomplishments in development of story and impressive game design, the developers seem to fall back on lazy programming towards the latter quarter of the game as the story progresses towards its conclusion. Frustration awaits as the game throws waves of enemies, one after the other, at the player, meaning the short musical motif and the 'Continue' screen are likely to make their appearance all too often during this time. The pacing of the game, like the train to which Nathan hangs early in the game, comes off its rails here, the amount of game play action to cut scene and platforming ratio is over-powered and it feels like a long hard slog to the finish in what otherwise is a wonderful video game.

For the first time in the series, Uncharted 2 also features competitive multi player, where you can play as either heroes or villains in death match and capture-the-flag modes.

Bask in its excellence, enjoy the experience, and ignore its slight indiscretions for they are minor in what is otherwise a triple-A experience from start to finish.