"Save the cheerleaders" Bad Company 2 One Less in the Backlog Review

Yet, another title completed. I still may yet complete my journey to clearing out my backlog.

Bad Company 2 was on sale for five bucks and I could not pass up the opportunity to play what I thought was a joyous romp in the first Bad Company.

I really enjoyed the first BadCo, fun, tongue in cheek humor and solid shooter mechanics. BadCo 2  has really, let's say matured in is approach to the originals formula. The first was trying to be out right funny and the second was more funny quips and dialogue. I really like the Frostbite 2 engine; to destroy a wall with a rocket is very appealing and satisfying to see enemies crumple under the roof. I wish COD had some of these features is their game play. While the wall destruction is good the dust that is expelled during destruction really distracts the action and sight lines. Enemies hide is this dust and it does not clear, making this game difficult to just to shoot somebody. The engine built for destruction does not add a lot of detail to the destructive elements held within. Chairs, rooms and walls are barren, with little detail added for immersion.

Story goes, a secret covert mission to recover a Japanese super weapon during WWII was a suicide mission. The super weapon goes missing and information comes out that rumblings of it's recovery. Bad Company, witty as ever is tasked in finding info and recovery of the super weapon. Fighting para-military and Russians to the goal of finding the weapon. Fields of battle range from the mountains, deserts and jungles of South America. The story rolls nicely as Bad Company is charged to cover the continent for the super weapon. One liners and some funny dialogue ensues, best of Bad Company. Story feels a bit forced but, is easy to follow.

Dice used some interesting elements during game play that I enjoyed. In mountain stages you must make it down the the mountain while enduring the cold. Your HUD slowly frosts up until you can find refuge in a house to "warm up", fighting enemies on the way down. Different. I like the engine, but not so much the dust, haze, or poor enemy detection. I guess it's more realistic? Can't see shit, so you fire in the general area of the muzzle flash. I can only explain that I am to used to the up in your face COD fair. Many times I snagged the RPG just to take care of the whole building instead of f*cking around shooting enemies individually. Find the nearest large explosive tank, tink tink, BOOM! If I absolutely had to, the sniper rifle was my best friend. All the other guns, somewhat suck for hit detection.

All in all, this was a good time, some humor and decent story. True, like the reviews all said when this came out you become an army of one, but that cliche spans across almost all video games. Developers just haven't found that sweet spot of team and individual yet. I would have to give this a GOOD INU. Would be interesting to see if they reinvest back into this franchise after recently killing the Medal of Honor series. It's just Battlefield with a better story.

SWS out.