Battlefield: Bad Company (BFBC) has been getting a lot of press lately. It is a new first person shooter that mixes the fast pass of a modern shooter with comedic elements. This for most is a winning combination. Call of Duty 4 is a great game, but it can be a bit too dark at times. I was looking forward to a game that took a more light hearted approach.
In this review I will be looking at some of aspects that make BFBC so different from other first person shooters, and how having a really intensive story line can add to the experience.
The Story
Surprisingly, BFBC has a fairly good plot compared to most games. It follows a squad of “misfit soldiers” who are part of B Company, otherwise known as the oddballs of the army. The story follows this group of soldiers who are part of a war against the Soviet Union in the not to distant future.
After one escapade your team are forced to go AWOL in search of gold, and have to try to get back on the army’s good side by doing various crazy and sometimes suicidal missions.
What could possibly go wrong?
Gameplay
With BFBC you have to think slightly differently due to one major feature – destructible environments. You might have originally thought you were safe when behind that building, but you certainly aren’t now.
There is a massive array of weapons and vehicles at your disposal, from heavy machine guns all the way to a golf buggy (yes, a golf buggy).
The controls are rather frustrating. Some elements are very similar to Call of Duty, but do not have the same elegance and simplicity. I still don’t really understand the logic behind the way changing weapons works. Also, when driving vehicles I always accidently get out because the exit vehicle button in my opinion should really be the break!
Maybe it’s just the type of gamer I am, but I didn’t notice until my brother pointed it out to me that there wasn’t a co-op mode for the game. This may have been a deal breaker for some. Most people consider co-op as a given for any successful FPS, the fact that you are taking part in team based play just begs for it.
Features
One of the major features that I touched upon earlier was the destructible environments. Though the idea is great and it works reasonably well, you do expect everything to be destructible. Unfortunately it is their own undoing because when things don’t blow up into pieces like you were expecting it can be frustrating.
It seems though that with boasting one main feature, there aren’t really any other features that set it apart from other FPS’s. In that respect, BF:BC doesn’t really stand out from the crowd.
Graphics
The graphics… just about the first thing you hear people asking about when you tell them of a game you like.
In this case, the graphics are extremely immersive. I find it hard to compare them to Call of Duty, because in some ways they seem to be in a very different style; A lot lighter and less shadows. If you’re looking for a game that shows off the power of the current gen gaming system, this is it.
Multiplayer
The loss of a co-op mode has been slightly subsidized by a very cool multiplayer mode. Currently there is only one game mode – a letdown considering what most games ship with. But worry not because EA has promised to produce new game modes in the near future.
Still, the multiplayer games allow for a fast paced and enjoyable battle that you can easily join in on. In addition, there are also ranks that you can climb and weapons that you can unlock.
Conclusions
The fact that EA was able to build such a beautiful game while at the same time continuing to provide a variety of unique ground environments is really a testiment not only to their great developers, but also to the ability of current gen consoles.
If you’re looking for a slightly different shooter that offers a good story with great gameplay options – Battlefield Bad Company is for you.
I give Battlefield: Bad Company 4/5 Vibes.