I’m down, I need a medic! $%@# they stole our helicopter. These are just a few examples of sentences players are likely to hear while playing Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Dice’s first person shooter set what I hope will be a standard in cooperative shooters. The simple genius behind rewarding players for actively helping their teammates is an oasis in the world of lone wolf, twitch shooters. By encouraging players to heal, resupply, repair and relay recon information creates a truly cooperative experience. The squad concept of four-person groups within a larger team should become a FPS standard. The squad spawn mechanic helps maintain the fast pace tempo of the game by allowing players to respawns with their squad members in the thick of battle.
On top of the great multiplayer component, the developers have supplied a continuous stream of new maps and modes throughout the year. The latest round of downloadable content presented players with a totally new experience by rewinding the game from sandy, dry Middle East to the mosquito infested swamps of Vietnam. Not only does the dramatically different setting provide the game with a new feel, but the removal of modern rifles, vehicles and technology forces players to reevaluate playing strategies.
Bad Company can be played for months on end and still feel fresh, with each battle providing different overall experience. The teamwork that is fostered in this game highlights the amazing distance cooperative gaming has come and that given the chance gamers can work together.
If fan appreciation is still going strong ten months after the game’s release, as demonstrated by recent homages,such as Arica, I don’t see Bad Company going anywhere anytime soon. It deservedly lands in our Top Ten.
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