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Somehow Digital Illusions did it. It’s incredibly hard to top a game like Battlefield 1942. It’s even harder to top Battlefield 1942 when you include the numerous mods released for the game. Some questioned whether Digital Illusions could do something other than make the graphics better. Well, Battlefield 2 has been released and the answer is a resounding “Yes, they have topped Battlefield 1942.”
Battlefield 2 takes place in the near future as the United States, China, and the Middle Eastern Coalition engage in conflict. The game packs modern weapons as two teams of up to 32 players fight it out in huge battlefields. The battles take place on air, sea and land (both vehicle and foot). The game only has one mode – Conquest mode – in which players try to take over a number of set map points. Each team has a limited number of spawns to take over these map points. To win, one team has to get all the map points or take up all of the other team’s spawns. As you can expect, this means that Battlefield 2 remains hectic throughout its duration. Conquest mode was the key mode in the previous game, so it is no surprise to see it fully fleshed out here. The desperation of players as their about to lose and the absolute chaos it causes is something that very few games can recreate. Battlefield 2 not only does this, but does it well.
Battlefield 2 includes 12 levels each of which comes in three sizes. You’ll find swamps, mountains and cities included in the mix with a lot of detail in each one. The different sizes are perfect for the smaller games, ideal for breaking into Battlefield 2 if you’re new. A 16-player game is totally different from the 64-player game. There are also seven character classes, called kits, in the game. Each offers a compelling reason to play as but none feel too overpowering. You’re able to play as an engineer, medic, special forces, and many others.
A number of vehicles are included, as well. The typical vehicles from previous Battlefield games can be found here. You’ll find tanks, helicopters, jets, etc. Each vehicle can be deadly in the right hands. For instance, the tank is very powerful and has the ability to throw smoke grenades to throw off missiles coming at it. The jets are quick and can fire guided missiles. No vehicle is unstoppable, and a skilled player will be able to take on a tank (with some weapons of course).
Battlefield 2 includes a number of changes to add some sanity to the chaos. The game adds commanders and squads to the mix in order to organize the strategy. This means that the 32 player teams actually break down into a number of squads, led by a squad leader, each with goals and some sense of union. Each squad is then led by a commander that controls the whole battle plan. The commander can do a number of things like give supplies, deploy spy drones, and scan for enemy forces. The level of strategy possible was simply unobtainable in previous Battlefield games.
One of the most effective ways to get anything done – in the game and otherwise – is to communicate with your team members. Battlefield 2 facilitates this with a voice chat system. It is easy and intuitive to use, and works like a charm. The game filters the chat so that you don’t hear all the players at one time. Squad members can talk to squad members, squad leaders can talk to squad members and the commander, and the commander only talks to squad leaders. It makes the whole experience cohesive.
Battlefield 2 has an amazing stat and ranking system. The game keeps track of your account including rank and statistics. This forces players to assume responsibilities resulting in a generally more enjoyable experience. Good players are rewarded for their deeds. It is possible to earn medals for a job well done, for example, if you repair vehicles as an engineer. To give you an idea of how exhaustive the stat tracking is the game even keeps track of your favorite map and kills per weapon.
Though Battlefield 2 just screams to be played online with other players, the single player portion is reasonably compelling. The bots are rather intelligent and can certainly be quite a challenge. They still make a few errors here and there, but then again, so do human players.
The game’s visuals are undoubtedly amazing. The vehicles are incredibly detailed. Their models are excellent. The infantry looks good and animates very well, which is a welcome change. The environments also have a “wow factor.” This comes at a cost, though, since most of it is not destructible. However, it’s the small details that really shine. It’s amazing to see how your vision is temporarily disrupted after a blast goes off nearby. The game requires a rather powerful system, but it is totally worth it just to get the full experience.
The game’s audio shines as well. The soundtrack isn’t particularly noteworthy, but the rest of the audio is so strong that music (or lack of) isn’t noticeable. It’s amazing to hear tanks moving towards you, helicopters flying off in the distance, guns going off, things blowing up, etc. It is simply amazing and allows you to immerse yourself fully.
Battlefield 2 is an amazing game. Digital Illusions has done what many considered impossible: made a game better, and more fun than Battlefield 1942.
Some reviewing done on additional test systems.
Minimum System Requirements:
1.7 GHz processor; 512 MB RAM; 128 MB Geforce 5700 or 128 MB Radeon 8500 or better videocard; 2.3 GB free Hard Drive space; broadband internet (for online play) -- Adam Nunez, PGNx Media
---- Jul 5, 2005
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