Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - Vietnam

PC

Giving Call of Duty: Black Ops a real run for its money, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is one of, if not the best multiplayer shooters of the year. It doesn’t have the same pick-up-and play setup as CoD, but that’s ok. The maps are huge, strategy is the key to victory, and heavy-duty vehicles all contribute to why you should get out and get another shooter in your collection. The game was first released in March and now, just before the holidays, they have come up with Vietnam Add-on. While it is a downloadable content, there’s enough here to make it feel like more than just a few extra maps; it’s more like an expansion, as it has an entirely different title screen and is treated separately.

One of the biggest difference between Vietnam and BC2 is close-range combat is encouraged a lot more. Minor weapon adjustments atone for the change of strategy, but primarily a more claustrophobic approach to map design forces players to go out and explore rather than find a spot to snipe from. That isn’t to say long-range combat has gone the way of the dodo, it’s just not the focus as it was in Bad Company 2. And unlike Black Ops, this actually feels like it’s set in the 60’s as there aren’t any new-age technology that wouldn’t have been around back in those days.

In total, there are five maps in BC2 Vietnam, with four available right away. Due to the changed time period, there are a lot of new weapons to choose from, like flamethrowers. Long-range scopes are no longer the norm here, through some are still available for recon missions. These changes are great for beginners as Bad Company is now more approachable than ever.

Like its predecessor, BC2 Vietnam is richly detailed with few technical hiccups. The textured environments respond well to the chaos going on around it – bombs and bullets don’t just hurt players, they hurt the ground or structure they hit. The sound effects and music are even better. A nice touch is the in-game music, like vehicle radios playing popular 60’s tunes from famous bands, like Creedence Clearwater Revival.

If you’re looking for a online multiplayer experience that requires more than just getting the jump on people, the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Vietnam is the way to go. For those who already own BC2, there should be no reason not to get the Vietnam download as its price tag is only $15. Considering its good and expansive enough to be released on its own, this is a steal.