Pure and utter destruction.
The campaign starts off in October 1944 on a IJN-controlled island somewhere in the sea of Japan. Your groups mission is to secure a scientist and rescue him from a weapon that remains unknown throughout the story. After the Japan mission, you take the role of Private Preston Marlowe, the same lovable squad mate in Battlefield Bad Company. Your still teamed up with the original Bad Company including all the characters from BFBC1. There's the technology expert, Private Terrance **** Throughout the game he'll pretty much do what his job title describes, including retrieving satellite information and hacking into computers. Next is the demo man Private George Haggard Jr., the title demo man pretty much explains what his job is. Last but not least is the leader, Sergeant Samuel Redford. Redford is the short fused boss-man who makes wise-ass remarks through the entire game and isn't afraid to take control in sticky situations. The "Bad Company" squad is still the exact same wise-cracking squad-mates that we loved in BFBC1 -- A couple missions in, the squad is "promoted". But with a promotion comes harder missions, and more fun.
The missions in Bad Company 2 are insanely action packed and filled to the brim with destruction. Throughout each mission, you are to stick to a certain repetitive formula of get to the checkpoint, get in a vehicle, etc. The missions do a great job of tricking you into thinking that each one is different however. While each one includes a new part of the story, if you look under the nice crunchy coat of destruction, you'll realize that the missions become familiar all to quickly. The destruction in Bad Company 2 really makes this game stick out as an individual. All the houses, towers, and even parts of the ground are destructible. Unlike most shooters, Bad Company 2 gives you tons of ways to get to your objective, whether it be blowing your way through a house, or just simply mowing down soldiers in the streets. The destructibility is a great touch to the realistic feel of the game. Throughout the game, you'll find yourself getting lost in the beauty of ruble flying by your face.
What I've noticed whilst playing the solo-campaign was the shockingly low amount of different weapons. Usually, you'll just end up sticking with the normal red dot sighted assault rifle. Sure there are other different weapons like snipers, light machine guns, shotguns, and sub-machine guns. But usually you'll end up finding the same one you put down 30 minutes ago -- Throughout each mission there are unique guns that can be specifically found it parts of the mission. When finding the gun, an image of the gun will come up on your screen indicating that you have found the correct gun. Even though there is a little variety, it leaves the player begging for more guns. Especially more explosives, all you get for explosives during the game is the occasional RPG and Grenade Launcher attachment. Which is sad due to the insane amount of destruction that is capable.
Along with the so called "hidden" guns in each level, there are black boxes that can be destroyed. In almost every mission there are a specific amount of such boxes. The amount of boxes is shown in the loading screen for each mission. But unless your just going for trophies, there isn't really a positive to destroying these boxes and are usually forgotten about after the first three missions. The multiplayer is a great new touch to the typical war shooter games. Just like the campaign, the amazing destructibility is in the online mode. The multiplayer itself actually feels exactly like how the campaign plays, but with real people. The variety of classes are also a nice touch, you can be a medic, assault, sniper, heavy machine gunner, or a sub-machine gunner. Again, the lack of weapons is sad, but more can be unlocked via leveling up. There are four different game types to be played online, and each have an amazing competitive feel -- Just like most, if not all, Battlefield games, the squad system is back. You have the option to make a squad with some buddies, or join a pre-existing squad with random players on your team. This feature allows you to spawn by your mates, or away from them. Very helpful when trying to capture an area in certain game modes.
Rush is the first gametype. Rush is the gametype that forces players to defend or destroy certain enemy stations. The stations are destroyed by planting a charge and making sure that the defenders don't defuse it. The next gametype is Conquest. Conquest will be familiar to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players because it is the domination type mode. For those of you who don't know what domination is, it is a type of mode that forces you to capture and hold certain areas pinned around the map and hold them as long as you can. Annoyingly, the vehicles around the map provide a strong shield to the player because you can simply sit inside a tank and capture a point. While just sitting there absorbing shots like some sort of point capturing sponge. Squad Death-match is pretty self explanatory. It pins 4 different squads against each other in the race to get the most points first. First team to fifty kills wins. Last but definitely not least is Squad Rush. Squad Rush is the Big Team battle mode of Bad Company 2. Taking 24 players (4 squads on each team) and throwing them into a Rush game is simply brilliant. Squad Rush gives you by far one of the most authentic war based experiences.
Overall, Battlefield Bad Company 2 is one of the most realistic and addicting war games out there. The destructibility is insane, the solo-campaign is solid, and the multiplayer will keep you playing for hours on end while you stare at buildings turn to ruble right in front of your eyes. Very few annoyances make this game phenomenal in its very own category of war based games.
Positives:
+Insane destruction.
+Solid solo-campaign.
+Squad Rush is amazingly hectic.
+Lovable and funny squad mates in solo-campaign.
Negatives:
-Lack of weapons in solo-campaign.
-Ability to capture points from inside vehicles.