And what is so bad about this company?
The surprising result is that Bad Company isn't that bad and succeeds in what it was trying to do, yes it might not distract you too much from Call of Duty 4, but isn't it time we tried something else? And this is your answer. Bad Company is literally an explosion of glorified destructibility with everything else slightly tagged on, but don't let this think it's a bad game, becuase it really aint.
The big draw here, and the stars of the show isn't the cast of crims who have been set to a rather pleasant and quaint looking area they car a "warzone" its the massive explosions! The destruction on offers is in all honesty the best I have seen since Black on PS2, no next-gen can, at this moment in time, match the carnage this game offers. It's insane. Almost everything can be destroyed: walls, gates, tanks, sanbags, fences, trees, everything and all extremely realistically. It's something like 95% of everything, and I emphasise everything.
The great thing about this destruction, is that is does change your approach and tactics used within the warzone. You know cover doesn't last at all in the game, so you have five seconds tops to go from cover to cover before it's abbliterated, it really does keep you on your toes and moving. Another thing is that been given the option to blow a gaping hole in a house, you can walk straight threw it, and get to you objective quicker, going in a direct line. It sounds simple, it is, but it is genius.
The gun feels manly and powerful with all the exact clunking and ratatating you'd expect, but they do feel a little over-powerful when blowing up a wall, whereas enemies in this game must be made of titanium as all weapons respond weaker when shooting a baddie. I mean they do die, just not as quick as you'd expect. Plus when you do find something that isn't destructible, it does sadden you a little inside. Like if I took out all the supports of that church would the spire come crumbling down? How awesome would that be?
Ignoring the explosions, and the graphics are fairly good, not breathtaking but above average, there are some nice dust and lighting effect and the characters are animated fairly well. Cutscene however aren't what you'd totally expect half the time as you're tied to one point as your commerade blether on. Not really that thrilling.
Vehicle sections handle very well and are all very easy to drive and very balanced, as your buds hang out the windows shooting stuff that comes by, they are fairly intelligent in situations like this, but about 90% of the time you will have to fufill the objective or push towards the next point as your team mates are about as bright as Crash Bandicoot.
Musically, its very interesting, with chirly harmonica and brass melodies as opposed to the classical whir and the rousing symphatic tones of Medal of Honour and COD, however, it is very in keeping with the games "comedic" front and themes and makes for a welcome difference. Dialougue is engaging if a little on the dumbed down side, though compared to Haze, these guys looks like rocket scientists.
Unlike the Battlefield series, multiplayer and online take a back seat with only one online option Gold Rush. Fortunately, this is fanatstically well paced with Attackers and Defenders and makes for some good play as you hunt down or protect a case of mercenary gold. Conquest Mode is promised as free DLC later down the line.
Overall, Battlefield: Bad Company is highly successful in what it set out to do - create an explosive single player experience that was familiar to those Battlefield multiplayer vets, though there are some persistant nuicances, Bad Company is definately explosive and definately a worthwhile single player experience. A great alternative to COD 4 at last.