With too many bugs and not enough substance, Bodycount is just another mediocre shooter tallied to the crowded market.
Written By xGlenn11x
The development team over at Codemasters has long been the victims of some really bad games. The only notable game recently has been the racing series, DIRT, which has been one of the more successful racers in what has largely been a successful genre. But this is no racing game here that Codemasters has developed. The only thing that feels that fast about this game is the short amount of time you will be seen playing it, and the short lifespan that its lackluster online modes have ALREADY gone through. Bodycount is just another mediocre shooter in a crowded genre.
Bodycount has, or at least had potential to be a terrific game in the shooter genre. The story though has no chance when compared to games like Metro 2033, Call of Duty, or Battlefield. Each of those games have different kinds of plots in their own right, and each of those three work to perfection, especially Metro. Bodycount sees you as a member of the Network, an agency that sends you on missions to take care of disputes in various countries. In this case, the game is only a mere six hours on the hardest difficulty, and only had room for Africa and Asia. The worst part is that you play in the same areas multiple times, and it gets really repetitive, and it is like Codemasters didn't have a clue how to write a story or create interesting level designs. It was quite embarrassing for me to see this, especially since some shooters rely strictly on their single-player to be successful. Bodycount can't rely on that even in the slightest.
Sure, there are a few action scenes that are a lot of fun and are very satisfying to complete. But these areas and sections are few and far between which is really disappointing. Also, you have Skillshots in Bodycount, which seems like a rip-off of Epic's hit shooter Bulletstorm, also starting with the letter "B". These skillshots don't really net you anything of real importance or value, which made me question why they were there in the first place.
The only thing I saw them as were some really easy achievements. Other than that, it was a complete waste.
In today's gaming world, online is a big deal. I mean a BIG deal. Call of Duty, Battlefield, hell, even the hit PC RPG, World of Warcraft, they all understand this importance. Each series has millions of players on a daily basis. Bodycount, while playing, maybe only had a few hundred. The online community is already dead, and it really sucks in that regard. I feel sorry for any poor sap that plays this game online in the two Deathmatch modes, with the same players from every match it seems. You have Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch. That's it. And on four small maps which all feel unbalanced. If you play Bodycount, don't play online, as it is purely not worth your time unless you are hunting for achievements.
The technical bugs are vast in Bodycount. There were so many instances where enemies would get stuck in certain areas, certain pickups were supposed to be picked up, but would never actually be picked up. Enemies would disappear altogether as if they were never there in the first place. Texture popping with buildings is commonplace, especially when it comes to the game's somewhat decent destructible environments. These problems should not have been present in a game that lacks so much compared to the hits on the market today.
What is there to say that hasn't been said about Bodycount? Codemasters has never been a heavy-hitter as far as shooters are concerned, but I truly feel that with more development time, Bodycount could have been special. The base of the game can be fun, but with just a six hour campaign and already non-existent multiplayer community, there isn't enough here to warrant a $60 purchase to anyone out there. I only recommend Bodycount as a rental, because that much is definitely worth it. The destructible environments can be great in some areas, but it is largely the lack of substance and polish that drags down this short-lived shooter. With Gears of War 3 coming out in just two weeks' time, all of you shooter fans should just hold your money until then, unless it is a trip to your local Blockbuster.
(+,-)
+ Destructible environments are decent.
- Not enough depth.
- Technical issues.
(Overall Score)
Bodycount: 5/10