Whoa!
I've only played the demo of the first one and was mildly impressed. On a whim, I decided to pick up EIB and from the opening moments I am completely floored.
I'll start with the graphics: Nothing revolutionary, but they are very well done and serve their purpose. The game runs very well in 1024x768 on my system.
The sound is phenominal right down to your boots crunching on the ground. It adds a realism that picks up where the graphics leave off.
Gameplay: Very nice. I've never been a big fan of RTS and the little bit of that genre used in the game is minimal and easy to wrap your head around. I find myself not using the overhead view much. It doesn't add to the realism the game is trying for. I love the fact that the AI is hard to see and, when you can get them in your sights, hard to hit. Using the overhead view feels like cheating to me.
I also enjoy the fact that my squad flat out refuses to move where I want them to if they will be in any grave danger. Nice touch.
The game does get frustrating when you reach a checkpoint with very little health but stops you from putting your fist through your monitor by giving a few chances to move forward at whatever your health level is. If you fail one too many times, the game gives you your health back so you can finish the mission.
Sure, it isn't "real" and the soldiers in WWII didn't get extra health if they failed three or four time but, hey, it's a freakin' video game!
I haven't ventured into a multiplayer server as of yet. As well, I haven't finished singleplayer either thanks to a hectic work and home life but I will.
And I will enjoy every single minute of it.