Teamwork is the name of the game in Battlefield 2, and it definitely benchmarks that term very well here.
With the release of Battlefield 2, it's time to dust off that old kit, do a few pushups, and get your butt back in gear. It's war, soldier!
Story:
Erm...there isn't one, really. Aside from the game clearly being a global conflict between the US Marines, China's PLA and the fictional MEC (Middle Eastern Coalition) there isn't a story present to begin with. Because of this drawback, there isn't a single player campaign either, although there never has been except for Battlefield 1942's single player mode. Even then, the CPU were dumb as a sack of nuts in that game. The game falls short of expectations here. If you want an engaging and hyperactive single player mode, there isn't one here. Look elsewhere.
Gameplay:
This is where the game truly shines. There are so many ways to cause destruction that there's one bound method that's sure to make your heart pulse like mad.
You've got 7 kits to choose from before you enter the battlefield. There's the special forces kit, a demolition and stealth-based set made for maximum mayhem if you love to detonate explosions. Following that is the sniper, which is self explanatory. The assault is the basics of battle, with a formidable assault rifle and grenade launcher combo. Then comes the support, and you'll be responsible for laying down heavy fire and resupplying your teammates. Engineer's the third last one, and you'll be laying down tank-killing mines or repairing friendly tanks and assets with your trusty wrench. The medic comes after that, and your job is to revive and heal teammates when they scream for your aid. The last kit, the anti-tank, does just that-breaking down mobile armor of all types.
Aside from this, there's a ton of unlockable weapons. Grab them by advancing through the ranks, and you'll be able to try out such new toys. Not only that, you can unlock even more if you play the Special Forces expansion pack. You'll be able to use them in vanilla BF2 once that's done.
Speaking of unlockables, there are a ton of medals, ribbons and badges to collect. Do this by playing with a specific kit very often, become an ace pilot or a ruthless tank driver, resupply and heal your teammates endlessly, or simply get the highest score in a game. The possibilities are endless.
There are also a ton of vehicles available for you to jump into and man the wheel, although this is only available if you play in a vehicle-enabled server. There are ATVs, Humvees and Vans, APCs, tanks, AA IFVs, fighters, helicopters, and much more. Each has its ups and downs, and no vehicle is impossible to destroy unless it is in the hands of a skilled pilot. Tanks fall prey to mines, air units and AT missiles while air units are easy prey for anti-air defenses and other fighter aircraft. The real frustration comes in when a very experienced player gets a hold of a jet and easily dominates the map. This can lead to unplayable games, especially if teams are unbalanced.
There are no large naval units in this game unlike Battlefield 1942, such as battleships or destroyers. The aircraft carrier is available but it is only a decoration and is undrivable. I personally didn't mind, but some veterans of the previous games may be disappointed here.
The main objective in this game is to hold as many flags as your team can, so you can deny the enemy of spawnpoints which in return often provide valuable vehicles and other assets. In the extremes, you will force the enemy to constantly lose tickets (essentially, lives for your whole team) if you can hold a good number of them. Whenever someone dies and is failed to a revival, a ticket is lost. Win the game by depleting all of your enemy's tickets before they do the same to you.
Above all else, the possibilities in this game are just endless. With so many roles available, there's one you'll find and love, provided you can get the hang of it.
Graphics:
For a game that's 6 years old, it's quite stunning. Playing on the highest detail yields some spectacular environments that'll leave your eyes dazzled. The vehicles, character models and terrain are all so realistic that you'll feel like you're really in the heat of a warzone, but from the comfort of your own computer. However, make sure your computer is top notch in order to do this. Otherwise you'll get laggy and unplayable games that'll leave you completely infuriated as your kill counter stays at 0 while your deaths go up by the dozens.
Music:
The game, once again, falls short here. Aside from a couple of loading screen tunes with different cultural motifs and a dull, rather unimpressive soundtrack at the menu, there's really nothing. At least in Battlefield Vietnam there were plenty of 60s and 70s era style music available if you leapt into a vehicle. Unfortunately, there's nothing here. But then, you'll probably be so immersed in combat and droned out by the roaring sounds of a machine gun firing nearby that this won't matter at all.
Controls:
The controls are rather complicated and frustrating to get used to, unless you plan to stick on staying as a foot soldier. You can run, go prone or jump while you're an infantry, but vehicles and other rides are a completely different story. They all have their own styles of driving and flying and each have their own assigned keys. Before heading out to battle, it's a good idea to rebind them to a style of your liking, otherwise you won't really get anywhere. I personally prefer a joystick when it comes to flying aircraft and helicopters, but that's just my opinion.
Difficulty:
This game is definitely not for the faint of heart who expect to win fights going in guns blazing, because you'll be eating up your team's tickets if you do so. Practicing is the only way to do well in this game, and it pays off. Sure, you'll get quite a few deaths, but with time, you'll be an experienced player with a nice K/D ratio and plenty of shiny awards to show off to your friends.
There are at least a dozen maps at your disposal, including the ones from the Armored Fury and Euro Force expansion packs. The recent 1.5 patch includes the latter two, meaning they're free of charge now and are available to you once you install the patch.
Teamwork is a must. A small skilled team of cooperative players will definitely blow the living daylights out of a team of equally skilled but yet reckless and rambo-style players. Without an effective and coordinated team that keeps each other in touch via good communication and close support, you can kiss your chances of winning a game goodbye. A good example of this is the kits. Each kit has its own purposes, but just one won't get you anywhere. Without a medic, your team will die off due to lack of health. Without a support, your group will run dry of ammo soon. And without an anti-tank member, you're smoked if you come across armored opposition. There are no health and ammunition cabinets in this game unlike the previous Battlefield games, which is a relief for some players since this disallows cheap tactics like grenade spamming from an ammo spawn.
In conclusion:
Battlefield 2 is a definite improvement over 1942 and Vietnam as the game saves all your stats while keeping track of all your victories, losses, awards, kills, deaths, and so much more. Whether you're a saucy FPS veteran or a casual gamer looking for an action-packed warfare game with endless replayability, Battlefield 2 is something that will satisfy your tastebuds for years to come.