14 DAY TRIAL // Can Bad Company, which was initially conceived as a sort of humorous version of Battlefield that needed to draw in gamers interested in single player, get serious about the story it tells and about the multiplayer it offers? DICE is set to answer this question during next week as it put out, in conjunction with publisher Electronic Arts, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, a first person shooter that will be released for the PC, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, on March 2 in North America and on March 5 in Europe.
Bad Company 2 should offer the same type of gameplay as the first iteration. Players will begin each of the 11 levels in one point of the map and, being tasked with an objective, will actually be free to employ whatever means they want in order to achieve it. DICE is saying that a bit more scripting will be employed to create some more interesting set piece battles that will showcase the possibilities of the engine and invest the player emotionally in the story told.
The single player campaign is set to take more than 10 hours to complete and will follow the same down on their luck soldiers of B Company we already know. Players will again control Preston Marlowe, who did not manage to hold on to the gold seen at the end of the first game, as he and his more serious squad mates hop from South America to Alaska killing enemies and destroying buildings.
One of the big draws for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is the improved destruction engine DICE has built. In the first game, players could take out certain walls in order to progress and surprise enemies but in the sequel, the developers are promising that all buildings can be collapsed and that all walls can be brought down on enemy soldiers, meaning that shaping the battlefield will be one of the most important tasks in game.
And then there's multiplayer. DICE has been known for putting great care when crafting their multiplayer modes and it seems that those who see Modern Warfare 2 as much too quick and furious might find solace in the more tactical and team driven gameplay of Battlefield: Bad Company 2.