Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

"This is the closest thing to strapping on a parachute and jumping into occupied France"

Ever since the award-winning movie "Saving Private Ryan" was released in cinemas, gaming has had a new field "WWII Shooters". Above all, the Brothers in Arms series rises above all. Its two main titles Road to Hill 30 and Earned in Blood were released in 2005. However Earned in Blood seems rushed, it's still an amazing game with the best characteristics that all games should have: great gameplay, believable story (in this game, your great story comes from the sense of brotherhood you would feel to have with your men), suburb sounds, and great replay value.

Graphics 10/10:

You can, right now, notice the scar Red was talking about in Hill 30. The graphics of Earned in Blood are just excellent. Imagine you are shooting a German. If you take a close look, you would notice blood on the ground or walls (if available). If a mortar falls right in front of you, you would see dust on the screen.

Gameplay 10/10:

Unlike most "WWII Shooter" games, Brothers in Arms focuses on strategy. It's no more fighting a battle alone, like in Medal of Honor, nor are you higher in rank than many soldiers but can't give them orders. In Earned in Blood, you can order soldiers to to move out, suppress a specific target, and or charge that target. You have two teams under your command. You can use one to fire on a target while the other goes around it and eliminates it. Not only that, the more you fire on an enemy, they'll be suppressed more. Once they're fully suppressed, they can't shoot back, meaning you can move your men safely to flank them. You sometimes can command a tank.

Sounds 10/10:

Sounds are something excellent. Voice acting in this game is moving. You can feel the emotions Red feels as he speaks about his dead friends. During the battle, your men say lines (some excellent, like Garnett's:"Let's try plan B: Don't get shot today!!") at the appropriate time. Actually if you listen carefully, you can use their talk to know if all enemies are dead.

Story 10/10:

Set during the WWII invasion, the Brothers in Arms games are the first WWII games that don't have you storming a beach. :P The story of Earned in Blood is told as Hartstock tells his After Action Report. He remembers the battles he fought, the friends he lost, the sacrifices he made.... The feeling he conveys supports Baker's statement :"My men, my family". If you want a good story, this is the one!

Replay Value 10/10:

Although Earned in Blood is shorter than Road to Hill 30, it still attains a pretty good replay value. There are 4 difficulties and as you finish each level on a difficulty, you unlock a new feature. And I tell you, they are worth your effort.

So in the end, Earned in Blood is an excellent game. If you don't know what to expect, rent it. If you played Road to Hill 30 and loved it, run out right this second and buy it!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/04/07