Battlefield 2: Modern Combat

"The same combat boots, just better polished."

Let me preface my comments.

I originally come from that greater-than-thou PC Battlefield gaming circle, and I approached this new game with a healthy measure of skepticism. But, when all is said and done, this game just does so much right that the little pieces that everyone tells you "it should have had" just don't matter in the end.

I'll get this out of the way. How is it compared to the PC version? Think different, not inferior.

--Single Player Gameplay--

In the shadow of G.R.A.W's beautiful single player experience, BF:MC makes an honest attempt to lay out the game mechanics (for future multiplayer fun) with some interesting missions.

Sadly, the primary goal is just a lot of blind shooting and the "human wave" tactics that CPUs tend to use in combat. Then, at times, the difficulty (i.e. ramped up CPU waves) really kicks in, and kicks you.

Simple, straightforward missions. Nothing unique. Some AI problems with teammates - they are just unreliable and, ultimately, more trouble than they are worth.

--Graphics--

Here is where the PC gamer in me starts to nit pick...but, all told, this one nice looking 360 game.

Decent textures, beautiful draw distance (hop in a chopper in Backstab for a taste), and a very, very smooth framerate. In fact, the framerate just seems to have a huge margin of "reserves" - even intense, multiplayer games can't draw enough juice, CPU usage, whatever...to cause a stutter.

--Sound--

"We've captured Flag 3!!!!!!!!!!!!" (LOUD).

How EA/DICE let that absolutely frightening volume of the multiplayer "narrator" pass quality control is a mystery. Of all the patches I could pray for, this one won't come fast enough.

Once the ringing of your ears subsides, the sounds of the vehicles and environments are pretty good and I just love the sound of the FFAR (rockets) and they scream by you. Guns have a nice, crisp and bassy reverb. Tank tracks rattle, chopper cockpits muffle the rotor sounds, and jeeps have nice engine sounds. Pretty good work - just can the multiplayer announcer. Soon.

--Multiplayer--

This is it. Honestly, the single player had better not be your primary goal for this game. If so, rent. If not, read on.

You won't need to clip your nails or cut your hair after waiting for a match with this game (I'm looking at you Mr. T. Clancy). A quick connect to L!VE, a equally quick connect to EA, and an even faster search of available games makes getting into combat easier than a draft.

I would, however, love to have a list of servers to pick from (with corresponding game types, players, etc.) and I'd also like to host games. A big minus here.

But, once you are in the match, the gameplay is just so smooth and accessible (new gamers will get better and better and a fast rate) that it really makes BFMC shine. The auto-aim function makes it easier for new players but, on the other hand, picking out a sniper hidden in the grass without relying on a big red indicator would make the kill mean a lot more (but I'll take the points either way).

You already know that the 16 maps are recycled (abeit improved) from the previous console editions. You already know how great some of them are too! Oh, be prepared to play a lot of Backstab.

--Replay--

Single Player? One pass is more than enough.
Multi-Player? Ask me about a year from now. Seriously.

--Epilogue--

BF:MC really surprised me. I came from the PC game with some pretty big expectations and, save for a few minor issues (sound, multiplayer match selection) I'm hooked.

PC gamers owe it to themselves to play some DICE maps that easily rival the Karkland / Sharqi environs.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/19/06