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Developer: EA digital Illusions
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: June 23, 2008
Systems: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site
0:00 I haven't played any of the previous Battlefield games, but I've heard a lot of buzz about them, so I figured, why not try a demo of the new one?
0:01 A grenade with an EA pin rolls next to some gold bars with the DICE logo. Lilting lounge piano over the menu screen. Snazzy.
0:03 After screwing around in the options, it's on to the single-player game. Easy mode is described with the following quote: "Not complaining or anything, but are these bad guys actually trying to kill us?" I choose Normal, which is "how
Bad Company is meant to be played." Tasty.
0:04 Helicopters flying in to rockabilly music. "Welcome to the 222nd Army Battalion." It's the "B company," made up of people considered expendable or useless. "A mismatched bunch of rejects picked to serve our country as cannon fodder." Our protagonist, Preston Marlowe, got transferred here instead of going to jail. "This is my story."
0:05 I'm introduced to the sergeant and my squadmates, Sweetwater and Redford. The voice acting and animation are incredibly natural. I even chuckle a bit at a small joke regarding the chain of command. "You can ride with us... new guy," says Sarge.
0:06 In the field, we get orders over the radio to take a farm/supply depot. Sarge is depressed that he'll have to put off his fishing trip. Heh. It's funny, because he's trapped in a war zone.
0:07 Sweetwater tells me to inject myself with an "auto-injector" to pick myself up. I do as I'm told and watch as my character takes the injector and slams it RIGHT INTO HIS CHEST. Ick. This is almost as bad as
BioShock.
0:08 I jump into a vehicle as told, but end up getting confused by the radar and accidentally drive off the legal playfield. A big explosion leads to my first death.
0:09 I pick up a new weapon. "Reminds me of my first shotgun," says Redford. "I was the happiest four-year-old in the county." Heh. I'm loving the writing here.
0:10 The vehicle controls and constant chatter make this feel like
Grand Theft Auto: Army Edition.
0:11 We take fire on the way to our objective. I hop out to fire on the attackers and get knocked down to low health almost immediately. Luckily, my teammates take out the threat while I run for cover.
0:12 Just as we reach the first objective point, out truck gets hit by an explosion. I hop out and I'm killed before I can even see what hit me. Sheesh!
0:13 This time I try staying in the truck and running over the enemy fighter. Only problem is this truck handles horribly and the enemies are smart about dodging to the sides. So much for that strategy.
0:14 I take out two guys with a grenade this time, but get fragged quickly after that. Thank god I respawn nearby, and the grenaded guys seem to stay dead.
0:16 I'm finally figuring out that running straight into the line of fire isn't the best strategy. This time I go around the back of the bombed-out buildings and take out the last two enemy fighters.