Pages Menu

Categories Menu

Posted on Feb 16, 2011 in Electronic Games

Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam – Console Game Review

By Alex Last

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam DLC. Xbox 360 Game.  Publisher: Electronic Arts.  Developer: DICE. $19.16.

Passed Inspection: An intuitive squad-based shooter. Gorgeous graphics and a sound to match, an instant favourite to challenge the established king of FPS Call of Duty.

Failed Basic: Accessible only to those who wish to work with others – this isnt your average ‘frag-fest’.

EA and DICE return to the battlefield with an explosive update and unique downloadable content in the closing year’s most anticipated release for the studio.

{default}

Hanging off the side of the Huey attack helicopter, you gaze down below at the scurrying Vietnamese soldiers who, unable to shoot you down, run in fear. The sounds of The Flight of the Valkyries rings in your ears as you take to the .50 caliber to gun down the enemy. The picturesque foliage and bamboo forests below conceal the enemy who are intent on merging into the scenery only until the sound of the helicopter blades fade. No, this isn’t a dream which you are experiencing after watching a superb war flick. This is Vietnam. Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam to be precise and you are having a bloody good time.

The Battlefield franchise is hugely successful and is a multiplayer heavyweight capable of challenging the Call of Duty franchise. B:FBC2 Vietnam offers value for money – that is, if you are willing to gamble on the hefty 1200 MS Points which this title update offers.

If you are one of those who have the points to burn, then you are most certainly in for a treat. While this download only offers five new multiplayer maps, the game has still quite a large amount of other value to offer. With a realistic set of surroundings – some of the best maps I have seen on any console, let alone a FPS, this game is nothing short of eye candy. The eye candy can be districting though. I found I spent almost equal amounts of time enjoying the surroundings as I was searching for the enemy.

BFBC2: Vietnam offers some new playability features, including new playable skins. The game still offers the same classes – Assault, Engineer, Recon, and Medic. As for firepower, gone are the upgrades and scopes – the medic packs and handling perks still remain however, but for those who are not fond of the iron-sights, you are out of luck – the guns match the period. Nothing new with the handling, with the guns all having a similar feel to the usual guns on offer in the original modes – that said, all look realistic and is neither a positive or a negative in my opinion. The bonus (which the avid gamer would no doubt have picked up) is that of the flamethrower. Never has the battlefield been so littered with men running for their lives, as wall of flames terrify even the battle hardened and veterans of the original games.

On to the show-stopping maps – as mentioned above there are five to choose from initially, all in the multiplayer modes (Conquest, Rush, Squad, and Squad Rush) which are available from the outset and come in the form of: Phu Bai Valley, Hill 137, Vantage Point, Cao Son Temple, and Operation Hastings. My favourite is that of Cao Son Temple, which is divided into two clear ruined sections, showing off the best which Battlefield has to offer: close combat, stealth in the bamboo bushes, to all out long distance pot shots between the two temples. Toss in the ability to take to all new period-authentic boats, vehicles, and helicopters and you have yourself a truly unique and definitive gaming experience.

The audio for BFBC2: Vietnam has been improved as well – with fully licensed 1960’s music and all new VC and American voice-overs, this isn’t merely a mish-mash of previous content – this is a whole new unique outing. Listening to some iconic music (mostly from films set during the Vietnam War) whilst taking to the hills of an American base, really sets the scene for an immersive and tense round of point grabbing.

Now on to the frustrating aspects of BFBC2: Vietnam. A glitch which hasn’t yet been resolved by EA is that of the freeze when being revived by one of your team mates – the issue still arises when the player is locked in the eternal load-out screen until they are either a) shot by a wandering opportunistic enemy or more likely b) committing an ‘epic fail’ of committing suicide. For such a debilitating glitch, one would have thought that this was resolved before the next update; but as this is a quick fix, one would hope it is high on the ‘to do list’.

Overall this update is a solid and unique release for the intrepid studio – DICE, who have once again successfully captured the art of war in glorious pixel format. With the promise of future map releases and the eventual decline in cost, BFBC2: Vietnam will soon attract the general populace – instead of the gaming hardcore that still stalk the battlefields of the Vietnamese countryside. The initial cost of the download is quite high – as we have already ascertained, but again, is worthwhile – once you wait for the 1+GB download to install and become available.

Armchair General Rating: 89%

About the Author:

Alex Last is a post-graduate in War, Culture and Society and is an avid console gamer. Combining his interest in social history and popular gaming culture, he also manages his own blog on Console Curious.

3 Comments

  1. Are we talking about the same game?I have it for PS3 and can level up to better sniper scopes and weopons.You also can shoot down Hueys with your weopons.Most of the music is not 60’s music,maybe 4-5 songs.The rest are Swedish and European bandes that have a “60’s sound”.Ok review but get your facts straight guy.

  2. Hi Joe, thanks for your comments.

    Whilst you are correct regarding scopes in some respects – this is limited to long range weaponry – in the Xbox 360 version at least – and every weapon (bar the handguns of course) is not customisable unlike the stand-alone BFBC2.

    With regards to the helicopters – much like the original helicopters in BFBC2, these can indeed be shot down with a rocket or two or heavy weaponry with sustained prolonged bursts of fire – the opening piece on the review was to portray that not everyone will have this weapon selected if they are new to the franchise and to pay attention to the environment which I am sure you will admit yourself, is your friend in this particular outing.
    From my own experience, the game brings across the mood which this add-on offers, in comparison to the standard game which although unique, doesn’t draw you into the modern warfare period.
    If of course you do not share this change and shift in mood, this is subjective and I can understand this as it is down to the individual gamer’s experience and back-catalogue.

    With regards to the music, you are also correct. With reviews, in order to give the ‘best bits’ and relevant pieces of information to the audience, some aspects are left out – thank you for developing this point and clarifying for the reader regarding the variety of music on offer. You are quite correct regarding its variation and again, this was to bring across the effort and the authenticity of this outing, rather than a simple mod with a high price-tag attached.

    I am pleased that you seem to enjoy this game as much as I and I appreciate the time you have taken to share your comments on this review.

  3. Great review, thanks.

    I agree that BFBC2 Vietnam is one of the best DLCs to come our way in a long time in the genre of the FPS. This is so much more than just a map pack and definitely worth the $$$. It has heart and soul and is a joy to experience.

    BTW, for some of us older geezers, the music wasn’t so much taken from films about the Vietnam War as it was from songs we used to listen to live during that period. 😉

    Keep up the good work.

    Rich