G4TV

The Battlefield series has practically perfected multiplayer warfare, and it did so a relatively long time ago. When home consoles really entered the online play arena, Battlefield was a no-brainer to bring to the table. For everything it did right as a multiplayer game, the single-player campaigns console gamers thrive on left a lot to be desired.

Battlefield: Bad Company marks the first serious attempt at creating a true single-player experience out of the franchise.

Soldiers of Fortune

Bad Company's single-player campaign is a lot like a summer blockbuster film. The copious explosions are overshadowed only by the horrible dialogue and groan-worthy one-liners. The game just doesn't take itself too seriously, which, while it can get annoying at times, is actually a little bit refreshing. The hobby is overflowing with war games that try so hard to be the digital entertainment equivalent of Band of Brothers that the tongue-in-cheek nature of Bad Company is actually a nice change of pace.

One of the much-touted features in Bad Company is the complete destructibility of the warzone. Enemy unit holed up in an abandoned house? Don't risk trying to breach. Just fire a grenade at the wall and bring the place down. In this game, no cover is ever safe for long. Or at least, that’s the idea. In reality, the buildings all fall apart the exact same way, and you can never bring them completely to the ground. And while highly explosive rounds will bring down a few walls with a satisfying amount of dust and rubble, standard gun rounds barely so much as dent the drywall.

Also hurting the single-player campaign a bit is the enemy AI. For one thing, it doesn't react that well at all to a building blowing up around it. You'd think your enemies would run screaming from the rubble, especially considering the general atmosphere of the rest of the game. But they seem to take it in stride, which is a bit disappointing.
 
One thing they are good at, though, is aiming. In fact, they're too good. During the relatively one-sided bullet-festivals that take place throughout the game, you'll find yourself getting chewed to pieces by dudes who somehow manage to hit you with almost every single shot, despite the fact that you were just under cover, or that you're really too far away, or anything else. It's painfully obvious every computer-controlled soldier on the map knows exactly where you are at all times, and they use this unfair advantage to a frustrating degree.

That's not to say single-player's not fun. It's a mindless, user-friendly fun that's just a tad bit repetitive. But it's definitely not what it could have been.

Treasure Killer

Multiplayer is where Bad Company shines. Not surprising, considering the game's pedigree. Here you and up to 23 other players take sides in a massive battle that features all kinds of weapons, character types, tanks, jeeps, boats, helicopters, mortars, and more.

The soldier of fortune idea from the game's story mode is carried over into multiplayer. In each match, you're either defending boxes of gold, or trying to destroy boxes of gold. And as in past versions of Battlefield, the best way to do this is through teamwork and communication. Commandeering a tank is great, but it's way more effective if you've got a couple of folks with you to man the various weapons, and make sure that all eyes are working together to spot possible threats. While the game runs smoothly and quickly despite all the chaos on the battlefield, the one disappointing factor is that there is literally the one game type to take advantage of in multiplayer.

Summer Blockbuster

Battlefield: Bad Company is the most console-feeling Battlefield ever produced. It's mindless fun that's not going to take you away from better games like Grand Theft Auto IV or Call of Duty 4, but it's a great way to while away the summer days that are left after you finish all those triple-A titles.

Review by: Greg Stewart