1UP Previews Bad Company 2 for PC
1up.com recently posted this hands-on preview for Bad Company 2 for PC:
If you've been closely following Battlefield Bad Company 2, you know that EA has been slowly trickling new multiplayer-centric information since the game's announcement. A few days ago, I got some hands-on time with two new multiplayer modes: Squad Deathmatch and Conquest -- up until this point, I've only seen the Rush multiplayer mode on the Arica Harbour and Port Valdez maps.
For a quick recap, there are four playable classes this time: Assault, Recon, Engineer and Medic. Battlefield 2 veterans will be happy with the Medic's return; he still throws down health packs and can still use a defibrillator to both revive allies and kill foes at melee range. The Medic's defibrillator and the Engineer's power drill will now compete for the title of "most humiliating to be killed by."
During our presentation of the two new multiplayer modes on display, associate producer Gordon Van Dyke outlined Bad Company 2's multiplayer suite: Rush (the evolved version of the previous game's Gold Rush that was in the PS3 beta), Squad Deathmatch, Conquest, and a new unannounced mode. Additionally, each of these modes will have a "Hardcore" version, giving us a total of eight in all. <!--more-->
The first mode that I checked out, Squad Deathmatch, isn't necessarily new for FPS fans, but is certainly a welcoming addition to the Bad Company franchise. As expected, it clashes up to four squads (with four players per squad) against each other to in a race to reach 50 kills total. For this session, I got to play the new Laguna Presa map -- a lush environment with plenty of hills divided by shallow streams. You'd think a map like this is ideal for campers, but with the threat of a tank (that can blow up nearly any hiding spot via the destructible terrain), along with three rival teams scouring this medium sized map, you probably won't last long staying in one place.
Of course, that didn't stop me from pleasantly enjoying the Recon class. There are enough trees to hide behind to get at least one-or-two kills in before needing to move to another safe location. As you'd expect from a class-based multiplayer, the team with a varied class makeup tends to be the winner. Initially, my teammates and I were all using the Assault class, and lost repeatedly until we finally broke out and took on various roles. One of my favorite moments was when I set up some cover fire while my teammate ran towards an enemy tank as a distraction. He managed to keep the tank and its driver stationary -- long enough for me to call in a mortar strike. Before everyone knew it, the tank and its occupants were leveled to the ground.
During our session, I felt like I was abusing the mortar strike a little too much (it's reusable after a short refresh period) -- especially in the next mode we tried out. Conquest is the recognizable Battlefield "tickets and capture points" mode. As expected, up to 24 players fight for control over four control points on the map, and try to outlast the opposition as the tickets countdown. In the new map for this session, Panama Canal, two of the capture points are located right out in the open -- I had fun keeping the opposition away from these particular flags by calling in a mortar strike whenever it was available.
On the roof of a particular building, (above point C in the gameplay video), there's a computer set up which allows you to control an unmanned aerial vehicle. When guiding the UAV, the whole user interface changes and the screen goes black-and-white. Although it was my first time controlling the UAV, I found it very easy to maneuver. You're essentially "death with wings" until someone either shoots the UAV-you down or reaches the control station to kill the soldier-you.
For now, Battlefield Bad Company 2 is shaping up to be an enjoyable multiplayer experience, and is sure to appease the PC users with DICE's continued promise of dedicated servers. Now we just need to see the single-player.
:)
Does this answer a few questions or bring up more? Does the mortar fire make you wonder how abusive that would be or what other options may be available for other classes? What are your thoughts on a stationary predator drone system? Will having mixed teams actually promote teamwork?
Source
If you've been closely following Battlefield Bad Company 2, you know that EA has been slowly trickling new multiplayer-centric information since the game's announcement. A few days ago, I got some hands-on time with two new multiplayer modes: Squad Deathmatch and Conquest -- up until this point, I've only seen the Rush multiplayer mode on the Arica Harbour and Port Valdez maps.
For a quick recap, there are four playable classes this time: Assault, Recon, Engineer and Medic. Battlefield 2 veterans will be happy with the Medic's return; he still throws down health packs and can still use a defibrillator to both revive allies and kill foes at melee range. The Medic's defibrillator and the Engineer's power drill will now compete for the title of "most humiliating to be killed by."
During our presentation of the two new multiplayer modes on display, associate producer Gordon Van Dyke outlined Bad Company 2's multiplayer suite: Rush (the evolved version of the previous game's Gold Rush that was in the PS3 beta), Squad Deathmatch, Conquest, and a new unannounced mode. Additionally, each of these modes will have a "Hardcore" version, giving us a total of eight in all. <!--more-->
The first mode that I checked out, Squad Deathmatch, isn't necessarily new for FPS fans, but is certainly a welcoming addition to the Bad Company franchise. As expected, it clashes up to four squads (with four players per squad) against each other to in a race to reach 50 kills total. For this session, I got to play the new Laguna Presa map -- a lush environment with plenty of hills divided by shallow streams. You'd think a map like this is ideal for campers, but with the threat of a tank (that can blow up nearly any hiding spot via the destructible terrain), along with three rival teams scouring this medium sized map, you probably won't last long staying in one place.
Of course, that didn't stop me from pleasantly enjoying the Recon class. There are enough trees to hide behind to get at least one-or-two kills in before needing to move to another safe location. As you'd expect from a class-based multiplayer, the team with a varied class makeup tends to be the winner. Initially, my teammates and I were all using the Assault class, and lost repeatedly until we finally broke out and took on various roles. One of my favorite moments was when I set up some cover fire while my teammate ran towards an enemy tank as a distraction. He managed to keep the tank and its driver stationary -- long enough for me to call in a mortar strike. Before everyone knew it, the tank and its occupants were leveled to the ground.
During our session, I felt like I was abusing the mortar strike a little too much (it's reusable after a short refresh period) -- especially in the next mode we tried out. Conquest is the recognizable Battlefield "tickets and capture points" mode. As expected, up to 24 players fight for control over four control points on the map, and try to outlast the opposition as the tickets countdown. In the new map for this session, Panama Canal, two of the capture points are located right out in the open -- I had fun keeping the opposition away from these particular flags by calling in a mortar strike whenever it was available.
On the roof of a particular building, (above point C in the gameplay video), there's a computer set up which allows you to control an unmanned aerial vehicle. When guiding the UAV, the whole user interface changes and the screen goes black-and-white. Although it was my first time controlling the UAV, I found it very easy to maneuver. You're essentially "death with wings" until someone either shoots the UAV-you down or reaches the control station to kill the soldier-you.
For now, Battlefield Bad Company 2 is shaping up to be an enjoyable multiplayer experience, and is sure to appease the PC users with DICE's continued promise of dedicated servers. Now we just need to see the single-player.
:)
Does this answer a few questions or bring up more? Does the mortar fire make you wonder how abusive that would be or what other options may be available for other classes? What are your thoughts on a stationary predator drone system? Will having mixed teams actually promote teamwork?
Source
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