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Introduction:
In most shooter games, cover is key. It’s a warm security blanket, giving you that ‘I’m safe’ feeling as you pause to let your health recharge. Well, don’t get too comfortable with that feeling, because in Battlefield: Bad Company (B: BC) taking cover will only help you for a short time.

The multiplayer you’ve come to know and love from the Battlefield series is here and more intense than ever before, along with a completely fleshed out single-player campaign. Get ready to head to the Battlefield. You’re in Bad Company now.

Gameplay:
You are Private Preston Marlowe, and you’ve just been reassigned to B Company – a collection of quasi-criminals, rejects and other misfits that the Army considers very expendable. You aren’t exactly thrilled about the placement, but it was either this or military prison for earlier crimes you’d committed.

You are thrust behind enemy lines, and ordered to infiltrate and secure various enemy installations with your squad mates: Sergeant Redford (Squad Leader), Sweetwater (Tech. /Comm. Specialist), and Haggard(Explosives Expert). Things get a bit ugly out in the field and the Army decides to disavow B Company and strand you behind enemy lines. Left for dead, you and your squad mates set out on a new mission of your own. Thus begins your search for the caches of gold you know the enemy mercenaries are getting paid with – something your whole squad agrees is worth fighting for.

Your squad mates in the single-player game seem to be there more for ‘scenery’ and comic relief than to actually help you fight the battles. In fact, despite having three AI teammates, it really feels like you’re fighting through the game alone. Your teammates never die, and they just aren’t very good shots. Many times, I’ve watched as Sweetwater or Haggard stand nearly face-to-face with an enemy, but neither of them goes down until I shoot the enemy myself.

In a way, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because you learn to do everything yourself. Learning each weapon, how and when to use cover, calling in airstrikes, etc. are essential skills you’ll need for when you’re ready to jump into some multiplayer – where working as a team is essential.

Rather than the standard, ‘get out of harms way for a moment to let your health recharge’.  B: BC has you using an auto-injector to provide a health boost.  While you don’t have to search for more syringes and you don’t run out, it’s a different take on health that forces you to keep an eye on your health meter and give yourself an injection when needed.  Don’t forget or you’ll find yourself dead fast! 

With some of the most destructible environments yet seen in a shooter, B: BC will leave you with very few places to hide out for long. You can destroy woodpiles, fences, gates; even blow big holes in the sides of buildings. Despite the game’s excellent use of destructible cover, however, the enemy seldom takes advantage of it – robbing you of the joy of blowing that cover out from in front of them and making you question the AI of your enemies.

While the graphics are a bit bland in color (your typical green/brown/black/grey look), they are done well and the explosion effects are fun to watch. You get plenty of chances to see explosions too, as there are destructible fuel barrels and other explosive items scattered all over.

The sound in B: BC is excellent. While the voice acting and corny writing leave a bit to be desired, the sounds of battle are done well. Shotguns, sniper rifles, grenades, etc. all sound as they should. You’ll hear shots whizzing past your head, choppers flying by, mortars exploding, and they’ll all sound great. Just don’t expect any awards for best dialogue.

Extras:
If you’re a longtime fan of the Battlefield franchise, then you know that multiplayer is where it’s at. The multiplayer in B: BC is no exception to that rule. It’s easy to get into a game, and once there it’s a lot of fun to play.

Bad Company really only features one multiplayer mode, but it’s a good one. It’s called Gold Rush, and you play in scored, timed rounds as the attackers or defenders of the gold. At the start of each round, you select your class/weapons kit. Your choices are: Assault (Rifle/Grenades/Knife), Demolition (Shotgun/Rocket Launcher/Knife), Recon (Sniper Rifle/Handgun & Motion Sensor/Knife), Specialist (Light Auto Rifle/Tracer Gun & Grenade/Knife) and Support (Light Machine Gun & Medic Kit/Power Tool/Knife).

Some multiplayer maps also feature vehicles for your battle tactics. There’s everything from Soft Armor vehicles like light transports and trucks, up to Heavy Armor vehicles like tanks and even Attack Helicopters. The pace of the online gameplay feels about right, and the destructible cover really helps keep things interesting.

The debate rages on as to whether or not B: BC dethrones Call of Duty 4 for squad based online multiplayer. It’s a tough call for some people to make. I think I still prefer CoD 4 online, but maybe I just haven’t played enough B: BC online yet. You’ll have to pick up B: BC and decide for yourself.

Conclusion:
With engrossing online gameplay and, finally, an in depth single-player story not seen in previous Battlefield titles, B: BC is a worthy addition to the series. More multiplayer modes would have been nice to see, but overall Battlefield: Bad Company is a well made game that you won’t regret spending your hard earned cash on.

Score: 8.7