Metareview -- Battlefield: Bad Company (360, PS3)

by Justin McElroy { Jun 23rd 2008 at 12:25PM }

Battlefield: Bad Company has had an unconventional pre-release, to put it kindly. There was the huge kerfuffle over pay-to-play weapons, then the "boycott" and then, an even more convoluted weapon distribution plan. But, if the early reviews are any indication, the game has come through it relatively unscathed, with critics heaping praise not only on the multiplayer but single-player modes as well.

Game Informer (93/100): "The extreme polish evident in the final product makes it all worthwhile. Both single- and multiplayer shine - at long last redeeming DICE for the crappy bot-fests offline players had to endure in previous games in the series."

GameSpy (90/100): "Battlefield: Bad Company may look like other FPSes on the market in terms of theme and graphics, but there are enough key gameplay differences to set it apart from the crowd. One could easily say that Bad Company expands the genre itself with its combination of great story, destructible environment and surprisingly deep single-mode multiplayer."

IGN UK (86/100): "In spite of its sluggish opening, Battlefield: Bad Company goes on to produce one of the most entertaining first-person shooters since last year's Call of Duty 4. Bold and bright in tone, it's blockbuster fare that combines DICE's first-person expertise with a small sprinkling of innovation that's enough to ensure it's a perfect way to shoot the summer breeze."

Tags: battlefield-bad-company, dice, ea, metareview

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Obie @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:36PM

This game got itself a rental from me!

Vol @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:48PM

I really enjoyed the last one on 360. Damn, I need to finish up MGS4 first though.

NATO_Duke @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:40PM

I have to admit - I'm rather shocked. I was fully prepared to not give this game a chance, and now I want to try it.

offday @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:58PM

I agree. I wasn't expecting much from this.

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:10PM

Yeah the Beta was just meh. Lag, screen tearing, glitches and did I mention laaaaag so I never booted it up more than 3 times. The demo on the other hand did it justice fixing most of that and I hear the full game is the most polished which should be great.

It looked really smooth in the Xbox360 video review on IGN. Its good fun IMO and a nice change of pace for all the COD4 addicts, for me at least.

NATO_Duke @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:28PM

BTW Fenix, got to the start of Act 4 yesterday.

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:50PM

Those are some sexy bosses eh? B4 and after lol, they look kick ass. Are you killing them in their final state or using tranqs? I tranqed. I wonder exactly whos storyline they will follow next? I have an idea (and a hope) but don't wanna give any *ZOMG Teh Spoilerz* to anyone that hasn't finished.

NATO_Duke @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:26PM

Damn, I was killing! I knew I should have tranq'd them!

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:11PM

yea i tried the demo and i wasnt really all that impressed. but Metareviews like this lead me to believe that it may have been just that level i didnt like. i think i may go ahead and rent this then.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:44PM

If you traq em, you get to wear their faces....

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:24PM

Yes Fiddy I wanted to take their "face...off!" lol Corny Face Off quote FTW!

***Teh Spoilerz Warning Kinda***

That cutscsene in Act 1 where all the bosses come in and obliterate the militia while Snake is hiding in the darkness...

DAMN THAT WAS AWESOME!

Mal F4cti0n @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:31PM

SoCoolKurt & NatoDuke,

I thought the demo was just meh too, but then I kept on playing it (the multiplayer), and Holy Sh*t, that game is fun.

I was so used to CoD4, I kept on looking for the radar showing where the bullets were coming from, then I realized that the radar doesn't work that way. After I started using my eyes and ignoring the radar, I started kicking ass and unlocking weapons. The mp game is 10-20 minutes of pure adrenline rushed fun!

I am so buying this game b/c I am a mp whore. You definitely need to clan up on this one and get in there with your friends. THe game requires a lot of strategy on the offensive and defensive side to win.

Send me a friend request on the 'ol xbox live and I would be glad to be patient and show you the ropes;
Mal F4cti0n

uh-oh polio @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:43PM

totally buying this release day.

Mal F4cti0n @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:32PM

Hells Yeah!

Played the demo, the mp was f*cking awesome!!!! I played that same map to death, can't wait for the new ones. The mp is worth my $60 alone!

The Dom @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:49PM

Gotta agree with Gamespy. When I first saw this game I thought it was just yet another war game trying to mimic CoD, so I wasnt too thrilled. But now reading some of the reviews I am actually pretty interested.

Joeshie @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:49PM

The Battlefield series has always been one of the top multi-player FPS franchises, so it shall be a bit weird playing single-player instead of loading up to fight with 63 other people.

StLouisRibs7734 @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:52PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

StLouisRibs7734 @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:52PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

StLouisRibs7734 @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:52PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

WRE (PSN: WorstReviewEver; Gamertag: HaloKissesBoys; Wii Friend Code: 4204-4590-6106-3583) @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:59PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

america head charge @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:49PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

x silence x @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:03PM

Ah, what the heck...

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

guidedbyvoip @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:40PM

@ x silence x: I lol'd. +1 thanks!

Dirty @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:56PM

This is turning into a pretty solid summer, Ninja Gaiden, MGS, GRID, CIV REV, TOO HUMAN. Hooray.

PojoMofo @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:57PM

"even more *convoluted* weapon distribution plan"

prepare for the wrath of (insert shmuck who said you use "convoluted" too much)

Martez @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:24PM

But what if it's incredibly visceral?

WRE (PSN: WorstReviewEver; Gamertag: HaloKissesBoys; Wii Friend Code: 4204-4590-6106-3583) @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:57PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

NATO_Duke @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:08PM

That made me laugh. Thanks! +1

turkeybaster @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:04PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

riggs @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:08PM

this is definately a rent for me

B @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:29PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own ba-- wait.....

Emophia @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:42PM

Yeah, I'm a long time Battlefield fan on the PC, 1942 is my second favorite game ever.

It's about time the console got a GOOD battlefield game.

tlarkin79 @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:46PM

the demo is a lot of fun. There's nothing like rolling up in a tank, and blowing a hole in the side of a building with bad guys in it.

uh-oh polio @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:01PM

I just wish it didnt take 5,000 rockets to blow the tanks up, or 50 sniper shots to take someone out(excluding headshots)

x silence x @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:06PM

@uh-oh polio

Are you talking beta? Because that shit was not tuned at all.

You should try the demo... much better.

Mal F4cti0n @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:35PM

agree and agree.

One RPG and a grenade or two takes out tank. They also tweaked the damage to the soldier from a tank round. Not reflective of reality but makes the game more balanced.

If you don't get a direct tank round hit on a soldier, he lives.

AnonymousFinger @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:12PM

Ok, I'll be the lone "disagree-er". I'm a Huge BF fan, and this game is only Battlefield in name. (Multiplayer)

No Prone
No Parachutes
No Scopes
No Conquest Mode (DLC after release)
Only 1 Online Game Mode (DLC after release)
Squad Chat instead of Team Chat
Poor Weapon Damage, Poor Explosion Splash

These are things the Battlefield franchise is know for.

Martez @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:22PM

Whoa whoa WHOA. No Prone? No Scopes? WTF. I just went from massively excited to kind of wary. Why the hell can't you go prone? Is that to nix snipers? :(

Whoppy @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:30PM

No PC version? :(

FemaleOrca @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:54PM

This game had me at Destructible envviroments. Clowing up your own base has never been so much fun!

Haggard @ Jun 28th 2008 6:28AM

Yeah, they made this one with the consoles in mind, but are working on Heroes for the casual market on the PC and apparently Battlefield 3 for the PC to cater to the hardcore.

juju187 @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:06PM

i liked it. lets hope retail will not lag that bad tho...

Andmoo @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:19PM

So are the weapons unlockable if you don't do that marketing stuff? Do you have to buy a special edition or can you just progress through the ranks online?

Martez @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:23PM

You just go through the ranks. You get the gold edition if you're a lazy shit. Or if you want a keychain.

Whoppy @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:04PM

Is there/can there ever be a game which will let PS3, Xbox and PC people play together? I'm guessing not as Sony & MS probably put some form of restriction in that the developer has to work with in order to get the game released. It would be nice though....