Not a game to buy, but worth renting because it is not too lengthy and the hotswapping feature is a must-try.
Publisher: EA Games
Developer: Digital Illusions
Game Genre: Modern Tactical Shooter
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Opening Thoughts:
Almost a year after the Xbox release of Battlefield II, EA Games released the duplicate title on the Xbox 360. It was the same gameplay, with better graphics and an increased level of difficulty.
Story: 20%
Gameplay: 40%
Graphics: 30%
Durability: 10%
Story (5/10)
One of the few setbacks of this game is its lack of a detailed storyline. There are no cutscenes, just a few radio transmissions at the beginning of each mission.
The basic story is that NATO has invaded Kazakhstan for some reason or another and the Chinese fight back. After sets of around three missions, the viewpoint of the player changes from NATO to Chinese, and vice-versa throughout the entire game.
There are also challenges to play that give you stars that can increase your rank.
Gameplay (9/10)
The gameplay is very innovative. Unlike any other first-person war shooters, Battlefield II contains the very creative hotswap ability. To hotswap, you look at another teammate and press the Y button to change soldiers. There are 5 different types of soldiers that each have unique weapons and skills.
There are also large amounts of vehicles that can be driven. Strategy comes into play quite a bit in certain levels, which is also the gameplay's only fault. Some levels need to have more soldiers added because too many die too quickly and the level ends before the mission is a quarter of the way finished. Not only that, but when a mission is failed, it must be started over from the beginning. There are no checkpoints.
The challenges are also very difficult. Some challenges involve hotswapping between soldiers to get to a certain point, while some are more complicated and involve using weapons strategically. Some even mix the two. There are also vehicle challenges that range from driving between checkpoints and transporting soldiers.
Graphics (10/10)
There are still some games, two years later, that can't beat the graphics of Battlefield II. I played the game quite a bit and never experienced a single bit of lag or locking up.
Durability (6/10)
With the game's frustration level, difficulty and lack of a storyline, it is not likely to be played long when compared to games like Halo 3, GTA IV and Call of Duty 4.
Overall Score (8.2/10)
Rounded Overall Score (8/10)
Final Thoughts:
Not a game to buy, but renting would be worth it because it is not too lengthy and the hotswapping feature is a must-try.