Oh Glory DAYS! Bad Company has a sequel. The fun, popular, action filled but seriously flawed DICE's Battlefield Bad Company has returned with it's sequel of course properly titled. In Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the Bad Company crew again find themselves in the heart of the action, where they must use every weapon and vehicle at their disposal to survive. The action unfolds with unprecedented intensity, introducing a level of fervor to vehicular warfare never before experienced in a modern warfare action game.

Here's our First Look at Bad Company 2...

The 'B' company fight their way through snowy mountaintops, dense jungles and dusty villages. With a heavy arsenal of deadly weapons and a slew of vehicles to aid them, the crew set off on their mission and they are ready to blow up, shoot down, blast through, wipe out and utterly destroy anything that gets in their way. Total destruction is the name of the game -- either online or offline, enemies will soon learn there is nowhere to hide.

Testimony from IGN's Erik Brudvig who spent a little time with one of the first demos for BC 2:

The boys of Bad Company have found their way north into the icy regions near the border of Russia. The demo opened with a panning shot of the environment, showcasing the improved draw distance in the new version of DICE's Frostbite engine and some seriously pretty mountains. As the camera panned down into a forest, our anti-heroes came into view. Yes, the B-Company guys are all back. From there, we cut into the game play, taking place in the same mountainous region it opened with.

For me, the mission structure in the first Bad Company game felt a little too freeform. Giving the player a limitless number of ways to tackle a level is a good idea in theory, but sometimes it can't convey the emotional force that a directed experience can. From the first guided demo we were given, Bad Company 2 looks more up my alley. The fight through the streets of this village was most definitely a powerful experience, thanks in no small part to the signature Bad Company audio which is back in full force. Add in some music that sounds more scripted to the events and you've got yourself a heart racing action sequence.

The snowy region was a great way to wow the audience with some snazzy graphics. Before the action got started, we got a look at some wisps of snow blowing by and a frozen lake while the squad discussed the best way to infiltrate the village ahead. Though things were quiet during this entrance, it wouldn't remain that way for long.

Once the squad moved into the streets of a small village, all hell broke loose and Bad Company 2 leapt into overdrive. Grenades sent bursts of snow into the air. A chopper hovered over the street before getting blasted out of the sky. Enemy soldiers popped out around corners, took potshots from windows, and made themselves general cannon fodder. A tank rolled in before being taken out by an airstrike that made such a blast it caused the booming speakers to shake the room. The only respite came from the occasional shell-shock effect that left the player dazed, muting and muffling the sounds.

And since this is Bad Company 2, the destruction of the environment was near complete. Radio towers tumbled into the street, vehicles were quickly reduced to scrap, and a general feeling of chaos was pervasive. The person playing the demo tried taking refuge in a building, but a rocket quickly blew open the wall and left him exposed. It was a little disappointing that a blast big enough to blow open a wall in front of the player didn't knock him back or do much damage, but the visual effect was on point.



The fight through the streets kept up a relentless series of enemies to deal with, but wasn't even close to the most scripted part of the demo. After making it out in one piece, the squad hopped on board a truck to escape. You take up the position of gunner in the back seat while ATVs and other small vehicles give chase. This wasn't much different from your standard chase scene… until an attack chopper arrived on the scene. As Patrick Bach, senior producer, put it, the team is "trying to make it slightly more intense." Looks like they're on the right track.

So looks like we should expect better things from DICE this time around. Hopefully by the time this game is released, all issues that plagued the first title and the demo are addressed and handled. I one predict big things from this title and CS if they fix those pesky bugs. Keep checking back with us to get more news, pics and videos!!

Erik Brudvig article