Battlefield Bad Company 2

[Charlie]

I think it's an argument for both second-hand consumers and those of us who decide to buy a game brand new because it comes with a DLC code or the promise of exclusive content (Gears of War 2 with it's bull**** 'exclusive' Flashback maps being a prime example). Thankfully Bad Company 2 is a fantastic game and one I don't regret buying brand new on release, but that doesn't stop the VIP thing from being disappointing whether paid for or not.

[Family Fry]

Can understand why they did it though, they simply wouldn't allow leveling up on Onslaught. People would just spam the mode and run into MP all proud and level 50 not fully deserving of the rank.
What I do think they should have done is have seperate stats for Onslaught, starting at Level 1, having to unlock all the weapons on this mode and a seperate set of medals/rewards would have made it last a tad longer.
On the map front there are rumours there will be a BC1 classics map pack before Nam in winter, hadn't kept up with the new info apparently DICE were asking what maps people would like to see back.
Always wondered why they didn't dip into the BC1 maps and port some over to BC2.

[Jebus]

Who cares if people spam the mode to get to level 50? They've released paid DLC that allows you to unlock all the stuff now anyway so they don't care about skill/balance in that respect...

[englishbob]

I think it's an argument for both second-hand consumers and those of us who decide to buy a game brand new because it comes with a DLC code or the promise of exclusive content (Gears of War 2 with it's bull**** 'exclusive' Flashback maps being a prime example). Thankfully Bad Company 2 is a fantastic game and one I don't regret buying brand new on release, but that doesn't stop the VIP thing from being disappointing whether paid for or not.

I just view this VIP thing as another level of copy protection, one you can get around at a price. I don't expect any game to give free DLC ever. The only 2 games I recall that gave free stuff was Burnout Paradise and Mass Effect 2.

[Uli]

so how good is the Onslaught DLC? i can't level up?

co-op veterans, please report!

[Jebus]

I find it sad I'm saying this, but since the "skin" packs and the "unlock" packs...I've just lost interest in this game.

I'd played this more than any FPS online in my gaming life, but the lack of new maps and the way they've handled DLC has just put me off so much.

Allowing levelling up in Onslaught would have brought me back though, so it's a real shame.

[Family Fry]

Yeah bit of a missed moment I feel for DICE, they could have expanded Onslaught as a seperate game almost. Start you off at Lvl 1 with few weapons and like MP the more you play the more you unlock and lvl up, badges/emblems etc. None of that though

Instead we do have a solid co-op mode (R6 Veas Terrorist Hunt/Recon co-op) 4 player vs enemy AI with 4 Diffifculty levels Easy, Normal, Hard and Hardcore (Hardcore has No health regeneration, No map, No HUD and Extra bullet damage for the AI, ouch!)
The 4 Levels maps have apparently all had a slight visual makeover in the effects area.

Valparaiso is night time and a little bit misty (nice level at night)
Attacama Desert has sandstorm effects so visibility is low.
Nelson Bay seems like a new section of Nelson Bay map with a frozen lake.
Isla Inocentes looks the same to me, looks like is sunset rather than morning so a bit darker again.

Basic objective is capture Flag attached to base, to do this you have to kill everyone around it then whilst inside/around kill everyone trying to take it back on the counter attack, if people get to close to flag the ticker sound stops and you have to clear area so flag can continue to rise.

So far I have had a run through all the levels with Evilboris (on hard), we have managed to finish them all except Atacama Desert, on that level we couldn't even capture the first flag on Hard. The enemy start with two tanks and it's just death in every corner of the capture point, difficult level.
Nice highlight for me was playing on Valparaiso, pushing forward just running past the lighthouse which looks like it has shrunk, seeing a ship in the water which then starts firing over cannon blast/mortor style shell rain of death, I had to lol as it blew me to pieces.

Still have to play on Hardcore mode, there are Achievements for completing them all on Hardcore as well as Any difficulty.
Personally I will get my 800 points worth just trying to Co-Op the Hardcore mode and get those achievements.
It has matchmaking as well, so whenever you fancy a stab and have no co-op partner around you can just jump in. Could have had more meta gameplay though, hopefully DICE will use the community feedback to pop modified version into BC3 (whenever that may appear)

[Uli]

thanks for the info. i guess it's not worth putting my MS points into the Onslaught DLC, especially since there's no levelling up. i was really hoping for an alternative to R6 Vegas. what a shame!

[FelixofMars]

Ugh, this sounds balls. I think they are churning out some real crap and not really extending my experience. I have had enough of bad pay for DLC. This sort of thing should be free, like the extra skins (which are actually free in the US)

I really like the Battlefield series and would probably pay for new/old maps from previous titles as long as it improves the game. I guess it doesn't sound too bad but its not at all interesting considering the game is mostly multiplayer Vs focused. I can't belive it doesn't even let you level up. I was hoping for almost a nice few missions to get some free XP (like the FREE coop missions in Red Dead)

Oh well I am out, more pay for achievements for a game I like to play. It kind of annoys me. I pretty much see achievements as a way to show I liked a game and to get some more challenge out of it. I don't want to pay for the honour of something I have no mind for completing because its meh.

[Charlie]

I'm normally opposed to paying for old maps but the game needs an injection of life so badly now that I'd pay to see the likes of Oasis and Harvest Day too.

Don't really understand everybody's complaints about not being able to level up in Onlaught though as surely most of you unlocked every weapon/customisation for your favourite classes a long time ago and don't care whether you have rank 10 or rank 40 next to your name? In my experience all rank does is determine how great a geek other players regard you (the higher the rank the bigger the geek).

[EvilBoris]

Yeah I can't see the biggie with the ranks in onslaught because

A the Rank is no indication of skill as anyone can achieve the highest rank with time
B All the weapons unlocked ages ago.

As Family Fry said though, I would of personally liked the progression that starting at level 0 with no weapons and leveling up to get new weapons, it certainly adds to the longevity of the mode/game.

[donpepperoni]

Just picked this up on the PC and so far I can't help feel a bit underwhelmed in comparison to the old BF2. No planes, no troop choppers and the maps I've played really do feel a bit on the small side.

Its definitely fun, but it feels a bit too consolized for me atm.

Edit - played a few more maps last night and was pleased to see the good old Blackhawk making an appearance in one of them. Still no planes though

It is growing on me a bit now, but it still feels like a lite version of BF2.

[Spatial]

New Maps are out and they're quite nice, even the BFBC1 maps look nice redone and the ones they've included (Harvest / Oasis) were some of the better ones.

Had a few goes yesterday but it's a bit sterile playing with people who don't work as a squad - I was immediately missing the NTSC crowd games we had earlier this year.

Still getting booted out of games randomly though - really annoying.

[Golgo]

Is that random disconnect thing still happening then, Spatial101? I was half-tempted to re-purchase the game for Vietnam if that issue was sorted...

[Spatial]

Yep, played it for an hour or so last night and got booted back to the menu with no warning twice during that time.