Brothers In Arms, Star Wars: Republic Commando

[jazz]

i won't be able to pick these up until pay day, but is anyone planning on buying any one of these either tomorrow or wednesday?

[Keith Moon]

:hand: - I'm waiting for some kind of review for Bros. In Arms...

[jazz]

i'll be reading reviews on both of these before splurging on thursday night.

then i'll go splurge again after that.

:monkey:





:nelson:

[Keith Moon]

- I'm really hoping Bros in Arms does well...I miss pretending to shoot bad guys in a World War environment... :frog:

[jazz]

- I'm really hoping Bros in Arms does well...I miss pretending to shoot bad guys in a World War environment... :frog:

so far every WWII game out there has disappointed me. i fucking hated the return to castle wolfenstein and the medal of honor series. i cancelled my pre-order for call of duty for the xbox because of all the bad reviews, i've even stayed away from all the recent vietnam game releases, so i'm hoping ubi hooks us up with this one.

[Keith Moon]

so i'm hoping ubi hooks us up with this one.


- Me too.

[jazz]

how long has this game been in development?

[Keith Moon]

how long has this game been in development?



- I don't know, but I'm sure shreddies would know...

http://www.gamertagpics.com/filesave/s/sh/p_shreddies.jpg

[jazz]

that's almost as bad as corey rouse.

[Keith Moon]

that's almost as bad as corey rouse.



- :laughing: ...indeed. Bros in Arms was announced I think in March/April of 2004 so I'm guess it was in development around early 2004 or late 2003...maybe?

[jazz]

mario bros in arms got a 9.3 on ign.

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/592/592373p1.html

[Keith Moon]

mario bros in arms got a 9.3 on ign.

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/592/592373p1.html





- :up: ...fuckin' a. That's all I needed. I'm picking it up sometime this week.

[MAGO]

i'll pass on this game for now...i'm busy with NBA Street Vol3, MVP and WE8 and soon SC:CT!

[Keith Moon]

i'll pass on this game for now...i'm busy with NBA Street Vol3, MVP and WE8 and soon SC:CT!



- Oh yeah, SC:CT...Damn you month of March!! :plain: I'm gonna go with Bros. in Arms even though SC:CT is just around the corner. Me needs a WW game bad.

[jazz]

damn, i forgot that i can't even check the new game release schedule. :ar15:

when does splinter cell come out again?

[Keith Moon]

damn, i forgot that i can't even check the new game release schedule. :ar15:

when does splinter cell come out again?



- Gamespot has March 28th...

[jazz]

thank god. i have enough to buy on this check as is. :insecure:

[Keith Moon]

- And ebgames.com has it also listed as March 28th.

[jazz]

i'm really anticipating doom III a little more, but after playing the demo, i'm interested in sc once again.

[greg]

i'm waiting for lego star wars :eek2:

[Keith Moon]

i'm really anticipating doom III a little more, but after playing the demo, i'm interested in sc once again.



- I'm still curious as to how Doom3 will run on the Xbox.

[jazz]

- I'm still curious as to how Doom3 will run on the Xbox.

that too.

[MAGO]

is BIA's SP good?...or is this one of those games that's more enjoyable for gamers with live?

[Keith Moon]

is BIA's SP good?...or is this one of those games that's more enjoyable for gamers with live?



- I think the ign review said that it takes around 20 hours to finish, which is a lot for a FPS and they said it's pretty difficult (which I'm guessing means the A.I. is not dumb - which is good).

[Parabola7001]

i want a new WW game also. Im not that much of a SC fan.

[MAGO]

- I think the ign review said that it takes around 20 hours to finish, which is a lot for a FPS and they said it's pretty difficult (which I'm guessing means the A.I. is not dumb - which is good).


cool!, then i'll have to get this one...

[jazz]

and they said it's pretty difficult (which I'm guessing means the A.I. is not dumb - which is good).
ubi games are usually no walk in the park.

[Parabola7001]

ubi games are usually no walk in the park.
agreed

[greg]

ubi games are usually no walk in the park.
that's because you're usually pinned down by gunfire when you're in the park

[Parabola7001]

god damn i love those parts

[MAGO]

their games are challenging...i guess that's why i love the SC series....

[jazz]

that's why ubi pwns our gaming souls. :insecure:

[Keith Moon]

- Rainbow 6: 3 pwned my soul for close to 2 years... :shiner:

[EtchedInCold]

i have Splinter Cell for both GameCube and Xbox.
and i plan on getting Pandora Tomorrow for both if i can get them
and Chaos Theory as well.

[Keith Moon]

i have Splinter Cell for both GameCube and Xbox.
and i plan on getting Pandora Tomorrow for both if i can get them
and Chaos Theory as well.



- Why do you get SC games for your GameCube? :hmmm:

[MAGO]

i have Splinter Cell for both GameCube and Xbox.
and i plan on getting Pandora Tomorrow for both if i can get them
and Chaos Theory as well.

is there a difference for each??...i ask because i own a GC also..

[jazz]

mago's got a sam fisher fetish. :what:

[MAGO]

mago's got a sam fisher fetish. :what:

lol..ubi should include a code to have sam in the nude.....could you imagine sam hanging upside down from a wire.......IN THE NUDE!!!!!!!!!!! :pepper:

[jazz]

lol

[greg]

have you guys played the oxm demo with chaos theory?

thoughts?

[jazz]

i only had time to play through it once, but i really liked what i saw. this'll probably be a contender for GOTY (like RE4).

[EtchedInCold]

- Why do you get SC games for your GameCube? :hmmm:
well i had the gamecube first, i got SC, loved it, got an Xbox (thanks, P7)
so i bought sc for that.

there are differences. between the two. in the beginning of the GC version, in the sound room where you have to go silently, there is smoke so you can't see the hanging chains. makes it more difficult. i haven't completely played through the Xbox version, or played Pandora on the Xbox at all.

[JDMCivicHatch96]

lol..ubi should include a code to have sam in the nude.....could you imagine sam hanging upside down from a wire.......IN THE NUDE!!!!!!!!!!! :pepper:

or how about him doing that wall split. Instead of slamming down on the baddy feet first, he could teabag him to death :cool:

Anywayz lol I just read the review on BiA, someone on here post up their review for me. Im debating whether to get this. BiA now. SC:CT in March. And Forza in April

[Darken Elise]

I'm trying to figure out if I am getting SWRC or BiA... Can't decide... no time to play both... only play H2 on live anyway... but... must... support... economy...

[Keith Moon]

IGN Bros. in Arms review (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/592/592373p1.html)


Closing Comments

Like most of us here at IGN, I'm still a huge fan of Call of Duty and Battlefield 1942. While those games have their own unique strengths, Brothers in Arms takes some of the best features of each and adds an entirely new tactical dimension. Offering up engaging, squad-based battles and presenting it all in an authentic yet undeniably cinematic setting, Brothers in Arms is a game that, to borrow a phrase from General Patton, "grabs you by the nose and kicks you in the ass."

There's no denying that the game is hard. It's so hard, in fact, that I literally almost broke my controller in frustration at one point. I believe I also said a bad word. But even when I was feeling hopelessly outclassed by the enemy, I still felt like there were always new approaches to take to circumvent and outwit the opposition. That's what kept drawing me back for more punishment. And when I did finally succeed, I felt it was because I had learned something, that I had discovered a weakness not in the game but in my enemy.

The addition of Road to Hill 30 in the title indicates that the gang at Gearbox would love to establish Brothers in Arms as a running franchise. We'd love nothing more than to see more titles like this.

I truly never thought I'd say this but the next time I see him I'm kissing Randy Pitchford on the mouth.

[Keith Moon]

Multiplayer

The final subject to tackle is multiplayer. Since the game just came out today, we haven't had the chance to put it through its paces like we have with some of our other favorite Live shooters. We have played a bit over Xbox Live here at the office however and have been impressed with the overall experience.

Multiplayer is purely a mission-based affair here, so you won't find deathmatch or capture the flag options. Rather than offering the sequential objectives found in Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Brothers in Arms usually reduces the point of a map to accomplishing a single objective. In pretty much every case, one team will have to obtain and then deliver an objective to a specific location. Sometime you're setting explosives on a bridge, other times you're deliver orders to a waiting vehicle. Either way the pattern is pretty much the same.

The objective for the other side is usually just to stop the other team from delivering the goods. I would have liked to have seen some alternate objectives for the defending team as just sitting there shooting the order/bomb runners gets a little monotonous. If each side had its own objective, you'd be able to increase the drama and excitement a lot more. Say both teams are fighting over a bridge: the Germans have to place a smoke marker to bring in an air strike, the Allies have to get a radio to call in air cover to prevent the strike.

Multiplayer is limited to two to four players but, since each player gets at least one squad to order around, the battles seem fairly large. When the character you're controlling dies, you can switch control to another member of the fire team. Once they're all dead, there are a limited number of reinforcements available for each side. If you can't accomplish your objective by then, you lose.

I can definitely see the multiplayer portion of the game having a lot of appeal but, honestly, after the stellar single-player game, I was expecting a little more variety in the multiplayer modes. If the levels were a little bigger, you'd have more tactical options open to you and if the objectives were less one-dimensional, you could start to work on more sophisticated strategies.

[jazz]

^ try doing that a lot more. i won't be able to see what you're reading at work.

[Keith Moon]

^ try doing that a lot more. i won't be able to see what you're reading at work.



- I know...that sucks. :rolleyes2 But yeah, I'll keep you in mind when posting "game" related stuff that you can't view. :up:

[Keith Moon]

- Oh and I picked up Brothers in Arms after school :pepper: ...I'll let you guys know how it is later tonight.

[jazz]

- I know...that sucks. :rolleyes2 But yeah, I'll keep you in mind when posting "game" related stuff that you can't view. :up:

that's a request from me to everyone. :up: thanks.

[Keith Moon]

- I was going to pick up Devil May Cry 3 (which gamespot gave an 8.6) along with Bros. in Arms also, but I think I'll wait on DMC 3...and then I saw Resident Evil 4.. :rolleyes2




- ...this next month of what games to get or pass on until later is going to be tough. :nod:



- Again, I'll post my opinion of Bros. in Arms later tonight... :up:

[jazz]

- I was going to pick up Devil May Cry 3 (which gamespot gave an 8.6) along with Bros. in Arms also, but I think I'll wait on that DMC 3...and then I saw Resident Evil 4.. :rolleyes2

where's the article?! you're slacking already.



















:wink:

[Keith Moon]

where's the article?! you're slacking already.

- Here's the summary of DMC3's review from gamespot:

- Devil May Cry 3 is a great action game that seems to go out of its way to limit its audience. Let's be clear: There's nothing wrong with a challenging game. On the contrary, many game players these days seem nostalgic for "old-school" games in which having to play through tough levels over and over again was to be expected before yielding the sorts of hard-fought thrills you don't get from breezing through most of today's relatively forgiving games. The thing is, Devil May Cry 3 is much more complicated to play than the old action games from which it seems to draw inspiration, and its difficulty is out of whack, since the game starts off much harder than it ends up, mostly due to certain design decisions that exacerbate the early going. So it comes down to this: Would Devil May Cry 3 have been a better game if its level of challenge were tuned better to make the experience less frustrating to get into? Yes, it would have. With that said, is Devil May Cry 3 an absolutely great action game once you get the hang of it? You bet.



- It's also Gamespot's #1 game right now.

[Keith Moon]

- I just got done playing some Bros. in Arms for about 45 minutes and I must say that it's pretty solid so far. I can say that Ubisoft definitely wanted this game to be authentic as possible and they succeeded by doing so. The no crosshairs is a little hard to work with (and the default is set to no crosshairs), so I had to turn them on -- yes you can turn them on and off if needed.

- Also the battles thus far have been pretty realistic in that you're not taking on 20 or 30 men by yourself...Each battle location or new checkpoint varies in the number of men you take on. The most I've encountered (with 1 other squad mate) so far has been around 5-7 enemies.

- Graphically, the game is good, not great, but it's easily comparable to the type of graphics that Ubisoft had for Ghost Recon 2 which I would grade about a B-. The water, just like in most games for the Xbox, is purty to look at also.

- The intensity of each battle you encounter and trying to flank the enemy without getting shot (using squad manuevers) is where this game shines. Controlling your squad is very user friendly and not hard to do, but you have to be smart about your choices and where you send your squad and telling them who to shoot at.

- I'll write some more about it once I play some more...


- ...oh and the opening battle sequence, which lasts about 2 minutes or so, is awesome with all the cursing, explosions, and dirt inches away from your face... :up:

[Darken Elise]

Jazz... Best. Avatar. Ever.

[jazz]

Jazz... Best. Avatar. Ever.

:up: thanks, man.

keith: as long as the graphics are as good as gr2, i'm a happy camper. i was worried the graphics would look like shit...

[MAGO]

looks BiA is the game to get right now..i plan on getting it this weekend..

[Keith Moon]

:up: thanks, man.

keith: as long as the graphics are as good as gr2, i'm a happy camper. i was worried the graphics would look like shit...



- Yeah, I was a little worried too. They're definitely no Halo or Splinter Cell graphics, but the game so far takes place in mostly woody and grassy environments and so far that's all I've seen. The grass and trees wave back and forth and the textures are kind of mixed bag.

- There is blood in the game and the bodies do disappear after about a minute after you killed them, but I could care less about that.

- Also you can pick up enemies weapons and you can only carry a maximum of 2 weapons.

[Darken Elise]

I think I may pick this one (BiA) up... tonight!!!

[Jonesy]

Republic Commando looks awesome. Lucas Arts seems to have their shit togather lately. It looks like Halo with a bit of Ghost Recon 2 thrown in...good stuff.

[dionysusolympus]

I picked up Brothers-In-Arms over th weekend. Here's the skinny from my perspective...first, the glitchy AI on both sides is annoying. Your squad will sometimes not take cover and actually stand out in the open (sounds like Rainbow Six). Second, if you like Band of Brothers, this game is remarkably similar in terms of tone and gameplay. The addition of firing upon the mortar squads is similar to Band of Brothers, the third or fourth disc. Next, the graphics is good, but not great. The closer you are, the better-looking it is. Fourth, the tanks and NPCs are designed well. Lastly, the sound is absolutely incredible...

Overall, a 8.5, 8.6 from me...

[jazz]

yeah, it's getting a little overhyped at xbox.com, but what game isn't? i thought bia was better than republic commando though.

[Darken Elise]

I put off buying anything new. I had to do the whole oil change/inspection/emissions crap on my car late last week. That pretty much ate up any cash I had laying around to wate on video games. Bah!

[jazz]

tell me about it. yesterday, i went to jiffy lube. :rolleyes:

[dionysusolympus]

tell me about it. yesterday, i went to jiffy lube. :rolleyes:

so did it feel good? :rolleyes2 :cheers: :pissleft:

[jazz]

they lubed me up pretty good, so yeah. my wallet, on the other hand...

[MAGO]

i'm getting BIA this week....it's on sale at CC for $39.99...

[dionysusolympus]

Good job, MAGO...did you like Band of Brothers? The story copies almost off of that...

[MAGO]

Good job, MAGO...did you like Band of Brothers? The story copies almost off of that...

i watched some of it...i'm hoping HBO maybe replays them cause the DVD's are expensive!

[Keith Moon]

...first, the glitchy AI on both sides is annoying. Your squad will sometimes not take cover and actually stand out in the open (sounds like Rainbow Six).


- I'll agree with that to an extent...it's just that none of my men usually get shot when they seem like they're in the open except if the enemy is really close (and usually I'll just see one of men standing out in the open or not hiding behind cover while the others are shooting at the enemy).

- What difficulty are you playing on dion?

- But the worst part about this game is the online play...it flat out stinks.

[dionysusolympus]

- I'll agree with that to an extent...it's just that none of my men usually get shot when they seem like they're in the open except if the enemy if really close (and usually I'll just see one of men standing out in the open or not hiding behind cover while the others are shooting at the enemy).

- What difficulty are you playing on dion?

- But the worst part about this game is the online play...it flat out stinks.

I'm playing it on Normal right now. How about you?

[Keith Moon]

I'm playing it on Normal right now. How about you?


- Normal also. What do you think of the dialogue of both your squad and the Nazi's when they're fighting each other? I think it's sweet-town. :laugh:

[dionysusolympus]

- Normal also. What do you think of the dialogue of both your squad and the Nazi's when they're fighting each other? I think it's sweet-town. :laugh:

Great. Well-done for a game. It sounds like Band of Brothers with "Gonorrhea"-sounding guy and some of the other guys...

[Keith Moon]

Great. Well-done for a game. It sounds like Band of Brothers with "Gonorrhea"-sounding guy and some of the other guys...



- :lmao:

[dionysusolympus]

- :lmao:

you've seen Band of Brothers, right? One of the guys sounds and acts like Gonorrhea...

[Keith Moon]

- No...but just the way you described it sounded funny to me. :nana:

[dionysusolympus]

- No...but just the way you described it sounded funny to me. :nana:

rent and/or buy Band of Brothers sometime...the series was well-done... :shades2: great acting...great movie (10-hours)

[jazz]

i play with the crosshairs off. aiming it is a bitch, but it adds that much more realism.

and i'm trying it first on difficult just to see.

[EtchedInCold]

rent and/or buy Band of Brothers sometime...the series was well-done... :shades2: great acting...great movie (10-hours)
i own it. never watched it. too long.

[jazz]

i'm playing the waiting game with that dvd set. it's way too expensive.

[EtchedInCold]

ahhhh, the joys of having relatives who work at Media Play.

[Keith Moon]

i play with the crosshairs off. aiming it is a bitch, but it adds that much more realism.

and i'm trying it first on difficult just to see.


- The no crosshairs was a little too hard for me, but I think I'll eventually try it. :smoke:

[jazz]

you gotta try it. if you've ever shot a gun, you'll know that's a pretty realistic depiction. props to ubi. :up:

[Keith Moon]

- So what's your overall impression, jazz?

[jazz]

i've only played about half an hour so far, but i could safely say that i really like the game. the graphics aren't the best, but you could see that ubi put in a lot of attention to detail.

my gripes are pretty much what dio was talking about, but it's still a game worth owning. i have yet to try it on live though. :shrug:

[Keith Moon]

i have yet to try it on live though. :shrug:


- It's not good, but it doesn't hurt that they put it in there if you want to play it...I just know I won't.

[jazz]

what game modes are there? traditional death match-type stuff?

[Keith Moon]

what game modes are there? traditional death match-type stuff?


- Yeah, I only played one mode and that was where you had to take some documents from one location to another while controlling your A.I. squad...it was a bore.

[jazz]

if it's anything like the game modes on gr2 or the rainbow six series, i'll dig it.

[dionysusolympus]

i play with the crosshairs off. aiming it is a bitch, but it adds that much more realism.

and i'm trying it first on difficult just to see.

I play with the crosshairs off as well...I tend to like the German rifle better than the Allied rifle...and the German MP40 over the Allied submachine gun...both of them to me seem more accurate than the Allied guns...

[jazz]

i like the allied rifle's sights better, but yes, the german weapons are more accurate.

[dionysusolympus]

BTW...for those in D-Day+1, when you get the trifecta crossroads, which direction do you go? do you go from right to left or left to right? I am trying to figure it out...the MG encampment on the right side is annoying the hell outta me...!!! :plain:

[Keith Moon]

- Bros. in Arms gets a 9.2 from Gamespot.com

- Just how jazz likes it, posted not microwaved: :wookie:


We'll admit it. When we first heard about Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, a small voice inside our heads said cynically, "Just what the world needs...another World War II-based first-person shooter." Sure, it has some squad command mechanics, but it wasn't lost on us that those design aspects were rather similar to another military game, Full Spectrum Warrior. The big difference with Brothers in Arms is that it puts a gun in your hands and actually allows you to pull the trigger.

And, oh, what a difference it makes! Brothers in Arms is paced more deliberately than other popular WWII shooters, such as Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. But the game more than makes up for any apparent absence of run-and-gun action with the raw intensity and realism of its battles combined with the added tactical considerations required in the challenging campaign. The online aspect is equally compelling, making for a complete and thoroughly impressive game experience.

Brothers in Arms offers a satisfying mix of tactical strategy and action thrills.
Brothers in Arms puts you in the role of Sgt. Matt Baker, a real-life member of the 101st Airborne Division. The game's 17-chapter campaign stretches over a week's time. You'll start out the night before D-Day, when you and the rest of the division parachute behind enemy lines into France, fighting your way into and capturing the town of Carentan.

Each chapter and all the settings are based closely on actual missions carried out by Baker's platoon. As you beat each mission, you'll unlock extras, such as photographs and reconnaissance photos, which show you how closely the game's levels match what Baker's platoon fought through in the critical first days of the invasion.

The game's presentation is extremely cinematic, borrowing cues from popular World War II fare such as Band of Brothers. Every chapter begins with a simple screen and title in stark black letters, narrated somberly by Baker's character. You'll also watch some in-engine cutscenes before and after missions that not only summarize the previous mission in the context of the war, but also get you personally acquainted with the rest of your squadmates.

These presentational aspects set the mood of the game well, but unfortunately can't be skipped. There is one thing that breaks the mood of the game, and that's when squadmates who die in the course of your gameplay all of a sudden appear fully healthy in the next mission. This is a minor gripe, though, and the game would be unduly difficult if you weren't allowed to lose any squadmates over the course of a mission.

The quiet, introspective thoughts that Baker and his squadmates share between missions is a stark contrast to the intense, chaotic battles you'll fight. The game's campaign offers an interesting mix of mission types. Some will have you assaulting small towns crawling with German infantry, machine gun nests, and snipers. You'll also explore hedgerows filled with hidden mortar teams and German 88mm guns, which are a menace to your tanks. Another chapter has you clearing obstacles off of heavily defended farms in order to make a path for gliders to land.

You'll need to deal with enemy tanks on a couple of missions, and while you will often have access to a bazooka or your own armor under your command in these cases, it's much more thrilling and satisfying to sneak up behind the enemy tank, climb onto it, and drop a grenade into the hatch to take it out. You'll also be treated to shooting gallery-style missions later on, where you're defending a position while armed with a sniper rifle. The campaign should last most players about 10 to 12 hours on their first play-through. There's plenty of incentive to play on the higher difficulty settings, though, as this forces you to perform in a more disciplined fashion with sharper command decisions.

Depending on the mission, you'll command either one or two squad elements, each of which can consist of a few infantrymen or a tank. Infantry are either designated as an assault team or a fireteam. The former is usually armed with submachine guns and is better at charging and eliminating enemies, while the latter carry rifles and are better at establishing a base of fire on an enemy position for suppression.

Like in Full Spectrum Warrior, you'll see icons over enemy positions to signify their condition. Fully suppressed enemies will not move or fire much, and when they do shoot, their accuracy is poor. Unsuppressed enemies are much more accurate with their shots and may actually move, either to get a better attack position, or to find more useful cover.

Tanks play a large role in the game, both as your allies and your enemies.
This design conceit gives you incentive to actually use established army doctrine to find, fix, flank, and finish the enemy. One or two of your elements hold an enemy down with a base of fire, while you can move yourself or use another element to flank around the side to take that enemy out.

Players who are more hands-on will obviously want to take the finishing aspect into their own hands, while more strategic-minded players still have the option of sending in a squad element to do the dirty work. Either way is satisfying, and throughout the course of the campaign you'll find cause to use both methods. It's also worth noting that, unlike in Full Spectrum Warrior, enemies behind cover are not invincible to direct fire. If you're a good shot with a rifle, you can still pick off an enemy who pokes his head a little too far out from behind cover. That said, the game still offers you a big advantage to try to find an unobstructed line of fire.

To help you with the job of maneuvering, Brothers in Arms includes a mode called "situational awareness." It's basically a pause state that zooms out and gives you an overhead view of the map with limited rotation and zoom ability. From here you can examine your own position and the position of your squad elements relative to that of known enemy positions. This mode is extremely helpful, as it allows you to make more intelligent decisions about maneuvering and positioning.

You can only see enemy contacts that you've already made, so you can't cheat to see what else might be lying in wait up ahead. However, it's still possible to use the situational awareness mode to confirm the number of enemies behind cover, so there is some advantage to always peeking at this screen every time you find a new contact.

The command interface in Brothers in Arms is fairly streamlined. By holding down the left trigger, you'll get a command ring, which you can then move around the landscape to command your selected squad element to move. The squad artificial intelligence is fairly clever. If they know they're moving into the line of fire, they'll fire at the enemy position while proceeding in a low and fast manner. They'll also stack up behind any nearby cover and automatically fire at any enemy that comes into sight.

You can order them to intensify their fire on a position for suppression or call for an all-out charge. Your squad is smart enough, however, to refuse orders to directly charge a machine gun nest or enemy tank. While the streamlined command interface keeps things simple, it can be frustrating at times in the uncommon cases when your soldiers don't get behind cover properly or take a strange path to their target. You also don't have the ability to specifically call for a grenade toss, although they will throw grenades on their own from time to time.

The suppression indicators help point out enemy positions, but they are not available at the highest difficulty setting. As far as controlling your own character, Brothers in Arms offers a couple of twists from your standard shooter. You can move about (albeit a bit more slowly than in most shooters) and toggle between standing and kneeling positions, which expectantly affects your accuracy. You'll notice this most with the Springfield sniper rifle, as the scope drift is dramatically lessened while kneeling.

What's different about Brothers in Arms is that the default setting does not give you a crosshair with which to aim. If you choose to fire from the hip, you're pretty much guessing where your shots will land. In effect, you are forced to toggle the zoom, which lets you aim your gun along the iron sight in order to shoot with any degree of accuracy. Your movement speed is also cut down to a fraction while aiming, so if you want to fire while on the move, you need to make a choice between movement speed and shot accuracy. This adds to the game's realism and feels less contrived compared to other games that simply expand your crosshair reticle as you run.

You'll use an array of different weapons, including M1 Garands, Thompson submachine guns, BARs, and fixed machine guns. You'll also pick up antitank weapons, such as bazookas, and you can loot weapons off of dead enemies. In general, you're probably better off sticking with the guns you start each mission with until you start running into the elite German Fallschirmjager, who carry the Sturmgewehr automatic assault rifle.

Grenades are very limited in the game. You don't get them in every mission, and you can't seem to loot any off of corpses. It's also fairly tricky to toss them; learning how to arc them just right will take some practice. Just be careful to pay attention to your tosses. If you don't suppress an enemy position before throwing a grenade, you're liable to get that pineapple tossed right back in your face.

Unlike many other games of this type, multiplayer Brothers in Arms isn't just an afterthought. The multiplayer aspect retains the squad command aspects from the single-player campaign, resulting in a game that plays unlike anything else on Xbox Live. Matches can be set up for two to four players online on any of 10 objective-based maps. Most of these maps will involve demolitions of some sort, with one side attempting to plant a bomb on a strategic target, such as a bomb or antiaircraft gun, while the other side tries to prevent the bomb from exploding over a fixed period of time.

Each player in the game controls one or two squad elements, and you can also hop out to situational awareness mode to check your surroundings, although the game does not pause in this mode during multiplayer matches. If the soldier you're controlling goes down, you can press a button to immediately take control of another member of that squad element. Get your whole element wiped out, and you'll need to respawn at your original spawn point with a fresh element.

The overall feel of multiplayer Brothers in Arms is much more strategic than a typical shooter. There's a lot of depth involved with coordinating attacks with your teammates, such as trying to confuse the enemy with feints or linking up on one side of the map for an all-out charge. Raw skill at first-person shooters certainly helps, but aiming skill alone doesn't quite compensate for a player who utilizes his squad commands to the fullest. That aspect gives Brothers in Arms a unique style, and one which should give the game lasting appeal for multiplayer. For those stuck offline, a split-screen mode for two players is available. But being able to see your opponent's movements takes a lot of the mystery out of a match, making it much less compelling than playing online. In our testing, the online play worked pretty well, with only a few problems in latency.

The graphics and sound in Brothers in Arms add to the game's overall excellence. Character models are good overall, offering up some nice detail in motion with the way they carry their weapons and take position behind cover. Squadmates who have taken a lot of hits will also limp noticeably and won't run as quickly. The models do appear a bit blocky at times, however, and the character faces have a somewhat lifeless, mannequin-like quality to them, particularly in the eyes. Vehicles and weapons are realistically modeled in both the way they look and the way they sound, as are all the settings in the game, including the position of foliage, roads, and buildings. Bullets kick up debris and dust depending on their impact point.

In fact, if you're being fired upon, you'll see bits of dirt kick up and "stick" to the screen as the bullets plink and whiz by your head. Your squadmates will also yell for you to get down. These are useful visual and audio cues that alert you to when you should duck your head back behind cover.

Dirt kicks up on the screen when you're under fire. You'll see noticeable blood spray as you fire at and hit enemies up close, but this isn't done gratuitously. Certain cutscenes, however, can get rather gory and graphic. Add that to the cussing you'll hear, and you'll have a game that captures the grim reality of war (which is also found in any movie or miniseries).

What's also interesting is that there's no music at all during gameplay. An orchestral score is limited to the menus and loading screens. Again, this seems like a conscious design decision, adding to the cold overall feeling that the game offers.


By bringing together the best aspects of squad-based shooters with the freedom of a more action-oriented game, Brothers in Arms offers a unique gameplay experience in the unlikeliest of genres: a World War II shooter. The campaign is varied and lengthy enough to keep players thrilled from beginning to end. There's even good incentive to play through again at higher difficulties. Combined with a well-designed and thought-out multiplayer aspect, Brothers in Arms offers one of the best World War II gaming experiences to date.

:dotus:

[Keith Moon]

- Also the scores from Gamespot.com:

Gameplay - 9
Graphics - 8
Sound - 9
Value - 9
Tilt - 10

[dionysusolympus]

I agree with the whole ambience and variety thing in the review. I still hold on my ground on the other things. But overall, a great game...the extras are particularly interesting...particularly the vocal discussions by Col. Antal re: machinery, German Infantry and formations, etc.

[Keith Moon]

I agree with the whole ambience and variety thing in the review. I still hold on my ground on the other things. But overall, a great game...the extras are particularly interesting...particularly the vocal discussions by Col. Antal re: machinery, German Infantry and formations, etc.



- I expected them to be a little harsher on the online play of BiA.

[jazz]

wow, i didn't think gamespot wouldn't rate it that high. impressive.

(and thanks, keith)

[Keith Moon]

wow, i didn't think gamespot wouldn't rate it that high. impressive.

(and thanks, keith)


- Any time jazz... :nanner:

[dionysusolympus]

hey, Keith, is that your dog in the pic? :what:

[Keith Moon]

hey, Keith, is that your dog in the pic? :what:


- I wish, but no...

[jazz]

i believe that's from an article about how they invented eyeglasses for dogs with vision problems.

[Keith Moon]

i believe that's from an article about how they invented eyeglasses for dogs with vision problems.


- You're right. I couldn't think of where my friend at work got this from.

- He goes to the same web site for news as you do jazz... :wookie:

[jazz]

- He goes to the same web site for news as you do jazz... :wookie:

those articles sometimes appear on numerous sites. mine's just one of them.

i just feel that i post links to the best ones available. :wink:

[Keith Moon]

- I just finished playing the levels where you control a small tank along with your squad and I must say that was major good times.

- Also, it seems as if the levels start to open up a lot more, which gives you more ways to flank...

[dionysusolympus]

- I just finished playing the levels where you control a small tank along with your squad and I must say that was major good times.

- Also, it seems as if the levels start to open up a lot more, which gives you more ways to flank...

Keith, what day are you on? Are you on D-Day+2? I'm on D-Day+5...second half...

[Keith Moon]

Keith, what day are you on? Are you on D-Day+2? I'm on D-Day+5...second half...



- I can't remember what day I'm on, but I'm currently on the level where you get to control 2 squads for the first time.


- And I'm currently using the no-crosshairs and loving it - more challenge even though the game is already challenging enough. :wookie:

[dionysusolympus]

- I can't remember what day I'm on, but I'm currently on the level where you get to control 2 squads for the first time.


- And I'm currently using the no-crosshairs and loving it - more challenge even though the game is already challenging enough. :wookie:

I think I know what day you're on. Agreed, the game is challenging. Expect some death later on...some of my squad keep on going down in the later levels no matter what I do...even on "Normal." I would hate see what Authentic looks like...that must be a pain in the :pink: .

[Keith Moon]

I think I know what day you're on. Agreed, the game is challenging. Expect some death later on...some of my squad keep on going down in the later levels no matter what I do...even on "Normal." I would hate see what Authentic looks like...that must be a pain in the :pink: .


- Do you use the Situational Awareness camera view often? It's pretty helpful.

[dionysusolympus]

- Do you use the Situational Awareness camera view often? It's pretty helpful.

Yes, I do. But even still...sometimes your squad gets put in the most painful of situations...just wait til later on...and there's one level...where you don't know where the Germans are until you get within shooting distance... :rolleyes2

[EtchedInCold]

well i had the gamecube first, i got SC, loved it, got an Xbox (thanks, P7)
so i bought SC for that.

there are differences. between the two. in the beginning of the GC version, in the sound room where you have to go silently, there is smoke so you can't see the hanging chains. makes it more difficult. i haven't completely played through the Xbox version, or played Pandora on the Xbox at all.
:bump:
I finished the Xbox version of SC. there are a bunch of differences between the two. nothing too out there, like new levels, but there are changes to the levels. Namely the Presidential Palace is a whole lot different. I can't really decide which is harder, though. It's worth it on both platforms.

[dionysusolympus]

:bump:
I finished the Xbox version of SC. there are a bunch of differences between the two. nothing too out there, like new levels, but there are changes to the levels. Namely the Presidential Palace is a whole lot different. I can't really decide which is harder, though. It's worth it on both platforms.

how was the Presidential Palace level changed? I am just curious... :faint:

[EtchedInCold]

Xbox version: climbing up the wall to the courtyard with sniper... then into the bush maze
Gamecube version: Climb down wall, enter pipe, and i forget where it goes from there... the bush maze has cameras in it...

and did the Xbox version have camera jammers?

I'm gonna play the GC version again tonight.

[dionysusolympus]

Xbox version: climbing up the wall to the courtyard with sniper... then into the bush maze
Gamecube version: Climb down wall, enter pipe, and i forget where it goes from there... the bush maze has cameras in it...

and did the Xbox version have camera jammers?

I'm gonna play the GC version again tonight.

Okay, now I remember. I played the PS2 version of SC...same thing...were you able to shoot only a few of the cameras, unlike the XBox version? :crying:

[EtchedInCold]

yeah. the Xbox version had about 3 armored cameras in it...
and in the GC version, a lot more of the lights weren't protected by the metal guard thing. and the part with the mines and the thermal mask was a lot harder in the Xbox version. on the GC one you can shoot out the spot lights.

[dionysusolympus]

that's because you're usually pinned down by gunfire when you're in the park

they must've done research in Philadelphia... :what: :barney:

[Keith Moon]

- dion, the authentic difficulty in BiA is pretty damn hard. You get no save/checkpoints, getting shot takes off more life, and the supression circle does not show up.

- I just got to the level where you have to plant satchel charges to blow up the wooden poles to allow for the planes to land...

[dionysusolympus]

- dion, the authentic difficulty in BiA is pretty damn hard. You get no save/checkpoints, getting shot takes off more life, and the supression circle does not show up.

- I just got to the level where you have to plant satchel charges to blow up the wooden poles to allow for the planes to land...

So you are doing well on that game? :ar15: :bang2:

[Keith Moon]

So you are doing well on that game? :ar15: :bang2:



- There's just something about this game that makes me come back to it every night... :doom: