Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

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Game Information

Developed by Pandemic Studios & Behaviour Interactive
Published by Electronic Arts
Platform : Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre : Action & Adventure, Shooter
Age Rating : 16+
Players : Single player, Co-Op and Multiplayer
Additional Contents Provided : None
Release Date - All platforms : (NA) 31 August 2008, (EU) 5 September 2008

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Synopsis

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames continues the open-world warfare that helped distinguish its Xbox and PS2 predecessor. You are cast in the role of a heavily armed mercenary, whose truculent talents go to the highest bidder. The destination this time around is Venezuela, where a military coup has instigated a full-scale battle over the country's precious oil supply. You can set buildings, vehicles, and even people on fire while you complete a series of deadly missions at the behest of wealthy clients. The action is viewed from a third-person perspective as you choose from three playable characters, each possessing distinct attributes: powerful Christopher Jacobs, agile Jennifer Mui, and unstable Mattias Nilsson.

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Gameplay

The gameplay in Mercenaries 2 is quite decent. I found it enjoyable but sometimes it would get tricky. Enemies would be impossible to kill and would leave me restarting the game a couple of times. You have the ability to play the role of 1/3 mercenaries that has to complete various deadly missions. Now, that might sound quite difficult, but not when you have Mini-Nukes, Assault Rifles, SMGs, Sniper Rifles and Rocket Launchers at your disposal. You can even recruit other mercenaries in the game to aid you and trust me, they can take a huge blow. This is effective when you have a few mercenaries following you as they can create a distraction so you can assassinate a target or something similar. To pack an even bigger punch to your enemies, you can even get a friend on Xbox Live/PSN to join your game and aid you. They can help you if you're having trouble with a mission or they can mess around with you blowing everything up that comes your way. Your health is located in the bottom left hand corner and it's just a number (max 100). If you see a lot of enemies you might find yourself being mowed down constantly which isn't enjoyable. If you see a vast area, you know there's enemies coming. You will have to keep going from cover to cover to be the most effective with your weapons while watching your health. The game has multiplayer compatibility which is a joy to play. There is also a DLC pack for this game as well which is quite cheap nowadays.

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Graphics

The graphics in Mercenaries 2 are actually developed well and somewhat pleasurable to look at. The environments that you venture out in are usually vast areas and everything is clear, even in Standard Definition. Now the best part of the graphics portion for me was blowing stuff up. Fire and explosions looked absolutely tremendous and I can honestly say that they give you that indestructible feel that you'd expect. Other things such as clothing and weapons aren't that detailed and seem plain and boring. They don't look amazing however they do give a hint of a Mercenary aura. Character development, facial features and physique look great. You are able to tell which character you are talking to in the game because they have clear faces and it's more than easy to remember. When you are getting shot at, a blood cursor will appear on your screen to show where you are being shot from. This looks decent and it does help in situations when you are low on health. The graphics portion of this game once again is pleasurable and the game is amazing in High Definition.

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Controls

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Overall, this game is really enjoyable for those that like 3rd person shooters and blowing stuff up. Having multiplayer and co-op in this game is a bonus as the game's campaign thorough. Release of DLC is also amazing so you get a little extra playing time.

Game Rating : 7/10 (Campaign is enjoyable and reckless, graphics are tremendous in areas, controls are somewhat hard to learn but once learnt, you won't forget)