It seems that these days, World War
II shooters are a dime a dozen. While some of them do a great job of showcasing
the intensity of the epic conflict, most of them simply do not innovate enough
to hold most gamers’ limited attention spans. However, Brothers in Arms,
published by Ubisoft, is looking to change all of that by presenting the player
with an authentic World War II experience. Based on the true exploits of the 101st
Airborne Division, Brothers in Arms offers a realistic portrayal of a squad of
close-knit soldiers as they are dropped in Normandy. Mixing squad
micro-management with intense FPS action, Brothers in Arms is a must for fans of
the WWII shooter genre looking for a fresh new experience.
Brothers in Arms puts you in the
boots of Sgt. Matt Baker, a soldier who is hastily put in charge of a troop of
soldiers and isn’t quite sure how to lead them properly. Each mission begins
with a narration by Baker, who expresses his lack of confidence and fear of
leading his men to their deaths. The missions are based on actual ones that the
101st Airborne performed during World War II, so the game has a very
heightened sense of realism in that regard. The story elements are a definite
highlight in the game, as you begin to feel attachments to the characters in the
game as well as feel Baker’s plight as the plot progresses.
The gameplay is fairly
straightforward. You storm enemy positions, hold and wait for reinforcements,
and perform various tasks not uncommon to most WWII FPS games. Brothers in Arms
changes things up a little bit by allowing you to command your other units
around as well. You can have a couple of your squadmates under your command at a
time, positioning them and giving them orders to take out your enemies or
provide you with cover so that you can do it. However, your squadmates are quite
smart and will often do the right thing in a situation even if you don’t give
them any orders. They’ll take cover, flank an enemy’s position and allow you to
do what you have to without any outside assistance.
Another cool element of the game is
the “situation awareness,” which pans out the camera and gives you a bird’s-eye
view of the battlefield, allowing you to assess the situation and employ the
best possible strategy. The action pauses, giving you ample time to figure out
the best way to position your units and take out your foes.
All things considered, Brothers in
Arms offers a good amount of strategy on top of some great FPS action. The level
of attention to detail is similar to Full Spectrum Warrior, although in this
game you can actually pull the trigger as well as manage your squad of soldiers.
Unfortunately, the hardware
limitations of the PS2 do make this version of Brothers in Arms a bit inadequate
when compared to its Xbox and PC counterparts. Graphically, the game suffers
from muddy textures and choppy animations. Fortunately, the great character
models look pretty good and the framerates are pretty solid.
The sound effects don’t really fair
very well on the PS2. Some of the sound and voice effects are pretty tinny and
compressed sounding, and there are quite a few instances of cutouts during
characters’ speeches. The music fares a bit better, with a nice WWII movie-style
score that add a lot to the game’s atmosphere.
Brothers in Arms is a great WWII
shooter with some intriguing strategy elements and an easy interface. While the
PS2 version does suffer from some technical limitations, it’s definitely worth a
try if Sony’s console is all you own.
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Gameplay: 8.5
Brothers in Arms
blends intense FPS action with some great strategy elements to make one of the
best WWII shooter-console experiences available.
Graphics: 8.0
The graphics have some definite high points, like detailed character models and
a steady framerate. However, the environmental textures are pretty murky and the
animations are choppy.
Sound: 7.5
Brothers in Arms
has some great musical elements, but the tinny sound effects and frequent
cutouts in the dialogue put a damper on the sound department.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 9.0
By incorporating
the true account of the 101st Airborne, Brothers in Arms creates a
very compelling story and makes for one of the most realistic accounts of WWII
ever to hit consoles.
Multiplayer: 8.5
The
objective-based multiplayer elements are great in Brothers in Arms, with squad
commanding crossing over nicely to the online arena. It feels a bit like Rainbow
Six 3, since if the character you are controlling succumbs to enemy fire, you
are automatically switched to another one, which keeps the flow of the action
going.
Overall: 8.5
Brothers
in Arms has a lot going for it, as it takes a true story from WWII and combines
it with compelling gameplay and great strategy elements. While the PS2 version
is noticeably inferior to the Xbox and PC versions from a technical standpoint,
its still a very worthy title if the PS2 is the only platform you can play it
on.
