And while the single-player campaign can easily be finished in around six or seven hours depending on how much exploring you do, it’s the multiplayer that really draws you in and keeps you coming back for more. When we first heard that Bad Company would only feature one new multiplayer mode called Gold Rush, we were dubious. Sure, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are still in here, but we’d welcome some more ways to play. Not the case here. Still, that doesn’t detract from the fact the Gold Rush is a blast. The premise is this: you either play as an Attacker or a Defender with the sole purpose of obliterating your enemies’ stash of gold or protecting your own from enemy troops.

You can choose from a multitude of weaponry options at the outset, rolling out the standard machine-gun you come equipped with at the start, sniper rifles, heavy guns or advanced weaponry. This is why it’s best to make sure you collect and search for all the weaponry in the single-player campaign, as it’s unlocked for you once you jump online. From here, it’s just a case of standing guard, charging to the frontline, or, if you’re like us, finding a vantage point near your stash of gold in Defender mode, and laying waste to any incoming troops. Our initial concern was it would become very boring, very quickly. It didn’t. In fact, we enjoyed it just as much as Call of Duty 4. It’s kinetic, furious and with the addition of vehicles, it elevates the game beyond that standard shooter tag that so many others fall into the trappings of.

The more kills and skills you wrack up, the higher ranked you become – just like in COD4. Ranking up is then rewarded through codes that allow you to unlock new and devastating weapons for multiplayer, so it’s worth ratcheting up a few headshots if you want those bigger guns. Everything that you can do in the single-player campaign including blowing up walls, crashing through buildings in speeding tanks, ordering mortar and missile strikes, is all present and accounted for in multiplayer too and it all works seamlessly.

There’s no doubt in our mind that Bad Company can – and will – succeed in a month that’s usually reserved for shoddy film tie-ins and mediocre releases. Yes, it’s a little one-dimensional at times – but which decent shooter isn’t a little? Still, even these moments are elevated by the crafty use of destruction and the incredible HDR technology which will turn your head. Looking for fun in the sun? Bad Company is it.

Jun 23, 2008