I was completely deceived by BC2’s opening moments. First I thought we would be playing as someone else (we don’t, at least not after the beginning). Then I started getting this really weird, unexpected vibe from the game’s music and art style, almost as if Bioshock and Tomb Raider decided to get together to make a military shooter baby. That impression also dissipated fairly quickly (though the Bioshock tone in a couple of its tracks is uncanny and remained throughout).
The cherry on top was when I thought the game would be considerably easier than its prequel, and while that would naturally result in a decrease in challenge, it would ultimately succeed in better delivering a true elite soldier power fantasy. That was the overwhelming impression throughout the first mission, but boy, was I wrong on that one too. If anything, after that point the game felt harder than BC, because it felt more unfair. Somehow the damage indicators are even worse this time around, your squadmates are even dumber (!), and enemies show up out of nowhere (sometimes almost on top of you), do incredible damage (the amount of one shots you get is insane), and can once again hit you from the Moon. Obviously, none of this is ideal in a shooter. You also can’t really control your health anymore, since the infinite HP shots are replaced by the more traditional heal-over-time system. To add to this, the HUD is worse (poor colour palette and readability), and the destructible environments, while still very present, seem somewhat toned down in comparison.
All that said, in my opinion, BC2 still manages to be a better game than its predecessor today, in 2023. And a big reason for that is its QoL improvements. Things like a dedicated grenade button, supply drops that allow you to swap weapons on the fly, better sprint control (press vs hold), binoculars, aim assist, reload hints and being able to reload while sprinting, all add up to ultimately make the game feel a lot more up to modern standards. And even though my complains about them still stand, enemies are now a lot less bullet spongy which makes a clear difference when engaging them (the great ragdoll animations when you one-shot them is a really nice bonus). The weapons are also a highlight here, both in design and sound, driving is greatly improved, and I like that you spend more time on weapon duty when you're on vehicles as opposed to BC, where you were mostly tasked with driving.
Another upgrade comes in the form of its presentation. Even though the game never managed to live up to the hype the opening scene gave me (what an awesome intro), BC2 is still a much more visually polished, cinematic experience, and though that means you also spend more time in cutscenes, there’s an upscale luxurious feel to it that is nowhere to be found in BC. Part of this is also showed in its levels, which are a lot more varied in setting (desert, snow, forests and cities), though at the same time they feel more corridor-like and less expansive when compared to the first game. In line with the same tone, the story is a lot more grandiose - often nonsensically so -, even if more similar to your bog standard war narrative. And while the ending is a massive meh, that ragtag group of renegade soldiers really grows on you over the course of the two games, making you appreciate their interactions all the more.
So in 2023, without nostalgia, do I see Bad Company 2 as the masterpiece many have touted it to be? Honestly, I can’t say that I do. But I can see why so many feel that way, and I can certainly entertain the notion that my thoughts would be quite different had I played it when it came out. Amidst its flaws, there is something charming about this game that is hard to pinpoint, yet makes you look at it fondly. And when all is said and done, the fact that I still enjoyed my time with it, 13 years after release, is certainly a testament to its original quality. 7.5/10
