Battlefield: Bad Company

DICE’s Battlefield franchise has long been a force to be reckoned with in the arena of online PC fragfests. Unfortunately, the series has only made a modest splash on consoles, with the launch of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, a port of the PC game, marking the only entry on the Xbox 360. However, DICE is currently hard at work on a console-exclusive entry to the series, Battlefield: Bad Company. The game was first revealed last year, but the game is showcasing leaps and bounds of improvement, showcasing some nice concepts and a polished look. The game recently went into multiplayer beta, and the online modes showed a lot of promise for what the console-only game holds for shooter fans.

The MP beta version of the game gives players the chance to fight through two different maps; Ascension and Oasis. Ascension is a map that takes place in Europe, with heavily wooded areas and buildings on hillsides, whereas Oasis takes place in a desert town (possibly Middle Eastern or North African), and allows for more vehicle usage than Ascension. The two maps did a good job of showing off the varied environments that will be featured in the final game.

One of the game's biggest features is the destructible environments, and of course, they are a blast, if you'll pardon the pun. You'll be able to knock entire chunks off of the side of buildings, as well as dismantle vehicles piece by piece. While the game is still in beta and there were a few oddly absent elements (no bullet holes in brick walls, for example), the destructible levels were surprisingly polished and a lot of fun to mess around in.

Another element that was very impressive in the game was the aesthetic presentation. The game's graphics are very good, with well rendered gun models, large environments and some nice looking destruction effects. The sound is great, with far off gunfire popping realistically in the distance and explosions. While some of the voice work and commands got a little repetitive and grating after a while, the game generally sounds very good.

All in all, the multiplayer beta does a fine job of showcasing the progress made by the game over the course of its development, as well as the improvements made to its environmental destruction system and the varied environments. Look for Bad Company to hit this June.