Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (PC, Xbox 360, PS3) Review
by Eddie Turner on September 9, 2008 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Gameplay
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The use of the various supplies you'll acquire in the game is what sets Mercenaries 2 apart from other similarly played action titles. As mentioned before, captured outposts become a marketplace for stocking up on various tools of destruction. Dependent upon the cash your merc has accrued from previously completed missions, additional resources in the form of supply drops will be available. These little helpers from above include vehicles, C4 kits, guns, ammunition, and health kits. Coupled with the ability to jack cars, motorcycles, tanks, watercraft, and even helicopters, there are numerous aids to allow you to complete your objectives successfully.
Capturing outposts are not just a way to spend your money. It's also a great way to rake in the cash as most contain pallets stacked with cash that you can add to your stash by calling your helicopter pilot to come and airlift them back to your HQ. You can do the same with fuel tanks you'll come across. Keeping a good supply of fuel on hand at all times allows your pilot to stay in the air, providing air support and transporting your merc from one outpost to the next. In addition, you'll gain support by earning airstrikes that can reduce buildings and other structures that hinder your path to rubble.
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The free roaming element in Mercenaries 2 is a lot of fun and keeps things fresh, allowing players to approach their missions any way they see fit. Players may choose to drive a vehicle through the gates of a compound, hopping out as it crashes into several approaching gunmen; alternately, they can just hang back and make good use of the sniper rifle. Unfortunately, as mentioned there's really not much in the game to spark players' desire to travel around the see the sights in between missions. However, those who pine at the thought of simply running amuck and destroying their surroundings can do so as they see fit. While this is fun for a while, the ammunition that creates the biggest explosions costs money and your supplies can dwindle very fast. In addition, there is a penalty for killing civilians that can also drain the bank accounts of those with itchy trigger fingers. Still, destruction is the name of the game and destroying stuff just to see structures fall and enemies fly can be very satisfying.
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Spacecomber - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
Sounds like Pandemic would have been better off porting this console game to the PC. Not being a console gamer, I've never played this title, but it looked wacky enough that I might have picked up a version for the PC, if it was available.Pandemic was formed in order to develop Battlezone II, when they were spun off by Activision. They managed to alienate most of the original Battlezone fan base with that effort (at least the multiplayer fan base), and it seems like they've continued to turn out games that are near misses since then.
I appreciate the risks they took and their efforts to do things differently with a game like Battlezone II; so, I've always hoped that they would get something right. However, I can't say that any of the PC games that they have produced since then have been compelling enough for me to purchase.
Full Spectrum Warrior lacked a true first person perspective, for example, and Starwars Battlefront didn't really offer more than its competition (the Battlefield games) already provided (or so it seemed to me).
Anyway, once again, when it comes to Pandemic and their PC games, the conclusion seems to be to "move along, nothing to see here".
samduhman - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
You read my mind. Their games have always been just shy of being something great. Is this due to their games being crossplatformed and they not putting extra effor in for the pc?EddieTurner - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
Agreed. Destroy All Humans! was a lot of fun and would have made for a worthy PC port. There's actually a new game in the series on the way. "Path of the Furon," I believe it's called. But, as I stated in the review, Pandemic won't be developing it. Sandblast has taken the reins. Still no PC version planned.fendell - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
Such a shame they didn't include a LAN coop mode with easy hassle-free joining..HOOfan 1 - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
While progressing through this article I experience several bugs and glitches with anandtech.JarredWalton - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
Unfortunately, our doc engine sometimes decides to set an article status to "live" during the posting process. Apologies for any inconvenience; the article is now fully posted.HOOfan 1 - Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - link
No inconvenience, I just thought it was amusing.