After discovering the Russians have powerful scalar weapons — devices that create huge electromagnetic pulses and knock out all electronics in the blast radius — America launches a desperate operation to eliminate the weapons and stop the imminent enemy invasion. This World War II-era story is full of unexpected twists, engaging dialogue, relatable characters, explosions and battlefield mayhem. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 throws you headfirst into the driver’s seat as you play the role of Preston Marlowe, Bad Company’s newest recruit. This is one of those games where the hype alone tells you it is going to be good. And it doesn’t disappoint. This game delivers a gripping experience in both the single player campaign and the intense, full-bodied multiplayer mode.

The single-player story features a good handful of missions that will keep you busy and entertained. The HUD elements in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 are nice and simple, including only a small map in the bottom left corner and your ammunition in the bottom right. This leaves plenty of room for the visuals to really shine; and shine they do. One of the most attention-grabbing things about this game is the intense scenery and excellent lighting, elements that add to the harsh realism of warfare that this game excels in portraying. From frigid snowstorms to luscious jungles, you feel like you are a part of the world you are playing through, and the game loses any linear feeling that it may have had.

Though you cannot travel just anywhere and usually follow a specific path, the environment makes you feel as though you are navigating an immense, open world. That said, the areas do have enough open space that you can approach a battle from different angles and try different strategies to overcome your enemies. Sometimes exploring the surrounding area will expose a new pathway or alleyway that can give you a massive advantage in battle. The AI is quick-thinking and will keep you on your toes, forcing you to heavily use cover. One important addition to the combat is that much of the stage can be destroyed, from buildings to barriers. This means that when ducking and weaving through the combat area isn’t working, you can just blow your way straight through whatever is in your way.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 features an excellent variety of weapons, including assault rifles, two sniper rifles, multiple shotguns and a rocket launcher — to name a few. You have to recover each weapon from a level, whether you find it lying around or retrieve it from a dead enemy, and it will be unlocked for use in all levels. You also have the opportunity to use tanks, quads, ATVs and even fire a machine gun from a helicopter. The vehicular warfare in this game is just as polished as the combat on foot and lends an even more intense warfare experience.

Multiplayer is what this game is really about, and it aims to please. The combat system and controls are exactly the same as the single-player game, only there are some new twists thrown in. There are four character classes: Assault, Engineer, Recon and Medic. Each has its own set of weapons and special abilities, such as defibrillators for the Medics or airstrikes for Recon. As you play online matches with a class, you gain experience. This eventually unlocks higher military ranks, allowing you to show off your experience to other players. In addition to unlocking ranks, experience also gains you access to new weapons or special abilities for your class. This gives incentive to continue leveling up as you battle other players online.

The modes in multiplayer are varied as well. From Squad Deathmatch, which is an all-out brawl between four squads, to Conquest, in which you capture and hold flags as long as possible, there is something for everyone. The breadth of online play means you will spend a long time on Xbox Live and enjoy every moment of it. And of course, you have plenty of stages to do battle on. The game comes with eight, and there are more that you can download through Xbox Live.

If you are considering purchasing Battlefield: Bad Company 2, I would highly recommend it for any and all gamers (over the Mature-rating age of 17, of course) who are looking for some challenging and fun combat, a great story, intense visuals, and a near perfect multiplayer system. This game does not suffer from many bugs, only occasionally having a small glitch or two, such as an enemy not reacting to your appearance or not dying when you shoot them. However, this happens so infrequently that you may never even see it happen.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is an excellent game and one that you will be completely satisfied with.