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| Battlefield 2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Digital Illusions CE |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Designer(s) | Lars Gustavsson Linus Josephson Erik Sjövold |
| Programmer(s) | Andreas Fredriksson Jonas Kjellström Mats Dal |
| Artist(s) | Mårten Lundsten Riccard Linde |
| Composer(s) |
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| Series | Battlefield |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,multiplayer |
Battlefield 2 is a 2005first-person shooter game developed byDigital Illusions CE and published byElectronic Arts forMicrosoft Windows. It was released in June 2005 as the third game in theBattlefield franchise.[1]
Players fight in a modern battlefield, using modernweapon systems.[2]Battlefield 2 is a first-person shooter withstrategy andtactical shooter elements.[3]
The single-player aspect features missions that involve clashes betweenU.S. Marines,China and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition. The multiplayer aspect of the game allows players to organize into squads that come under the leadership of a single commander to promote teamwork.[4] The story takes place in the early 21st century during a fictional world war between various power blocs:China, theEuropean Union, the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC),Russia and theUnited States. The game takes place in different fronts, as the Middle East and China are being invaded by US and EU forces, and the United States is being invaded by Chinese and MEC forces.
On June 30, 2014, the multiplayer master server was shut down alongside otherGameSpy-powered titles,[5][6] although it can still be played online throughout fan-createdmods with alternative servers. In 2017, Electronic Arts demanded the takedown of the modified versions ofBattlefield 2 on alternate servers, distributed by a group known as "Revive Network", as infringement of their copyrights.[7][8][9]
Battlefield 2 is a sequel toBattlefield Vietnam, with many changes to the popular gameplay of the original. Many of these new gameplay features were added to the game with teamwork and collaboration in mind. The new game engine includes improved physics, dynamic lighting, and more realistic material penetration.
Battlefield 2 is amultiplayer video game played via theInternet or on alocal area network. Asingle-player mode with three difficulty levels is included. Both player modes use the same maps and useBattlefield's conquest game mode. Single-player mode allows 16computer-controlled players[10] while Internet mode allows up to 64 players. Players can choose to play as theUnited States Marine Corps, thePeople's Liberation Army, or the "Middle Eastern Coalition". Additional factions are playable through theexpansion packs, such as theEuropean Union. Progress in the game is made via promotions which allow additional weapons to be unlocked. By playing the game on ranked servers, players are able to add to theirglobal player statistics. These statistics are used to award promotions and other achievements.
InBattlefield 2, players are divided into two opposing teams (which factions they represent is dependent upon the map). The key objective inBattlefield 2 is to reduce the opposing teams tickets. Tickets represent an army's ability to reinforce their position on the battlefield; each team has only a limited supply of tickets, and each casualty on the battlefield reduces the number of available tickets. Control points represent key points on the map, and are represented by flags. Control points areBattlefield 2'sspawn points, and one team possessing a significant majority of the control points causes the other teams tickets to gradually decrease, regardless of casualties. A round ends when one team's tickets gone, the round's timer ends, or if at any point a team holds no control points, and has no soldiers alive on the battlefield (meaning they are not present in any way on the battlefield).
Battlefield 2's two game modes are Conquest and Cooperative. The only difference between the two modes is that Cooperative includescomputer-controlled players, whilst Conquest allows only human players. Results from Cooperative mode do not count towardglobal player statistics.
InBattlefield 2, as with previousBattlefield titles, players are able to select from a variety of infantry classes. Each class of soldier is equipped with different weaponry appropriate to their role in the battle. Assault soldiers, for example, are general-purposeinfantry withgrenade-launcher equipped assault-rifles and extra armor, Medics carryfirst-aid equipment such as a fielddefibrillator, andAnti-Tank troopers are equipped with missiles which are effective against heavy armor.
Players are able to choose a class at the start of a match, or between dying andrespawn. Players can also change their class by picking up a "kit" from the body of an incapacitated soldier, friendly or otherwise. Hence, an Assault soldier can become a Medic if they come across a fallen Medic. Player classes are divided in 'Heavy' (with reduced damage done to the torso, but lower stamina) and 'Light' (with standard multipliers, but higher stamina, thus able to sprint for a longer time).
Within the infantry class, there are three support classes with special abilities. The Engineer can repair with hiswrench, the Medic can revive with hisdefibrillator paddles and heal, and the Support can resupply ammunition with his ammunition bags. When one of these three classes occupies a vehicle, nearby personnel and vehicles can be replenished, repaired or healed by being in close proximity.
The various forces still use the trademark feature of theBattlefield series – the large stable of vehicles that any player can climb into and control.[11] There are many different types of vehicles playable inBattlefield 2, all based on real-life vehicles used by the militaries of different countries.[12]
In contrast toBattlefield 1942,Battlefield 2 has only one purely water-based vehicle, therigid-inflatable boat; however, the threeAPCs can travel in water as well. The developers tried to design the game so that every vehicle would be weak to another type of vehicle, intending to create a situation similar to a game ofrock-paper-scissors.[13] For example, mobile anti-air was intended to effectively destroy helicopters, but are vulnerable against opposing tanks. Included within this relationship are stationary defenses such as light machine guns andanti-aircraft/TOW emplacements. The availability and number of certain vehicles are dependent on the map and its size as well as control points captured. Also, more vehicles become available to be used on the maps of expansion/booster packs. (seeMaps). TheUSS Essex is the only naval ship featured in BF2, featuring two spawn points and aircraft spawn points, and is not drivable or destroyable, except for itsPhalanx turrets.
Players are able to form squads of up to six soldiers in order to more effectively work as a team. Up to nine squads are permitted per team; each squad has a number (automatically assigned) and name (usually aphonetic alphabet letter) for identification. Members of a squad have the ability to communicate with one another viaBattlefield 2's integratedvoice over IP (VoIP) system.
Squad leaders may assign their squad a variety of objectives (for example, moving to or attacking a specific location). Orders may also be given by the team's commander. Squad leaders are able to issue requests for commander assets (such as artillery fire) and have a directVoIP channel to the commander.
Members of a squad mayspawn near their squad leader, provided that the leader is not dead (or incapacitated), and that the team holds at least one control point. This feature allows squads to more quickly regroup after taking casualties.
Thecommander position is an exclusive role played by one member of each team. Any member of a team may apply for the position, but priority is given to players of higherrank.
The commander alone has access to the "commander screen", an interface similar to that of areal-time strategy game. This allows the commander an overview of the battlefield as a whole, or zoom in and view parts of the map in real-time. The commander also has control of the various commander assets, which include artillery strikes, vehicle and supply drops, and UAV's. They can deploy them to assist their team. The commander can communicate with squads either by sending orders, or viaVoIP voice communication. These tools allow the commander to strategically coordinate their forces on the battlefield.
A commander may resign at any point, freeing the position for other members of their team; they may also be forcibly removed by a successfulmutiny vote conducted by their team (provided theserver allows mutiny votes). Although the commander does not gain points by normal methods (kills, flag captures, etc.), their score is doubled at the end of the round if their team wins.
The commander position would be seen again inBattlefield 2142 andBattlefield 4.
Players can earn awards (ribbons, badges, and medals) for certain in-game accomplishments.Badges andribbons are the easiest to obtain, whilemedals are usually much harder, requiring more extensive play. As players ascend through the ranks they will gain the ability to unlock certain weapons. Each time a player is promoted to an eligible rank, they are given the opportunity to unlock one of seven unlockable weapons, one for each class, which they may subsequently use in place of the standard weapon for the given class.
A built-in game recorder records battles for subsequent replay. These files can be downloaded from a server which supports BattleRecorder directly after their respective game. Recorded battle files are around 1 to 8 megabytes in size and are played within theBattlefield 2 engine. Camera angles can be changed (free roaming & selected player), as well as the speed, though there is no rewind capability. Files can be exported toAVI format.[14] The Battlefield Recorder has facilitated the creation of variousmachinima. Usage of thePunkBuster service is mandatory for all official rankedBattlefield 2 servers, but optional for unranked servers.[15][16]
Battlefield 2 offers 15 maps for the players to play but shipped with 12.[17] These maps are diverse, ranging from swamps such asSonghua Stalemate, to urban areas such as Strike at Karkand, to an unfinished dam known as Kubra Dam. The USMC is present in all maps and faces against either the MEC or the PLA depending on the map. The PLA is present in Far East theaters such asDragon Valley andDaqing Oilfields. MEC is present in Middle East theaters such asGulf of Oman and Zatar Wetlands. The BF2 series including the expansion and booster packs puts the map count at 29 maps.
Battlefield 2 maps have 3 variations, each suited for a certain number of players. Each map has 16, 32, and 64 player-suggested variations in which the area of battlefield or playing field is relatively small, medium, and large, respectively. The only exceptions to this areWake Island 2007, which is locked at 64-player size and theEuro Force maps, Operation Smokescreen,Great Wall, and Taraba Quarry, which have no 64-player size. 32 and 64 player maps are unavailable to offline players from retailers, but an option is given to download 64 Single player AI bot mods. Other contrasts between these variations other than the size are the number and position of control points and availability of vehicles. As a result, the gameplay of the map is different depending on the variation.[17][18]
The game is set in 2007 during aworld war between various power blocs: theUnited States, aided by theEuropean Union, is at war againstRussia,China and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC), aided by various insurgents.[19]
There is no given reason as to how or why the war broke out. In-game, the European Union and the United States fight China and the MEC. It is mentioned in-game that the US and EU are allies and the EU has negotiated a truce with Russia, but it is unknown if China and the MEC are allies. The game also takes place in differentfronts, as the Middle East and China are being invaded by US and EU forces, and the United States is being invaded by Chinese and MEC forces.
| Battlefield 2: Special Forces | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Digital Illusions Canada |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Engine | Refractor 2 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,Multiplayer |
Battlefield 2's first expansion pack,Special Forces, first began its development sometime during or shortly before the release of the originalBattlefield 2, and was worked on by DICE's Canadian division.[20]Battlefield producer, Mike Doran, commented in August 2005 that "The truth is that work onBattlefield 2: Special Forces began several months ago."[21] It was officially announced on July 14, 2005 and released on November 21 of the same year.[22][23] The focus of the development was infantry-based combat as opposed to vehicle-centric combat from the original. As such, most of the additional content in the expansion pack can only be used by or for infantry.
The expansion pack provides eight maps, 6 playable factions, and ten more vehicles such as theAH-64D Apache andMi-35 Hind, though all jets have been removed. In addition to these new contents, players have access to new equipment such asnight vision goggles,tear gas,gas masks, zip lines and grappling hooks which can alter gameplay. There are eight more small arms weapons available such as theG36K/E andFN SCAR L/H and several weapons from the original are replaced. The expansion offers more awards in the form of badges, ribbons, and medals that players can earn.[24] Finally, many of the weapons from the expansion may be used in the originalBattlefield 2.
| Battlefield 2: Booster Pack Collection | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Digital Illusions Canada |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Engine | Refractor 2 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | November 20, 2006[citation needed] |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,Multiplayer |
Booster packs are additional content released forBattlefield 2 that are currently available for free download, and as withSpecial Forces, they were developed by DICE Canada.[25] The booster packs were later available in retail form as theBooster Pack Collection, containing aDVD which features these packs, as well as being included in "The Complete Collection", containing aDVD with both the original game and all of the expansions/booster packs.
Booster packs add a significant amount of content to the game, but are different from expansion packs because they are intended to add to the original gameplay and not stand on their own (such asSpecial Forces does). The booster packs include new maps, vehicles, and a newEuropean Union faction.
The two booster packs were included free of charge in the 1.50 update released on September 1, 2009.
Battlefield 2: Euro Force is the first booster pack, and was released on March 14, 2006.[26] The booster pack allows players to play as a newEuropean Union army, armed with new weapons and vehicles from the various countries of the EU. It is available for purchase online at theElectronic Arts download service, or as part of the retailBooster Pack Collection. It was scheduled for release in February, but was delayed due to a substantial number of new bugs caused by the release ofpatch 1.2. It features a whole new army, 4 new vehicles, 3 new maps, and 7 new weapons such as theL85A2 withAG36 GL, theFAMAS, theHK53, theHK21, and theBenelli M4. Some of the vehicles for the EU military include theChallenger 2,Eurocopter Tiger,Leopard 2A6 and theEurofighter. The maps include 'The Great Wall of China', against thePeople's Liberation Army of China, where the EU army is trying to gain a strong foothold in northern China, to reinforce their American allies in the south later on. 'Operation Smoke Screen' features the EU army fighting the MEC in the Middle East for precious oil fields, and the third map, 'Taraba Quarry', where the EU army is trying to reinforce American positions in the south. Mindful of the European plans, the MEC tries to stall the EU, where the Europeans must confront their enemies because that route is the only possible path along that side of theCaspian Sea.
It was made free with patch 1.5.[27]
Battlefield 2: Armored Fury is the second booster pack released forBattlefield 2 and was released on June 6, 2006.[citation needed] It added three new maps, as well as two new vehicle classes: attack jets for close air support andreconnaissance helicopters that operate as a mobile UAV. The booster pack has the USMC defending U.S. soil from invasions from the PLA and MEC. Operation Midnight Sun features the Chinese landing at the Alaskan portValdez where they are trying to secure much needed fuel from the pipeline. Operation Road Rage is a MEC vs. USMC map, where the MEC are using US Highways to transport units to industrial areas. Operation Harvest sees the United States trying to stall the MEC en route to the capital ofWashington D.C. from the northwest, being blocked in aPennsylvania Dutch farm, while waiting for reinforcements. New vehicles include Attack or Close Air Support aircraft such as theA-10 Thunderbolt II,Su-39 and theNanchang Q-5 as well as new light utility helicopters such asMH-6 Little Bird,EC-635 and theZ-11. As well as the addition of new helicopters and planes, DICE also added theMuscle Car andSemi Truck. However, the proposedAV-8B Harrier was cut from the add-on due to balancing issues.[28]
Like Euro Force, it was made free with patch 1.5.[27]
The soundtrack of Battlefield 2 consists of 18 tracks composed and created by Fredrik Englund, David Tallroth, and Jonas Östholm.[29][30]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 91/100[31] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| G4 |  [32] |
| GameSpot | 9.3/10[4] |
| GameSpy | [3] |
| IGN | 8.9/10[33] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | Best Multiplayer game of 2005[34] |
| Maximum PC's | 2006 Multiplayer game of the Year Award[35] |
| Game Critics Awards | Best Online Multiplayer 2005[36] |
The game received widespread critical acclaim, garnering an aggregate score of 91/100 from 55 reviews onMetacritic.[31] It received five stars out of five from publicationsYahoo! Games,GameSpy,X-Play andComputer Gaming World.PC Gamer awarded it 94%, stating, "Its finely tuned maps and balanced gameplay prove that youcan improve on perfection," and honored it as Game of the Year.[37]GameSpot rated the game 9.3 out of 10 claiming that "when you experienceBattlefield 2 like it's meant to be played, with everyone working together and using real-time voice chat, the game quickly becomes unlike anything else that you've played before."[4]
Some of the lower scores were reactions to the large amount ofbugs andglitches in the initial release, including crash to desktop bugs and network problems. For example, Gaming Nexus (who awarded the game an 8.7 out of 10) reported, "I’ve had many cool experiences playing it and a lot of 'did I just see that' moments but all of that is crapped on by the bugs and quirks in the game."[38]
GamesRadar approved of the game, awarding a 90%, but added a disclaimer that the gaming experience is best "if your machine is up to it".[39][40] GameSpot's review agreed with the high system requirements noting that "the load times are one of the biggest gripes that we have, as you will spend quite a bit of time waiting for a game to start up, even on high-end machines...also a bit demanding in the hardware department."[4]
Battlefield 2 sold 1.2 million copies in its first month after release.[41][42] Total sales by July 2006 were 2,225,000.[43] It received a "Gold" sales award from theEntertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[44] indicating sales of at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[45]
Battlefield 2 wonPC Gamer US's "Best Multiplayer Game 2005" and "Game of the Year 2005" awards. The magazine's Dan Stapleton wrote, "Few other games in the history of the medium have so effectively captured the visceral feeling of modern military combat in an urban environment".[46] The editors ofComputer Games Magazine presentedBattlefield 2 with their 2005 awards for "Best Action Game" and "Best Multiplayer", and named it the year's second-best computer game overall. They called it "perhaps the most thrilling example of how far shooters have come in the last few years."[47]
During the9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, theAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awardedBattlefield 2 with "First-Person Action Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay", along with a nomination for "Computer Game of the Year".[48]
