You could nitpick simple ground textures and various jagged edges among other visual foibles, but the game moves along effortlessly, with few hints of slowdown. And as in the main game, Vietnam enhances your enjoyment with good visuals and fantastic sound effects. Of course, if you've already reached maximum rank, you're here not for the unlockables but for the enjoyment. On the downside, you have access to almost every Vietnam weapon from the get-go, so there's less sense of forward progress in the metagame than in the core game. If you enjoy Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for its rank progression and unlockable gadgets and weapons, you'll be glad to know that you gain rank whether you play Vietnam or vanilla BC2 thus, you unlock new weapons, gadgets, and specializations in the main game regardless of which you play. (The RPG-7 is the only real standby in this regard.) On the same map, a narrow bridge and a capture point at a central high ground keep the action focused and provide ample opportunities for both snipers and engineers to get down to business, provided other infantry offer the proper support.Įvery class gets new weapons to play with and use of the flamethrower. On Vantage Point, a flame-spewing M48 Patton tank can be your best friend, especially given that antitank weapons are less varied. On the Phu Bai map, Huey gunships are a formidable presence. And while ground combat is particularly stirring, vehicles still play a role, though not as vital or varied as in the previous visit to this setting: Battlefield Vietnam. Just be careful: a good shot can make quick mincemeat of the pilot. Meanwhile, you and a squadmate might jump into a patrol boat, laying suppressing fire while giving you quick transport down the shoreline. On Cao Son Temple, a waterway winds around, giving you a back way into unprotected capture points. There are three other maps in addition to Hill 137, with a fifth due to unlock once the player base has committed 69 million total team actions. Getting flamed by a talented player causes your health to dissipate rapidly, though you can jump into the water if there's a lake or river nearby.) (Incidentally, if you're looking for a good close-quarters substitute for the shotgun, this is a good one in the hands of a skilled player. Hurrying ahead might bring you face-to-face with someone wielding a flamethrower, one of many new weapons featured in the add-on. Even with the greater sense of urgency such charges deliver, you have to consider your actions with care and stick with your squad when possible. That isn't to say, however, that BC2 Vietnam encourages you to rush forward without thought or consequence. Rushes are a particular delight for medics, who become perhaps even more important than ever, reviving teammates getting mowed down at choke points or when greater expanses like those in Phu Bai Valley become littered with fallen comrades. Numerous narrow passages lead to tense shoot-outs, and progressing from the initial bunkers into the flaming jungle beyond is a good reward for destroying an M-COM (communications) station. Rush mode showcases these features at their best. This Napalm-soaked battlefield is the perfect place to annihilate tanks. There are also destructible structures that provide temporary respite, though this element (afforded by Bad Company 2's amazing physics engine) is not as prevalent as it was in the core game. The charred terrain gives snipers plenty of room to aim in some areas, while rocky hills, trenches, and rickety huts provide multiple ambush and flanking opportunities for other classes. Meanwhile, well-placed choke points force squads to the front lines, charging en masse and hoping to inch forward until they can take an important objective. Flaming underbrush in the distance sends billows of thick smoke into the air, and dense dust thrown up from an exploding grenade clouds your view. The battlefield has been devastated by napalm. The Hill 137 map is a fantastic example of how striking visuals and intricate map design make for intense firefights. This isn't just because of the weapon adjustments, however the superbly designed maps deliver the sense of a down-and-dirty skirmish between two sides fighting the terrain as much as they are fighting each other. A lucky player can still land an annoying headshot across the map with an AK-47, but by and large, BC2 Vietnam is a more up-close-and-personal experience, and consequently, it's a more explosive one. As a result, you are far less likely to get sniped by a medic or assault soldier using a conventional-but scoped-weapon. The recon class retains scopes, but other classes must rely on their old-fashioned iron sights to get a more accurate shot. Most obviously, there's less emphasis on long-range combat. Some of the differences between vanilla Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and the Vietnam add-on are striking.