Battlefield Vietnam Review

Written by: Tracy Bosworth Posted: 7th January 2008

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Multiplayer shooter

Battlefield Vietnam Details:

	First Person Shooter
	PC
	Digital Illusions
	EA Games

Out Now

N/A

What is with the human race that makes us so obsessed with war? There must be hundreds of war based movies out there dating back from the black and white classics to the latest blockbusters such as Pearl Harbour. Naturally the video games follow the movies and we now have many games based on various wars! Now following its predecessor Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Vietnam takes us straight into the thick of the action.

Battlefield Vietnam can be played either in single player mode or multiplayer over the internet which is obviously how the game was intended. With that in mind, let’s start with the games multiplayer mode which combines team work with strategic gameplay and complete freedom.

Battlefield Vietnam allows you to play with up to 63 other players split into two teams which in conquest mode are basically either the US lead allies, or North Vietnam and its allies. Once you have chosen your side you then choose a spawn point on a map, and are dropped into the action in order to help your team battle for various control points. From this point you’re virtually free to do whatever you want, orders are sometimes given by other team mates but you certainly don’t have to follow them. Wondering around on your own can be a dangerous but fulfilling experience, especially when you wonder upon an unsuspecting enemy and take him out, If the singular approach is not your cup of tea, you can run around with a group of team mates as they infiltrate enemy lines and take over strategic control points, but the best of the action comes with the games vehicles.

Vehicles are available to anyone playing the game, you can choose from tanks, helicopters, boats, cars and scooters. Using vehicles obviously gets you from A to B quicker, you can also pile into vehicles with your team mates, when one player is driving, the others can shoot anything that moves, generally causing havoc to your enemy, this is an example of great team work and strategy.

Although the conquest mode is by far the most popular (and better) way to play Battlefield Vietnam the game does offer other modes of multiplayer gaming, including Capture the Flag and Evolution. In Evolution two historically linked maps are joined together and scores from the first map are carried onto the next.

All of the action takes place on a variety of terrains from city streets, coastal areas forcing more airborne missions and the obvious dense vegetation often associated with the Vietnam War. All areas have there advantages and disadvantages, and all offer a different playing experience! The dense vegetation, for example allows players to hide almost invisible in the long grass, on the banks of the rivers and in forest type settings, which although offers you and your enemies more of a challenge, can be frustrating when you keep getting killed around the same area, and you have no idea where your assailant is.

The games controls are easy to get to grips with, players are armed with a variety of weapons from machine guns to grenades and all are easily accessible from a scrolling menu, allowing quick and easy access. Vehicles are also easy to control once you get the hang of it and can be viewed in either first or third person perspectives. You can change the view according to your preferences making things easier for you.

Despite the great multiplayer experience that this game provides there are still some problems with the overall gameplay, some of which are present in most online games, but some are unique to Battlefield Vietnam. Firstly certain players simply go on the game to annoy others and have themselves a great time killing everyone. This can become a major problem as genuine players begin to get fed up and leave the game making it less and less enjoyable. Thankfully though the game does feature a good punk buster system which seems to be able to eliminate trouble makers, and return the game to its former self. Another problem with the game however, is that the US team is far more superior then the others in terms of equipment and vehicles. Some may argue that this adds to the realism of the game rather than causing problems but it is highly annoying when you join a game only to find that the US team has no spaces left forcing you to join the team destined to lose! My biggest complaint however, comes from the extremely long loading times in between games which almost makes you want to go back to the game later on.

Battlefield Vietnam offers players the chance to get to grips with the game in a single player mode, pitting you against soldier bots in various missions. As mentioned earlier, Battlefield Vietnam is primary a multiplayer game and this is reflected in the poor single player mode, enemy AI is practically non existent and the game on the whole is boring and lacks depth.

One of the best things about Battlefield Vietnam is its sound! With an outstanding soundtrack featuring actual hits from the 60’s and 70’s, which can even be played in vehicles controlled by the players, reminding me of the numerous movies that have featured the very same hits played by the American soldiers during the war. The game also manages sound effects well from the vehicle engine noises to the explosions and gunfire. Graphics in Battlefield Vietnam have also been re-vamped with highly detailed terrain, vehicles and weapons. Lush environments help to feed the games realism value, along with detailed and nicely animated character models.

To close then, Battlefield Vietnam is a highly addictive, fast paced and fun war game that should appeal to anyone who liked Battlefield 1942, war games in general or team based gameplay. The bad points about the game are outweighed by the good, and although Vietnam will not make the impact on the gaming world that its predecessor did, it should still make you smile.