Vietcong 2

The Good
The fact that you were allowed to play the game as an ordinary vietcong villager was a novel change. Most of the graphics and sound is top rate. although lacking any kind of atmosphere.

The Bad
All the good aspects of the original game were thrown away, such as the feeling of empathy toward your characters development. The storyline is complete and utter tosh and could easily have been written by a 12 year old kid. There was no reason to look after your team as they just miraculously regenerate 30 seconds after being gunned down.

The american mission is very short and rather easily completed, and just when you think you have a similar sized vietcong mission you realise it is only a quarter of the length and very dissapointing.

The Bottom Line
More like an expansion pack than a sequel, bland storyline and attention to the wrong details.

The Good
Well, most of my points are going to be in the bad part. Not that the game is that bad, it's just that, when compared to its predecessor, it looks like they took the wrong direction.

At the time of 2009, the game still looks good. Well, most of the textures are full of details, and you can see that a lot of love has gone into that sector. At the sound level, then again, it's pure bliss : voice actors sound credible, music is awesome & Hendrix-like, sound effects are well done...

The Pterodon team has taken the risk to try something new : we still do have some cultural details (since I wasn't born at that time, I frankly admit that they are useful and enjoyable), but far less than in the original Vietcong (remember the description of weapons or of the local cultures ? Well, gone). And for the fans of the first episode, it's a delight to see the references put in this one. Oh, and the possibility to play a Vietcong during a single-player campaign is really a good idea.

The Bad
First the engine. Even on my actual computer (which runs Mass Effect at max settings), the game has its time of freezes... And with it, characters really are a failure, especially their faces.

When the first Vietcong came out, it's density of vegetation was amazing. Now, take out the jungle and replace it with some urban settings, the game loses much of its interest. And that's the main disappointment of Vietcong 2 : it's good to try something new, but when it comes to urban fight, there are so many games that do it around here that this one doesn't stand a chance. Yes, there's still jungle maps, but so few...

To finish : single player campaigns. Yes, campaigns. The main one on the US side, and the other one on the Vietcong side. Problem is : they are both too short, especially the VC one, which is about 3-4 missions if I remember correctly. I know Vietcong is mostly known for its multiplayer, but still...

The Bottom Line
Now that this game is low-priced (if you find it...), I would recommended it. But only to someone who loved to death the first one and wants a little more Vietnam. And I would warn him that he would have to go out of his jungle...