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> Results: Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike
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The ESRB Says
Violence:GamerDad engaged in battle after battle ... after battle, guns blazing all the while. Over time, adding content to games has changed from sequels to expansion packs to map packs to microtransactioned-DLC and more. The Battlefield games have taken a different approach in recent years - Booster Packs. These are small content packs that add maps, weapons, vehicles, but also often make alterations to character classes and skills. And while Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike contains some decent technical content - nice enough maps, some new vehicles, and so on - it is the fundamental changes in the way people play the game that make this bonus pack essential to anyone interested in playing, regardless of the inherent value of the additions. It is not that there is nothing of value, nor is everything that is included substandard or frivolous, it is just that the included items will not really change anything - but the structure of player rewards and roles has a major impact on the game, making this a must-have for fans of the game. Three new maps take you to the 'coldest of the cold', and offer some really exciting gameplay variations on the existing game. There is also a new game mode based on the standard Conquest mode, called 'Assault Lines'. I have typically been cynical about calling something so similar to an existing mode 'new', but it is always amazing what a small tweak in an existing mode can add in terms of freshness and challenge. The final technical addition is a pair of new vehicles: the hovering light IFV Hachimoto is available to the PAC and the massive heavy IFV Goliath available to the EU. They are a balanced set that really adds more depth to the gameplay. Of course, I have saved the biggest changes for last. I haven't played Battlefield 2142 much since my original review of the game, and was very surprised at how it has changed! I had heard - and dismissed - talk of it being akin to World of Warcraft in a FPS world. That seemed silly based on what I had originally seen - sure there were specialists, but people were trying out different classes, doing some assault, some support, some vehicle and so on. Not so anymore - especially with the new rewards and unlocks on each of the skill trees. Being a low-level generalist is getting your squad nowhere fast (as I quickly learned!), so you need to quickly figure out where your skills add the most value and spend time working on advancing in that area. Level grinding, plain and simple. But it is worth it - getting an unlock that allows you to remain invisible or project a false presence on enemy indicators is invaluable if you are attempting stealth or sniping. Finally, there is the price - at a suggested $10 this is priced low enough that if you are playing Battlefield 2142 with any regularity there is simply no reason not to buy it. Even if you never touch the new maps or vehicles or game mode, the skill advancements and extra items for each specialization are a tremendous reward that is available for the standard game modes and maps. What this doesn't do is address any core technical issues with the game - if you are unhappy with the game engine, the load times or the occasional glitches, there is nothing here to help you. You'll have to wait for the next entry in the Battlefield series for that.  
(Note: this is the same as the Kid Factor for the main Battlefield 2142 game since the basic content is identical and nothing in this pack changes that at all)This is a game that is perfectly catered to teen fans of shooter games. It has constant battles, but no blood or gore. It looks realistic and you are always shooting humans (or manned vehicles) so it isn't meant for younger kids. There is no inherent strong language, nor will you find any at all when playing off-line, but online the game fully supports VOIP (Voice chat Over Internet Protocol). This means that other players will be saying what they think, feel or just want to blurt out whatever they want while playing. Some times the matches I played were pretty tame, but more often than not it felt like a chat with Tony Montana or Andrew Dice Clay. Definitely not for younger kids.
Another thing that makes this easy to recommend to teen shooter fans is that it is an open book. Play with your kid once in an internet match and you'll see it all - no hidden blood or gore or sex or killing innocents or anything else other than massive strategic battles for control. Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike |
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