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Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is most definitely, my favorite game of all time. First of all, this game is so realistic (other than the icons that show when your enemy is suppressed). With the lack of a cross-hair, it means you will have to aim down the sight of your weapon to shoot accurately. Also, your health is very realistic. In the Easy and Normal difficulty levls, it gives you a break, but in the Difficult and Authentic levels, you can die in one shot, depending on where you are hit. This means that if you charge into an enemy area, firing from the hip, that you will die. Every single time.

Also, the game is very historical. Most of the characters aren't real (except for Lieutenant Colonel Cole), but all of the missions are real. My afvorite mission is one where you are stuck in a church, surrounded by Germans and tanks, and have nothing but your Sniper rifle and a few good men at yuor side. Well, nothing but your sniper, until the tanks come and you get a bazooka...

All in all, this is my favorite game. The sequal looks very promising, and with new AI and physics, this series is shaping up to be one of the best of all time.

A fresh look at a tired genre

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Ubisoft made a smart choice in taking "Brothers in Arms" in a slightly different direction from the "Call of Duty" and "Medal of Honor" series. Rather than trying to one-up those games, which had nearly perfected the WWII FPS and exhausted the storylines, BiA drops the player into the role of a paratrooper in charge of various platoons of allies. Rather than focusing on unlikely individual heroics, BiA places prime importance on field vision and management of people and resources.

It is not however a slow paced isometric strategy game. Protagonist Matt Baker engages the enemy in first-person perspective, while issuing basic commands to his company. The control scheme is surprisingly simple, yet allows for a nifty combination of commands. So a player can go Rambo for a time if he desires, or drop into the background and play field general. Both options are surprisingly satisfying. There are occasional pathing and AI failures, where apparently logical commands lead your men into MG gunfire. But more often the game's intelligence pleasantly surprised rather than disappointed me.

The major strategic concept used (ad nauseum) is the simple "flank" maneuver. Baker is usually given two platoons, one of which is ideal for supressing fire, the other for end-arounds. Although due to some constrictive level designs, this tactic sometimes fails. AT times the squad is forced through narrow corridors, resulting in inevitable heavy casualties regardless of strategy. The environments lean more towards Call of Duty than Medal of Honor in terms of openness, but I still often wished for more creative avenues to accomplish my mission. I thoroughly enjoyed the missions where I was given charge of Sherman or Grant tanks. There are some occasional pathing problems with the tanks, and a few inexplicable stuck points, but it was great fun watching my armor come in from the side and blow an MG42 nest sky high.

I was impressed with the game's visuals. Capable of 480p widescreen, BiA renders an amazing amount of lush vegetation which, when combined with earth berms, offers usable cover. I was pretty amazed at the fairly steady framerates rendered on the old Xbox, considering all the greenery and intense action. Player, weapon, and tank models are rendered realistically. Even the occasional water effects, which players can tread chest high, look sharp. Building details are a bit dull, but the game rarely vetures into interiors anyway.

The one area the game fails in is sound quality. Oddly for a game by a big-name publisher, BiA clearly didn't put the resources into good sound recording. Player voices are OK: the typical WWII grunt stereotypes are all well represented (grizzled CO, nervous smart guy, overconfident jerk guy, etc.). Every other bang, pop, or boom is weak and tinny though. Every firearm sounds like a capgun, explosions sound like the TNT is wrapped in pillows, and the tank engines barely gurgle. It sounds like a piddling complaint, but I couldn't get over the unrealistic combat sounds in a game that otherwise built a nearly tangible world of war.

As a word of warning, BiA is more graphic, both visually and audibly, than the MoH or CoD series. So don't be surprised by the f-word and gore. To me, it was well worth the few idiosyncracies to enjoy a new, strategic perspective on WWII shooter gameplay.

Good game, I didn't find it fun though, ironically

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 7
Date: March 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I enjoyed myself playing this game, don't get me wrong. I just have a problem with the heavy emphasis some games place on suppression and flanking now. Yeah, it's great if you're in the army, but I'm not. I want to have fun. Even then, the whole game setup is too easy. Once you figure out the suppression and flanking, usually by the third or fourth chapter, the rest of the game is easy. I'm all for realism in games, but even this game does not come close. I can't imagine it's that easy to flank people in real life. Multiplayer is much closer to the real thing. But don't get me wrong, this game is much better than most other games out there. Just be aware that the fun and challenge factor for this game is pretty low.

Call it a 3.5

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 15
Date: March 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I very much looked forward to this game...to the point of almost having withdrall symptoms. Finally, the day came and it was released, all was right with the world. Then I started to play it and my estimation went down a little. First of all the good stuff; graphics are decent, sound is good, the controls are very similar to Halo so its easy to pick up, tank and squad controls are easy to figure out, a huge amount of attention was paid to the detail of the maps and units involved to be as close to the real thing as possible, the idea is inspired...to base a game on a real life series of battles, and no bugs or problems in use. Now for the not so great; the command structure is a little too simple...not what I was hoping for, AI is decent, but still suffers from boughts of stupidity, non destructable environments, too much of a Rambo type game vs a squad game...I now have my hopes pinned on First to Fight, I really didn't like most of the voice acting and some of the dialouge, and cutscenes are fine...but make a way to quickly get through all of them. I can honestly say that I liked Full Spectrum Warrior better and you don't even get to shoot in that one. All in all, a decent game, but could have been better. It is well worth $25.00 or less so wait for that to happen, grab it up and enjoy.

This is Impressive

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 16, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I was so amazed by how real the game felt
The sound is the most impressive. it give noise from one side of the t.v. when the bullet is coming then on the other side when its gone
It has a emotiional side to it that makes you not want to get your allies killed
Plus there actually useful for killing the enemy, and flanking them which as part of the strategy is so important in this game.
You can't just win by being suicidal
But its not like Splinter Cell when you can be spotted by a Squirrel and then you lose the level.
The graphics are pretty but you can actually see the enemy, unlike Halo 2 when they are always in the shadows.
I was a little dissapointed by how few levels there were. But every level is very detailed and there are many ways to do each one.
As far as length this is about as long as it gets these days in shooters.
I would not give it to kids under twelve, but don't let your kids not get it just because of the rating mature, its more of a history lesson than a game.

Great game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I thought this was an excellent game! Although the squad-based genre has overtaken the market (Republic Commando, Ghost Recon 2), in this game you get to experience the war through the view of a WWII US Paratrooper with the 502nd PIR. You start off by yourself, but are soon taught to lead one man, then a squad, then a Fire Team and an Assault team! The default setting encompasses no aiming reticule, so if you want to shoot at a German, you need to physically pull up the iron sights. You can go into Options and add a reticule. Once you unlock Authentic mode, you can't add the reticule, or suppression indicators... its as real and as confusing as it can get!
The one thing I don't like (but I get over it fast) is that in one Chapter, your fireteam members can get killed, but they are resurrected in the next one... my thought is, if they get killed, that's it!

The king of WWII has finally arrived

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 29, 2006
Author: Amazon User

BIA is a game like no other. Its graphics, sound, music, gameplay and multiplayer crush all other Xbox WWII games'. Medal of Honor stands no chance against this winner. Only Call of Duty 2 on the 360 is a better World War II game. Brothers in Arms follows a path of realism, like any masterpiece. It uses a system of two squads to make your life a whole lot easier. The story, landing at Normandy and heading south to capture the strategic point of Carentan, is awesome. You must get this game if you're a fan of the genre or of shooters. Be sure to check out the squad multiplayer too.

First Reallistic War Game EVER

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: March 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

First of all I'd like to start by saying Brothers in Arms is very enjoyable and always offered something different to do whether its lobbing a grenade into a enemy tank, sweeping a small town or rushing through a smoke bombed field. Many people have compared this ubisoft title to Pandemic's Full Spectrum Warrior as both require suppressing and flanking the enemy. Although BIA is graphically and ambiently superior, FSW simply features better squad control.

The graphics of BIA is absolutely intricate. From the accurate recreations of actual sites to the foliage of trees bushes and shrubs, right down to the detail of the characters and weapons. Fun aditions to the graphics lend to the reallistic feal of the game such as blurring effects from rain or streaks of blood speckling on your face from a gun shot wound. The most impressive of these, the shock of a near miss from mortar shells.

The sound compliments the graphics perfectly. Bullets make distinctive sound depending on what types of surfaces they impact. A lot of production value was poured into the Foley department of the game and it shows having one of the best sound qualities of any game on the market. Voice acting is also superbly done. The men sound believable and shout back and forth during combat. I regret not speaking German as I can't understand what the enemy yells out-I'm sure its entertaining.

The playability of the game is the only aspect I had problems with. Although you have control of a suppresion and fire team, the squad AI is lacking. I'm sure most of the reviewers would disagree with me since everyone claims the AI is brilliant. While I do think it's very good, there are too many ocassions where my squad AI is lacking. Many times I've ordered one of the teams to take cover behind something safe, what happens is two of them will listen while the third runs in front of the cover and gets picked off by the germans. Another example is ordering my men to sprint across roads covered by MG's. They'll run across and get halfway to where I tell them to go and then decide to stop and stand in the middle of the road to shoot back at the MG, resulting in the entire team being mowed down, however sometimes they will obey and run across and hit the cover as I oredered-it seems random when they will listen and when they won't. The tactics of this game are very promissing but lack far behind Full Spectrum Warrior. Not once in that title did my squad disobey orders and engage the enemy with no cover from enemy fire. FSW also had good tactical features such as designating a field of fire to catch enemies by surprise. The poor squad AI is the only problem I've had with the game and in many times had to leave them in one area while I take out 20 enemies alone-IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE.

Overall I give the game a 8 out of 10. Despite some bugs in the squad AI its still a very enjoyable title and one of the most respectfully reallistic portrayals of infantry warfare.

Best game.....EVER

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 10
Date: April 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

BUY THIS GAME!!!!
Gameplay-100/10-Amazing, i mean AMAZING gameplay, First person TACTICAL shooter......Havent seen that in a while, aye!Supress, Flank, and KILL!!!!!!!YAY how fun, Great controls that flow with the game, control up to two squads(Assualt Team, Fire team)
And control, yes yes its exiting...TANKS!!!
Graphics- 99/10- Amazing Graphics. although theres mouths dont move MUCH when they talk its still all GREAT. When you shoot the water, it will splash up ie: when you shoot dirt it will fly up, so on. Amazing level design(i havent gotten to play multiplayer yet so i'll have to get back to ya'll with that later.
Sound-99/10- AMAZING, MUSIC FITS CUTSCENES PERFECTLY!!!!!!!!... So on. they curse ALOT.... like so much a sailor wood hang his jaw slightly open....But none the less it fits the game perfectly
Replay value-???/10- im still beating on round 1!!!!!!!
multiplayer-????/10- Sorry :(, i dont know yet i'll get back to you when i do
Addictivness-10000000000000000000000000000000000000000/10.
Hasnt left my Xbox yet( most likely mever will!!!!!!)
Overall-101/10- Buy this game, trust me, you wont be dissapointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tired of all the hype and BS.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: March 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

You know, I am sick of all the hype about this game by a bunch of weenies that don't seem to know real combat, real weapons or realism of any sort beyond what they see on their TV screens.

This game is not the authentic real life war on-the-battlefield war game that all the geeks are hyping and signing the party line the company puts out.

I bought two of these games after reading the reviews and I have to say that you people don't know what you are talking about.

There is pseudo-realism and that is about it. Sure the maps are close, the look and sounds of the weapons are close and even the dialog is about right, but that is about as far as it goes.

These games fall down severely on the accuracy/authenticity in several key areas.

1.Ludicrous restriction on the tactical options available to the soldiers and the squad leaders. Some of this is bad level design, some of it is probably trying to make up for the limitations of their AI, and some of it is just plain dumb.

2. Ridiculous limitations on interaction with the environments. You cannot open doors or windows. You cannot climb fences. You cannot use the wire cutters that every paratroop carried. You cannot go under a normal barbed wire fence, which thousands of hunters do several times a day in america.

Barrels and crates don't blow up or even move when hit by a tank. You can't even climb over a low wall that some other men just went over.

Perhaps most unforgivable of all, you cannot go into a prone position or crawl. You know, the stuff they teach everyone in BASIC TRAINING!

3. The gunsights are ludicrous. The amount of creep even in a crouching position is ridiculous. If I was that shakey I'd head for the retirement home.

4. Terrible path blocking and object collision detection. Quite a few times when I had a perfect view of a target and as perfect a sight picture as you would ever want I could not hit the target no matter how many rounds I fired. In real life I would have put a round through both ears of my target.

5. Absurd size of the weapons relative to your field of vision when zoomed in. Come on folks this is ridiculously UN-authentic. There is a reason for the open sights on fast action weapons like the Thompson and other SMG weapons.

6. Really stupid scenario designs. There are several instances where you are put face to face with tanks and no tactical options except to run for enemy panzerfausts. Making this worse of course are the level designs that force you to follow a relatively linear and restricted path to said anti-tank weapons. This is completely ridiculous.

7. Poor level designs. Too many places you cannot go or step when you should be able to. Places you cannot jump over or crawl under where you should. Only in EIB do you get to even blow holes in the hedges with the TNT that all paratroops carried as part of their standard pack during that theater of operations, and then only in key places and one whole scenario.

8. Situational awareness mode. Give me a break. This is supposed to substitute for the advance study done by the troops? It's not even as good as a raw topo map dump. You are chained to camera angles around key points and there are no indications of any significant type for changes in elevation and quite often the terrain features are faded out due to the choices made for the camera angle.

9. Another limiting factor is that you cannot issue movement commands to a location you know is there but are not lined up on directly yourself and you had better be on the side away from the enemy when you issue the order. This could have been easily fixed by using some option to issue commands while in situational mode, especially if that were better done.

10. Lastly the much hyped authentic tactics. Authentic, sure, in a very introductory and watered down way, severely limited in permutations, applications and variations due to all the other limitations of the game.

By the way, I am both a veteran and an experienced programmer and I am highly disappointed with this game on both counts.

If this is the latest in realism then it shows what a sorry state the gaming industry really is in. Of course I still haven't seen AI in a commercial game yet that matched up to what I saw undergrad programmers doing in college during the 80s. We deserve better and it's not that hard to do. It's time we stopped allowing these companies to hype this stuff up like it is so great when it's all fluff like pretty pictures and sound.

Oh, one PS. The AI cheats. You can observe how the enemy becomes magically aware of things completely out of the blue, such as someone being behind them, not moving or firing, and behind cover. This is inexcusable.

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