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As the story progresses, you are introduced to a myriad of characters, one in particular being a young journalist by the name of Jimmy Davis. The first mission is to get Jimmy out of a building that has now been overrun by VC. And so the campaign begins. Throughout the game you are given objectives, each one leading on to the next and becoming more and more challenging. The game is heavily interactive and your character is required to interact with other characters and the environment as part of the storyline. Getting from A to B really depends on how well you interact and take notice of what is around you.
The shooting and killing begins straight away as you and the journalist pick up guns and ammo. Once you get out into the streets, the combat side of the game begins to dominate. Now you are working in tactical mode where you are required to use your surroundings to keep safe. Along the way, you pick up another character who soon joins your informal squad. At this point in the game, the storyline takes a back seat, and the mayhem begins: fun, fun, fun.
If you like warfare and guns, then Vietcong 2 will not disappoint. The arsenal at your disposal is impressive. Again, the level of detail in relation to the weapons within the game is extremely well done. Boasting input from first-hand accounts of the Tet offensive, it's definitely believable from this angle. The manual also has an extensive list of weapons used by both the US soldiers and the VC available in the game.
The AI used in Vietcong 2 could definitely be better, though. When playing the single-player campaign, it's imperative that you reach the next objective, otherwise you can't progress. If that means getting from one place to another quickly, you have to make sure you don't leave behind other characters in the process. Here the AI just doesn't seem to be in sync with the game and you could be forced to restart from your last save point more than once.
Graphically, VC2 looks a little worn. Bottom line, VC2 is not a game that was designed to woo players with state of the art graphics, and if it were, it has failed. Character animation is not exactly top notch and the environmental detail is no more than adequate. The minimum specs to play the game require a 1.8GHz CPU, a 'shader 2.0' compliant video card and 3.5GB of free space. On PC, the game will only run using Windows XP or Windows 2000; not too bad but if you intend to play online, it might be better to consider the recommended specs first. If we're going to be brutal (and let's face it, this is war, soldier!), Vietcong 2 is way behind in the graphics stakes. Nuff said.
Multiplayer VC2 is a different type of game. You can choose between playing an American or a Vietnamese. You can also customise your character to make him look how you want (minus the tattoos and nose rings!). This mode of game play is a lot faster paced and more fun to play if you like objectives that allow you to kill many and quickly. The maps are all challenging in their own way, ranging from jungle terrain to buildings and open areas. With a map full of players (VC2 multiplayer accommodates up to 64 online players), VC2 could be a whole lot of fun, even if the style of game play itself isn't original. Co-op mode is great over a LAN and makes a welcome addition to most games that don't offer the co-op mode of game play. |
