About Battlefield 2

A Brief Synopsis

Battlefield 2 (abbreviated to BF2) is a computer game in which players fight in a modern battlefield using modern weapon systems. Battlefield 2 is a first-person shooter with some strategy and RPG elements. Battlefield 2 was developed by Digital Illusions CE (DICE) with a custom game engine. During development, Trauma Studios contributed to the development of the game after it was acquired by Digital Illusions CE. BF2 is published by Electronic Arts as the third full game of the Battlefield series, released in late June 2005. The first two installments were Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield Vietnam.

BF2 includes a single-player mode with three difficulty levels and multiplayer mode via the Internet or a LAN. Both player modes use the same maps and use Battlefield's conquest game mode. Single-player mode allows 15 computer controlled players, while Internet mode allows up to 64 players. Players can choose to play 3 factions: United States Marine Corps (USMC), People's Liberation Army (PLA), and the fictional Middle East Coalition (MEC). Additional factions are playable through the expansion packs.

A console branded version also exists (for Xbox, Xbox 360 and PS2), named Battlefield 2: Modern Combat. Although they both share the same name, they differ quite considerably in execution, content, and gameplay.

There are two main game modes, Conquest and Cooperative gameplay. The ultimate objective of "Conquest" (Battlefield 2's only officially ranked game mode) is to reduce the opposing team's "tickets" to zero. This can be accomplished by capturing flags (which also allows the team to spawn at that point), forcing the opposing team to respawn players (by killing them), or both. By capturing flags, the team with less than half of the flags or failing to capture a certain number of flags (depending on the map) will have their tickets gradually diminish. By killing an opponent, his or her team’s ticket will decrement by one once the player respawns. Furthermore, if a team has nowhere to spawn and all of its members are dead, their ticket count will instantly go to zero.

Cooperative gameplay, known as “co-op”, is the same as conquest mode except that players also play with and against computers or known as “bots”. This game mode is not part of the ranking system.

In Battlefield 2, as with previous Battlefield titles, players are able to select from a variety of infantry classes. Each class of soldier is equipped with different weaponry appropriate to their role in the battle. Assault soldiers, for example, are general-purpose infantry with grenade-launcher equipped assault-rifles and extra armor, Medics carry first-aid equipment such as a field defibrillator, and Anti-Tank troopers are equipped with missiles which are effective against heavy armor.

Players are able to choose a class at the start of a match, or between dying and respawning once the match has begun. Players can also change their class by picking up a "kit" from the body of an incapacitated soldier, friendly or otherwise. Hence, an Assault soldier can become a Medic if they come across a fallen Medic. Possible player classes are Spec Ops, Sniper, Assault, Support, Engineer, Medic and Anti-Tank.

Within the infantry class, there are three support classes with special abilities. The engineer can repair with his wrench, the medic can revive with his defibrillator paddles, the support can resupply ammunition with his ammo bags. These special abilities are helpful to other players when one of the these three classes occupies a vehicle. Nearby personnel and vehicles can be replenished by being in close proximity.

The various forces still use the trademark feature of the Battlefield series - the large stable of vehicles that any player, regardless of faction, specialty or experience, can climb into and control. There are many different types of vehicles playable in Battlefield 2. They are all based on real-life vehicles used by the militaries of different countries.

There are about 30 vehicles available for use ranging from main battle tanks such as the M1A2 Abrams to fast transports like the Desert Patrol Vehicle. Contrast to Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2 has only one purely water-based vehicle, the rigid-inflatable boat, however, the BTR-90, the MEC APC, can travel in water as well as the LAV-25 and the WZ 551, the USMC and PLA equivalents, respectively. Theoretically, every vehicle is weak to another type of vehicle, similar to a game of rock-paper-scissors. For example, the mobile anti-air can effectively destroy a helicopter, but is vulnerable against an opposing tank. Included within this relationship are stationary defenses such as light machine guns and anti-aircraft/armor emplacements. The availability and number of certain vehicles are dependent on the map and its size. Also, more vehicles become available to be used on the maps of expansion/booster packs.