Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam Pack Review

From the Vault — originally published December 22, 2010. Some links, videos or prices may be out of date.

A few hours into playing the new Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam pack I knew this would be such an easy review to write. This DLC pack is very well done. This add-on when unlocked adds a new option in the main menu of the game. The content does not mix in with the original Battlefield Bad Company 2 content and rightfully so. What the folks at DICE have done with this DLC essentially is to create their take on a Call of Duty “World at War” style game. A historical throwback piece of FPS content.

This Vietnam pack looks and plays differently than the disc based content. Right off the bat you notice the visuals have an old school look. The visuals are really well done. This foray into Vietnam has a completely separate stock of weapons and vehicles that must be used and these items all fit historically within the Vietnam war time period. 15 Vietnam-era weapons and 6 vehicles are available from the jump. Flamethrowers are new to the game and seem to be a favorite among players. All the weapons play differently than their modern counterparts. No super scoped assault rifles here. The action is more close up and in your face than the normal Bad Company 2 content.

The character models for each class are all remodeled as well to fit within the time period and they did a great job. The Vietnamese soldiers look bad ass as well as the American soldiers. The character models are very polished.

You really will not care which side you are on in terms character design.

There are four distinct, brand-new multiplayer maps based on the Vietnam War. Each map includes different gameplay elements with characteristics such as foxholes, tunnels and dense jungles from where the enemy can launch surprise attacks. The map design is very different from the general Battlefield 2 maps. Some maps have thick foliage that serves as cover for attacks. Others are based on hills that overlook the enemy rush direction.

It doesn’t feel like they simply reused assets from the main game in this pack. The environments feel true to the theme.

There are all-new voice-overs for both sides based on authentic dialogue from the Vietnam War. American and Vietnamese are well represented with new audio. There is also new soundtrack audio with reportedly 2 hours worth of tracks from the Vietnam era. The guns and vehicle sounds have also been matched to fit the era.

For the price the Vietnam DLC is great. Most first person shooter DLC packs contain less content for the same price. This pack contains four brand new maps, new weapons and audio all over a different art style. The upcoming Black Ops “First Strike” DLC will contain just four maps for the same price. No new weapons, vehicles or style changes.

If you have enjoyed playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 then this Vietnam pack is a great reason to jump back into the game. It feels fresh, is well worth it, and is easily a recommended purchase.