Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Game Review

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Game Review

IF you ever want to hire a mercenary, never double-cross him or her! This is one advice which is emphasized in Pandemic Studios and EA’s Mercenaries 2: World In Flames, where you can basically do anything you want except break that rule. Think of the game as Grand Theft Auto in a war-torn country where the hijacking of tanks, helicopters, gun-toting boats and the like replace the more mundane cars, bikes and trucks.

But don’t get me wrong, these mundane vehicles are still available for hijacking, it’s just that once you have the choice of controlling either a tank or a car, would you choose the latter? Don’t think so.

World In Flames is aptly named because the game allows you to blow up almost anything and there are times when you are required to do so. This third-person perspective sandbox game puts you in the shoes of a mercenary who is hired by Solano, who is at the center of a power struggle in Venezuela.

You start off by choosing one of three characters — Mattias Nilsson, Jennifer Mui or Chris Jacobs — who has their own unique traits to best suit your style. Mattias is a mohawk-sporting Swede whose health regeneration rate is higher than the others, Jennifer is a more agile soldier while Chris can carry more ammo.

Once you have chosen your character, the game opens up with Solano hiring you to rescue a general. As a merc, you are only thinking about the cash and not of political alliances. So you take on the contract only to be double crossed and you end up getting a bullet in your posterior. So you embark on a mission to bring down Solano, the general and Blanco, your betraying “agent”. Of course, revenge is on top of your to-do list but why not make money along the way, right?

The game has a very loose linear course where you’ll need to do “favors” from the various factions to gain information on your targets’ whereabouts. By completing these missions, you will accrue money, ammo, vehicles, air support and other perks.

Like in GTA, the best part of the game is your ability to hijack military vehicles and take control of a hovering helicopter. The game’s sound is solid, with decent voice acting, the expected sound of weapons discharging, explosions and a score that is appropriately supportive without overwhelming.

The game’s graphics does not challenge the PS3 although on the PS2 it looks right at home, but these are easily overlooked. The explosions, however, are extremely well done. World In Flames might not be original or inventive but get yourself a tank and cruise around the city blowing things up, and you’ll find yourself levelling the country before you know it.