I took delivery of a new game called Mercenaries 2 yesterday after pre-ordering it a few weeks ago. I'd actually totally forgotten about it because I only ordered it on a whim due to being involved with a Battlefield 2 mod called Mercenaries.
Anyway, it's turned out to be one of the most fun games I've bought in ages. The nearest I can compare the game to is a cross between Battlefield and Grand Theft Auto. With a destructible environment, the ability to call in air strikes, drive any vehicle that’s available including civilian and military vehicles. Take on contracts that pay you cash or in equipment. Steal cash and equipment, collect parts to build custom vehicles as well as loads of other stuff, for example if you hit a civilian, either by gunfire or by hitting them with a vehicle you have to pay recompense to their family for killing them. Something I've never seen in a game of this type before. It's a really fun game to play and it looks good as well. You start the game with a choice of several characters, each one with it's own foibles. The dialogue is funny at times and so far I've not come across any bad language. The following are some screen captures of the first few stages of the game:
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/forums/mercenaries%202/?albumview=slideshow
I've played it for several hours and have only completed 1% of the game. The way it's set up there seems to be many ways to play the game and therefore it's got almost unlimited game play. When the demo is available I'd definitely check it out if you are into any sort of shooting or driving game. The game doesn't come up to the standards of Crysis or COD4, but then it's considered a budget title at least 20% cheaper than the ones I just mentioned above.
Okay, it's not a free game, but then, you'll not get a game of this quality for free unless you play America's Army and possible the online element to F.E.A.R. The former is at least a 2Gb download and you can only play online with both games. Mercenaries has an online option that works seamlessly with the single player option. You can set up a coop server and allow someone to join you to help in your campaign, or you can join someone else’s server. It's not like your usual online games where you can have upwards of 64 players online playing in the same battlefield (and apparently thousands in one of the strategy games called Warhammer). What you earn in the online campaign is carried through to the single player campaign.
Oh yeah I nearly forgot. The game is in the third person perspective.
The following is the introduction that EA give to the game:
Quote:
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames™ is an explosive open-world action game set in a massive, highly reactive, war-torn world. When a power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply he sparks an invasion that turns the country into a warzone. But for you, international crisis is all upside: You are a mercenary, and you profit from chaos. Mercenaries 2™ features a slew of potential clients, all willing to pay you to do their dirty work. These are world powers with deep pockets, deep grudges, and enough arms and ammo to start World War III. This is your kind of environment. Mercenaries 2 features the latest and most dangerous in civilian and military tech, everything from shiny new sports cars, to the future-tech satellite-guided bunker-busting mini-nuke. Tanks, APCs, boats, luxury automobiles - you name it, you can have it delivered to you in real time. And if you run out of cash you can always 'acquire' the gear you need in the field. If you see it, you can buy it, steal it, or obliterate it. Play your own way, or play with the help of a friend in the new co-op multiplayer mode. You are not a soldier. You don't have to play by anyone's rules. You have your own code: you will fulfill the terms of the contract, no matter what. Not everyone in the world of Mercenaries is as honorable. Everyone will try and screw you, given the chance. They think they can get away with it, but they don't know rule #1 for mercenaries: EVERYBODY PAYS.
reference: http://www.electronicarts.co.uk/games/10508,ps3/ accessed 6th Sept 08