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Product Description

Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway brings the critically acclaimed squad-based WWII shooter into the next generation of gaming with amazing graphics and sound, new cutting-edge gameplay features, and a totally redesigned online component. Delivering on the franchise's compelling story, unrivaled authenticity and intense squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway drops you into Operation Market Garden, the largest paratrooper operation in World War II. Lead Matt Baker, Joe Hartsock and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division as they fight to open "Hell's Highway" in a daring bid for a quick end to the war.

The Next-Gen of WWII action

Take command as Sgt. Matt Baker. View larger.

Engage in large scale battles. View larger.

Or house-to-house combat. View larger.

Experience the life of a soldier. View larger.

Utilze fully-destructable cover. View larger.

Precision shots yield 'quick kill' points. View larger.

Operation Market Garden: The Story of Hell's Highway
Operation Market Garden was a real-life Allied offensive designed to destroy Nazi Germany before Christmas, 1944. The plan was ambitious - it was largest airborne invasion in the history of the world. The plan was to capture a corridor through Holland to punch through the German lines. Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne and other divisions dropped from the sky in mid-September to seize and hold the corridor by surprise. The surprise attack was a bust. Hitler's best units were in the area and immediately counter-attacked and crushed the corridor.

Meet the Squad
Although players see the chaos of Operation Market Garden exclusively through the eyes of Sgt. Matt Baker, Hell's Highway is squad-based and as such players will direct, interact with, and get to know all the members of the 101st Airborne in intimate detail. Some of the characters return from earlier games in the series, while others are brand new. Regardless, each has his own personality, history and attitudes towards the plight the squad finds themselves in as they seek to survive a bold, but doomed plan. Some of the dog faces players will encounter are include:

	Name & Rank: Sgt. Matt Baker Preferred Weapon: M1 Rifle Bio: With his experience from the battles of Normandy, Baker enters Holland fully accepting the mantle and responsibilities of squad leader. However, the loss of half his original squad still weighs heavily on him and he will not let any more of his men die.
	Name & Rank: Sgt. Joe "Red" Hartsock Preferred Weapon: M1A1 Thompson Bio: A corporal under Baker's command, he was promoted to Sergeant after the battle in Carentan. Unlike Baker, Red understands the realities of war and is prepared to make the tough decisions required of a squad leader. All he can do is minimize the casualties.
	Name & Rank: Pfc. Mike Dawson Preferred Weapon: M1A1 Thompson Bio: Though a newcomer to the squad, Mike served with the 502nd PIR in Normandy. He believes in fate and is interested in the story of Baker's "cursed pistol." His inquiries have made him a pariah, as the other members would rather not re-live those events.
	Name & Rank: Cpl. Tom Zanovich Preferred Weapon: M1918A2 B.A.R. Bio: The "old man" and veteran of the squad, Zanozich served in the French Foreign Legion before enlisting in the U.S. Army. Despite all the combat he's seen, Tom has a strong sense of humor - even when the situation doesn't exactly call for it.
	Name & Rank: Cpl. Sam Corrion Preferred Weapon: M1A1 Thompson Bio: Corrion was a corporal with Baker and Hartsock before Normandy, and much to his dismay, is still a corporal. Sam excelled as a foreman in the saw mill back home, and believes that he could perform better than either of his compatriots, if only given a chance.

Key Features:

• Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway - Next Generation: The classic authentic, squad-based combat series explodes on your PC, offering unprecedented graphics and features.
• New Story, New Setting: Follow Matt Baker, Joe Hartsock and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division in "Operation Market-Garden" as they fight to open famous "Hell's Highway" in a daring bid for a quick end to the war.
• Live the life of an Enlisted Man: Get orders from HQ, go on patrol, spot the enemy and set up a devastating ambush. For the first time, finding the enemy before they find you is part of the challenge.
• Unprecedented Character Design: Lifelike characters look, talk, move and think with incredible realism. Game characters interact with the player and each other like true brothers in arms, trading ammunition, helping wounded allies and civilians, working together to man team-operated weapons, and more.
• Rich Cinematic Experience: As the squad leader, you interact with and get to know your brothers. Each character has his own personality, unique story and background, and grows through the game.
• Powerful New Units Under Your Command: Players can use or command combined arms teams - machine gun crews create intense fire, bazooka crews destroy buildings and tanks, and mortar crews pound the enemy from a distance.
• Step Into the Boots of a Soldier: Hit the dirt and get prone, rip grenades from your chest and hurl them at your enemies. See and feel the blast of nearby explosions.
• Completely New Multiplayer Experience: Fight major multiplayer battles with dozens of players on each side; all the intensity and accessibility of Deathmatch meshed with the squad-based gameplay that helped make Brothers In Arms famous.
• Destroyable Cover: Keep your men moving and choose your cover wisely - simulated with real physics, weapons will damage, dent, scorch and destroy the world around you.

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway: The Colonel Antal Interview

Since 1985, when it dropped into the WWII division of the popular tactical/strategy shooter genre with Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, the Brothers in Arms series has consistently met with critical acclaim and gamer praise. This was a tough mission to accomplish, but it did so by focusing compelling squad-based tactical gameplay against the backstory of a fictional squad within the US Army's 101st Airborne Division as they battle through a historically correct re-creation of the events of the Allied invasion of Europe during WWII. This type of realism is more or less unheard of in the video game world and can only be provided by someone who really knows their stuff. Enter Colonel John Antal, US Army (Ret.).

Vice President of Knowledge Operations and Military and Historical Director at Gearbox Software, developers of the Brothers in Arms series, Colonel Antal is an Airborne-Ranger officer, and a published author of scores of magazine articles, as well as several fiction and nonfiction books on military topics. Most importantly for the subject at hand though, he is also a major force behind the development of the Brothers in Arms series. Recently I was able to catch up with him and ask some questions regarding the newest title in that line, Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway.

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Colonel John Antal, US Army (Ret.) in Kandahar, Afghanistan in September, 2008 during a visit with the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division

Amazon.com/games: The modern military is full of cutting edge technology, but I'm sure that some readers will be surprised to hear that a career military man, such as yourself, plays such a pivotal role in the development and marketing of a video game. How did this come about? And did you have any video game experience prior to the Brothers in Arms franchise?

Colonel Antal: I just returned from a ten day visit with US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, and I can report to you that when Soldiers are not fighting, they are training for the next fight. The more time Soldiers spend training in realistic simulated battles, the less blood spilled in battle. During my thirty years in the US Army, I trained thousands of Soldiers using constructive, virtual and live military simulations. Once I retired, it was an easy leap for me to switch my experience with military simulations into value-added content for video games.

Amazon.com/games: I know you've probably been asked this question a thousand times, but let's make it a thousand and one. Operation Market Garden, the WWII allied offensive that Hell's Highway is based on culminated in a German victory. Why make a video game based on a defeat?

Colonel Antal: Market Garden was not a complete success, but war is fought at many levels. At the squad level, war is about fighting for the next hill, hamlet or road junction. Victory and defeat is very clear in a squad - when the battle is over you either have won and lived, or have lost and most of your comrades are dead or wounded. In Brothers in Arms, Hell's Highway, we created a historical fiction that is true to the real history of the battle in ways no other game has approached. The true story of the battle for Hells Highway is dramatic and a worthy story. If we told only stories of victories, we wouldn't be telling true historical fiction. War is about victory AND defeat, gain and loss. Telling both is part of being true to the actual history.

Amazon.com/games: As a follow-up to this, because this game is based on a very real and in many senses, tragic event for the forces involved and the civilian population, was there more pressure to stick to the facts in this game in order to get things right? And if so how did your team ensure this?

Colonel Antal: Yes. We have done our best to make the game the most authentic WWII experience ever. Our goal is to put you in the boots of a true-to-life squad leader in the 101st Airborne during the fight for Hell's Highway. This game addresses the true history of the Battle for Hell's Highway, uses realistic tactics and requires you to lead a rifle squad in ways that no other game has ever done.

Amazon.com/games: The game's story is centered around the events of an American squad, but since Operation Market Garden was an allied offensive, will players get to control, or even better, play as other allied forces? And will there be any playable German characters?

Colonel Antal: The player will play as an American, Staff Sergeant Matt Baker. If you want to learn more about the British, the Dutch Resistance and the Germans, read my companion novel to the game, "Brothers in Arms, Hell's Highway", published by Ballantine Books, Random House. There will also be a history book out in January 2009 that explains the battle for Hell's Highway in day-to-day detail with maps, historical photos, screenshots from the game and much more. Shop for the Colonel's companion novel, "Brothers in Arms, Hell's Highway."

Amazon.com/games: I've read that Hell's Highway will contain a whole new multiplayer experience. Can you shed some light on how this experience is different from what previous games in the series offered?

Colonel Antal: Multiplayer is really exciting. Our multiplayer design is different from other games because it brings squad game play on-line. We created a team based game, where the team-based aspect is about squad organization. The game will select (or players will vote on) a commander on each team. There can be up to 20 people in the game, 10 per team. The teams will go after objectives in each map that will be resolved in rounds.

Amazon.com/games: A common criticism in squad-based games is that AI enemies engaged in singleplayer modes are too easily outwitted, which is obviously something that should not happen on a real battlefield. Was dealing with this a consideration in the development of Hell's Highway?

Colonel Antal: Yes, the team did a good job at creating a robust enemy AI that is clearly a tough opponent. Players will be excited about this feature.

Amazon.com/games: Hell's Highway will feature a wide variety of weapons, not only used by US forces, but also those of allied troops and the Germans. Are all of these usable by any character and if so does each have specific ammo?

Colonel Antal: All the small arms -- pistols and rifles -- will be useable, as well as most of the crew served weapons (like machine guns). Players can choose from semi-automatic rifles such as the M1-Carbine and M1-Garand, to machine guns such as the M1A1, bazookas such as the M9A1 and pistols. To check out all the weapons you can use and see them in action, check out the website (www.brothersinarmsgame.com in 'the game' section).

Amazon.com/games: Hell's Highway is the first Brother in Arms title to come to Next-Gen platforms. How much has the visual clarity made possible on these platforms helped in the series' ongoing quest for authenticity?

Colonel Antal: The visual clarity is stunning in this game. It makes use of the Unreal 3 Engine technology to deliver incredibly realistic, authentic and cutting-edge 3D environments. The game also has unprecedented character design - with lifelike characters who look, talk, move and think with incredible realism.

Amazon.com/games: Hell's Highway is the third game in the series featuring Sgt. Matt Baker, and now Sgt. Joe Hartsock. These two have differing views on the acceptable costs of war and have traded off command duties in the last two games. In Hell's Highway both lead separate squads, but Sgt. Baker appears to be front and center. Will the game feature the ability to play as either sergeant? And regardless, is this dichotomy of outlook regarding command as much an attempt at realism in the field as anything else in the game?

Colonel Antal: The player will play the role of Baker. The story of Baker and Hartsock, and their different approaches to leadership is a vital part of the story that I many of our fans will find intriguing.

Amazon.com/games: I don't recall tanks playing too much of a role in earlier Brothers in Arms games, but one of the nicer videos I've seen indicated that they might be prominent in Hell's Highway. This seems a nice touch considering that Operation Market Garden's objective was to secure a path for armored units crossing into Germany. What exactly will players be able to do with tanks and what other new units and/or changes to the control scheme can players expect to see?

Colonel Antal: The player will be able to fight as part of a Sherman Firefly crew and will be able to battle German Panzers head to head.

Amazon.com/games: When last I saw Hell's Highway demoed, one of the things that stood out in my mind was the destructibility of environments and cover. Considering that the game in filled with weapons of varying destructive power, I thought this was a fantastic and natural addition. Can you give a few details on this for our readers?

Colonel Antal: Destructible cover allows the player greater tactical flexibility. Now you can create a flank by blowing away flimsy cover that would normally block your maneuver. The destructible cover system was modeled using real physical properties and behaviors, so weapons will actually damage, dent, scorch and destroy the world around you. It's a great addition to the game that gives players a truly authentic experience.

Amazon.com/games: Having grown up myself watching movies like A Bridge Too Far, The Guns of Navarone/Force 10 From Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, The Dirty Dozen, Kelly's Heroes, The Longest Day, etc. I've often wondered why the events of WWII have not been more heavily mined for game subject matter. With the continued success of the Brothers in Arms franchise and others, as well as the power of Next-Gen technology, do you see this changing?

Colonel Antal: I strongly believe that powerful, dramatic human stories provide an exciting medium for video games. WWII was a vast WORLD WAR with countless powerful, dramatic, human stories. Anyone who is bored with WWII hasn't studied the war in depth. The stories from WWII have importance relevance to us today and are archetypical examples of the moral dilemma of war. No sane person wants war, but if you value life and liberty, sometimes you are forced to fight. I expect that we will be telling these stories and incorporating them into our games for many years to come.

Amazon.com/games: Since the framework of the Brothers in Arms series is the allied invasion of German-occupied Europe and the battles that would eventually make up the march towards Berlin/the race to beat the Red Army there, can players expect to see more from Sgt. Baker and his squad in the future, perhaps at the Battle of the Bulge and beyond?

Colonel Antal: As long as I have anything to do with it, the answer is YES.

Amazon.com/games: Finally, because it's interesting to pick the brains of people behind the games, do you mind telling our readers what games you are playing and/or what you are reading these days? Also, I know that you have authored several fiction and nonfiction books as well as articles. Are you working on anything new that you might want to tell us about?

Colonel Antal: I'm an Airborne-Ranger and have been a combat officer all my adult life. I pretty much like to play anything with WAR in the title!

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Many thanks to Colonel Antal for taking taking some time to give us his insights into the impact that the historical events of WWII, as well as actual combat tactics, have played in the creation of Hell's Highway and the Brothers in Arms franchise as a whole. We wish him, Gearbox Software and Ubisoft much success with the new game and look forward to the next installment in the Brothers in Arms saga, where players may find the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne fighting their way to Berlin and an eventual rendezvous with VE day.

--Tom Milnes, Freelance Contributor

Customer Reviews:

• Avoid if you have an ATI card
  This game was really fun, until it was cut short for me. There is a known bug with a certain level that makes it unplayable on several ATI cards, including my brand new 4850 with current drivers. This level experiences constant crashes and visual glitches. There is no fix because ATI and Gearbox choose to each blame the other for it instead of actually making it playable. Just do some searching on the internet for crashing issues on the "Black Friday" level with ATI cards. I'm glad I didn't pay for this game....more info
• Good but could have been better
  I,like everyone else was waiting for this game and for the most part I've
  enjoyed it. It was running well on my mid-range machine,E6600,ATI 3870,2
  Gigs of memory The only gripes I have are not being able to go prone, crawl and no lean feature. I also find the A.I. a little suspect. There are times when the Germans will move from cover only to move back to the very spot they've just abandoned. Enough has been said about the cut scenes and story line. I treat the cut scenes like TV commercials.
  The only problem I've had with the game was my fault. I decided to update
  my video driver when I was 3/4 of the way through the game (can you say dumb a**?). Now I've got an ATI3duag.dll problem that is a bear to fix.
  I'd say by this game,it could have been better but it is fun. Oh,and update your drivers before you run the game. ...more info
• This is a WWII game that you HAVEN'T played before...
  Okay misleading title because if you've played the previous two Brothers in Arms then you'll probably feel the same vibe playing Hells Highway more or less. What distinguishes this game from Hill 30 and Earned in Blood is a number of new mechanics such as regenerating health, which significantly drops the difficulty level of the game but in such a way that it feels a lot less frustrating to play now. Also new to the game is the cover system, something that seems a bit unnecessary and somewhat kills the immersion. Your character should be able to avoid getting hit by bullets by crouching behind hard cover but for some reason you are vulnerable to lead unless you snap into cover. What gear box should've done was just make it possible to lean, but its not a gamebreaker and the cover system works very well so its only a small minus. The single player campaign is incredibly short, I was able to finish it in 3 days time, and I really only played for 2-3 hours per day. Despite how short the game is, Hell's Highway offers a lot of variety in level design. You'll be fighting from the green country side, to a somber atmosphere church and graveyard, to an incredibly pretty looking burning Eindhoven. Skirmishes with enemy soldiers are like real time combat puzzles which definitley distinguishes this game from the rest of the WWII franchises that take more of a shoot, take cover, follow the leader approach. Although in this iteration of BiA it is very possible to play through the entire game Call of Duty style (you're amazingly accurate now) it is highly discouraged, and you will find that you have more fun when you look at the situational map and solve the puzzle utilizing your squad. One last comment I have about the game is the amazing visuals. Though it's certainly no crysis, Maxed out this game looks fantastic. Character models and skin textures look top of the line, environments are highly detailed and rich in vibrant color. Very nice effects for smoke coming out of each discharged bullet, and the soft lighting on this game is that subtle hint that makes your eyes fall in love with the visuals. Overall though this game was really good, it features definitley the best single player experience for a WWII game, though the online multiplayer I haven't cared enough to try. While earlier E3 trailers made this game to be a highly detailed strategic shooter it falls short but the final product is still definitley worth a buy, especially at 15 dollars....more info
• Suprised
  I have been an avid FPS fan since the days on Nova Logic's Delta Force. I have played pretty much all except the Brothers in Arm series.
  
  I was not expecting much and maybe that added to my delight. This game has the tactical feel of Hidden and Dangerous and Ghost Recon. It feel plenty real. Graphics are beautiful. I keep calling my wife into the room to show her the scenery and dismembered bodies.
  
  While not anywhere near as frantic as the COD games, this one has had me glued to the computer. If you run and gun here you will die quickly.
  
  Runs fine on Vista. Nvidia 8600 something card....more info
• Talk about dissapointing
  This has to be one of their worst series of BIA.
  Graphics is amazing and some of the best Ive seen in a game, but my guess is that comes at an expense. My computer maxes out at 100 %CPU use with this game on a 2.4Ghz machine.
  
  I also hate the long and repetitive movie scenes in this game. If I wanted to watch a movie I would have rented one. Gameplay is some of the worst Ive encountered, so bad that I wondered if my machine was messed up. Moving around, you feel like your character is a bobble-head. Your screen continually is bobbing up and down as you move and left me feeling like the game is anything but smooth! This also occurs when you look around, dont know what it is, but Ive never encounterd this in any other game.
  
  The scenes are just plain boring...every scene is different groups of Germans hiding behind a wall/table that are staggered in a zig-zag pattern. Work your way up, zig zagging and kill them. Next scene, different location, same scenario! ...more info
• Great Game, satisfying tactical cover system, graphics are awesome, story is too long
  The good things are:
  
  1. The new cover system, like Rainbow 6 Vegas and Gears of War, makes the combat much more real and enjoyable.
  2. Ordering the team around is easy and fun.
  3. Audio is immersive and haunting at times(hospital)
  4. Story is an extension of the earlier games.
  5. Environments are realistic and beautiful, especially the hospital and HH.
  6. Tank sequences are satisfying and break up the FPS action.
  7. The action camera is great, love to see the heads explode or the tank explosions.
  
  The not so good things are:
  
  1. Story is convoluted and relys on you remembering it from the first 2 games from years ago. Should have released this closer to the earlier versions so people would know what the story is!
  2. Cannot skip through the long cutscenes the first time through, I tuned out.
  3. Sometimes your AI is idiotic.
  4. "Authentic" difficulty level is not that authentic, out of cover you'd still have iron sights.
  5. No blind fire from cover.
  
  I liked this game overall, it's enjoyable to play. Not the longest game but the replay is better since you can skip through the cutscenes and get to the action. Like I said the story is convoluted and hard to really get that intersted in, but if you're into it, you're probably a Band of Brothers junkie. I wish other conflicts would be covered in videogames though, WW1, Vietnam, Iran/Iraq, Russian conflicts including WW2 Eastern Front, Falklands War. WW2 is just so overdone and now we also have another CODWW2 coming out next month!
  
  WinXP
  8800 GT
  Intel Core Duo E5200
  4GB RAM
  Highest settings smooth....more info
• Does not work with XP service pack 2
  It says on the box that this game requires XP service pack 3 but I read on some posts online that some people have been able to get this game to run on Window XP service pack 2. I am here to inform others that I could NOT get this game to run under XP SP2 at all. I don't want to update to service pack 3 for one game. I shouldn't have to. SP2 runs all of my older games just fine and I've never had a problem with it. I have heard of people having problems with older games and SP3.
  
  Upon installing Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway under my XP SP2 the game would simply not run. I would double click the shortcut to the game and nothing would happen. So I tried using the only no-cd patch out there and this time the game did start up but when I went into the options, all the sliders automatically lowered themselves down where I could not set them. I tried then to start playing the game. When the game finally started after so many cutscenes that I felt like I was watching a movie, the screen started spinning 360 degrees and would never let me gain control of my character. I believe this game can only be recommended to people who want to run it on Windows Vista. I still like gaming on XP SP2 so I can pass on this one.
  
  ...more info
• A complete, great game...
  I've spent the whole weekend playing this game and I'm amazed at the vastness and realism it brings to the table. The graphics are absolutely superb, and the gameplay and battles are really enjoyable.
  
  Even though I've been through many of them I don't get bored of moving my squad around and using various tactics at each point.
  
  The sound is amazing, and the voice acting and cut-scenes are a welcome break from the intensity of battle and are probably the best cut-scenes i have seen in a game. The story evolves are you play and you almost feel a kinship for the men in your team as you get to know their personalities.
  
  This is a great game, I have a 8800GTS 640MB, Core 2 Duo 2.66ghz and running on 19200 x 1200 @ max settings and runs great!...more info
• Another illegal DRM-infected release, this time from Ubisoft - another cancelled preorder...
  Yep, title says it all.
  Too bad because I was a fan of all BiA games but this nonsense with recent illegal DRM infctions has to come to an end - DO NOT BUY THIS GAME, show Ubi your middle finger as long as they support Sony's illegal SecuROM.
  
  You say DRM - we say NO....more info
• Hell's Offramp
  Loved the latest edition to the Brothers in Arms series. My only negative comment is that, like a lot of recent additions to outstanding games, the sequel is a tad short....more info
• Very good game - Lots of fun
  This is definitely one of the better WW II first person shooters I've played (and I've played pretty much all of them). I wasn't crazy about all the video scenes, and I still don't think I understand the convoluted story line, but the gameplay itself was a lot of fun. Plus, it took me a lot longer to complete the single-player missions than a lot of other games have. It's nice to see a software developer actually put that much effort into the single-player component rather than focusing mainly on the multiplayer component. So, in a nutshell, I definitely recommend this game to avid WW II first person shooter addicts....more info
• How I destroyed the German Army in 5 days!
  I think I would have liked this game a little better had I not just finished Fallout 3. When I first started playing this game I found myself trying to search inside things to find things such as ammo. As the game goes on this would prove unnecessary, since it is nearly impossible to use all of your ammo and you occasionally find stashes on the ground or you can just pick up some weapons from victims on the battlefield which will have enough ammo to get by on.
  
  I think that since Fallout 3 was such a non linear game caused me to enjoy this game less too. Here you have almost no options to do anything, you just have to follow the path given you where you encounter only about 6 different types of Germans. 1) German with Mauser 2) German with MP 40/44 3) German 88' (which are tremendously ineffective and easy to destroy) 4) Panzer Mark IV which are easily destroyed by bum rushing and placing a satchel charge on but difficult to get your idiot bazooka men to hit 5) German manning a MG42 - probably the most effective Kraut in the game- which just stay in one spot until you can pick them off with your random shots 6) Germans with Panzer Schrecks (sp)/ bazookas. Also the developer seems to be very proud of the work they did about jumping a fence or wall (which does look cool) but for some reason you cannot jump a desk or a hay bale or open a closed door.
  
  Each map takes you through what soon becomes a repetitive assault either going after a group of Germans hiding behind a wall or occasionally in a building, to shooting groups of 2 Germans walking inside burning buildings. You are also tasked with taking out 88's which for some reason cannot destroy walls or buildings, but which fortunately can destroy wood structures such as fences. This game would have been tremendously more enjoyable if all the terain was destructible, instead of just wood objects which include barrels and fences.
  
  You do have squad control but as I got bored I would just send them forward to draw fire (and not caring if they got hit, since they would all for some reason come back alive to be killed in some stupid cut scene later on that you have no control over) and then advance and take out what ever target they were out distracting.
  
  Tanks were some of the easiest target to take out which is hugely un-realistic. They generally drive around in a predetermined rout (no supported by infantry) and all you have to do is wait for them to drive past you (while you hide behind a wall) and then run after them, place a satchel charge, back off wait 4 seconds, and watch it blow. Boring!
  
  To keep things interesting, the developers give you some maps where you dont just shoot the mindless Germans, instead you get to do exciting things like run through a burning building after one of your idiot soldiers who has a crush on some girl. Running through a house to find a kid that is killing Germans. Blahhh Blahhh Blahh..... At one point you get to become a sniper and shoot from the top floor of a building where you take out at least 50 Germans manning MG's, 88's or just firing small arms at you. Kind of fun but extremely unrealistic. The 88's alone would have brought the building down. A couple of times you get to drive a tank where once again you take out numerous 88's which are a piece of cake, or more Panzer Mark IV's also easy.
  
  This game has good graphics but is extremely, and I mean extremely repetitive. Once you learn how to take out targets you will find yourself attempting to do it stupider, just to keep it interesting. Seeing a critical hit, which seems to be random, is cool to, but it is very similar to the VATS shots in Fallout 3. Very cinematic though.
  
  The most difficult part about the maps were the save points, you will find yourself getting 9/10's through a map only to get killed and be forced to repeat the same boring mission with no variations over and over until you can get past one hurdle (and this even includes the map running through the stupid burning house where I kept dying in the last room to get out of the house). Looking back I feel as if Battlefield 1942 still has much more to offer than this game.
  
  The cut scenes get boring and have me hopping that some of the guys would just hurry up and get them selves killed (which I tried to do when I would have them run up and stand in front of the 88's out in the open so that I could run to the back and take out the operators- yes they would be killed but then would be right back for the next annoying map) by the end they add in the supernatural in attempt to make an episode of LOST. I did not play the first two games, but this is apparently part of the story from them, and is going to be concluded in the apparent battle of the bulge, which I will not buy.
  
  If this was a gift, like it was for me, it is a good game. If you have $50 go buy Fallout 3 even if you prefer WW2 (which I do)....more info
• great game
  One of the best, if not the best, WWII fps ever. No issues with Win Vista, no crashes or glitches. Squad AI is better than before as there was no stupidly standing in front of cover and getting shot. Great game, I highly recommend...............more info
• This game is a great addition to the trilogy
  What can I say. real quick and sweet, this game is great. The game play is really good. The AI on both the controllable and computer controlled it really well done. I love the sounds that they have incorporated into the game. Having never shot any of the guns, I cant say for sure but they all sound very realistic. The humor is good. The story line does not disappoint either. I have not finished it yet but am close but so far, GREAT. Would highly recommend this game but would recommend playing the first two in order before this one so you get the full effect of the trilogy....more info
• Cant stop playing
  The new physical environment is exciting in trying to take 1st person shooters to the next level of realism and the story line is exciting. The only problem is I think the software developers tried to pull out all the stops that this game wont play on anything but the most high end computers. The new game interface is nice but I dont like the change to the keyboard commands. Even though they are reprogrammable, it is not the most intuitive to change them. All in all, the game is very exciting and has a great story line to play through, not complete yet....more info
• great story
  enjoyed the story line and IA response to movement. i recommend this game to all FPS players.i hope they continue the story and detail other wars WWII,WWI,Korea and Vietnam main events. ...more info
• Awkward controls and stilted gameplay detract from authentic atmosphere of PC version
  The gritty details, sudden violence, and cut-scenes nicely create atmosphere for this brutal western-front WWII battle. Unfortunately the controls are klunky, the gameworld not very dynamic, and the single-player AI is simplistic.
  
  The game's default key mappings are atrocious and non-intuitive, expect to have to completely remap them. Responsiveness is sluggish, forget being able to strafe or duck while firing. Being able to move is key to FPS games and the game responding slowly (or letting you get "stuck" on objects) makes for frustrating play.
  
  Other than a few designated "special" items that can break (glass and wooden furniture), most other things show no effects from your actions. You can't duck under an airplane's wing or climb over barbed wire (or picket fences). You can crouch behind cover but not lie flat. The limitations would be fine in a FPS 5 or 10 years ago, today these are glaring archaisms.
  
  The AI in single-player is similarly simplistic. Your squad may go where they are ordered to and just stand in the open (even under fire) until they are shot, unless designated "cover" is handy: no crouching automatically, they don't always return fire, and of course they can't go prone.
  
  Similarly, the bad guys don't make any attempt to flank you or to move from their designated areas. With their seemingly unlimited ammo, once each scenario is deployed, it's pretty much static.
  
  The graphics are pretty, but there are places where it seems textures and effects were neglected, leaving humans, gunfire, and some other moving objects looking cartoonish. My mid-range current-ish PC gaming system (Intel Q6600 2.4GHZ-quadcore, NV9800GT gfx) handled the graphics turned all the way up without any stutter.
  
  Awkward controls are twice as bad when playing real-time with other humans, so I didn't even try the multiplayer variation.
  
  I'm an old hand at FPS games and an aficionado of WWII history, so this game should have been a great fit for me, my first try at the Brothers in Arms games. As it is, I enjoyed the presentation but the playability just isn't there.
  
  I'm wanted to like the game but I'm disappointed. Better spend your gaming hours and dollars somewhere else. Mediocre gameplay: hard to recommend....more info