Mercenaries 2 : World in Flames Review (PS3)

…this time it’s personal!

As you can probably guess from the title, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is in fact a sequel. Now some of you may not be familiar with the original, as it was on the original xbox, but all you need to know is that it was a modern war zone based sand box, free roaming, third person action shooter. And its sequel is pretty much more of the same.

like the original Mercenaries, this is more about having fun and blowing stuff up

At the beginning of the game, you have to choose one of 3 mercenaries to play as. Mattias- the dude on the cover, and like a member of the xmen he has a special ability, in that he can regenerate health quicker. This ability makes him the perfect choice for beginners, and those not familiar with this kind of game. The second choice is Chris, who has the special ability to carry more ammo, so he is the choice for the player who loves to wade in, with the lead flying. Thirdly, and finally we have Jen who has the (not so) special ability that she can run a bit faster then the other 2.

So after picking Mattias, only for the reason he looks like someone from a European heavy metal band, it’s off to kick some butt. Now there is a thin plot involved around greed, corruption…and more greed. Anyone familiar with Just Cause will be well at home with this games, as it is very reminiscent of this game, in both its setting and the gameplay mechanics. Travel to your next mission using any mode of transport you can get your hands on, from the very satisfying Tank, to the lightning quick Motorcycles found littered across the gaming area.

You have some support for you missions, and the most helpful of these being the ability to call in an air strike, a bit like COD4 multiplayer, but not quite as fun!
Now with the amount of destructible scenery on show, you would imagine the graphics that accompany the explosions to be top drawer, and Mercenaries 2 does no disappoint. The pyrotechnics that accompany even the smallest of explosions is a sight to behold. The fire looks real enough to expect to burn your hand if you where to touch the TV. Unfortunately the other graphics do disappoint slightly. I did expect better from a new ps3 game, also the camera does not always behave, as is the way with most 3rd person action shooter.

But like the original Mercenaries, this is more about having fun and blowing stuff up, so I guess you cannot have everything. If you thought the best part of GTA4 was just driving around and trashing stuff, then maybe its time you left Liberty City, and took a plane to Venezuela, but don’t forget to pack the sunscreen, as well as your Kevlar body armour!