In Bodycount, you work for a company simply known as the Network. When this company needs an issue resolved, they send you. You’re a shoot first and ask questions later kind of guy, which is exactly what the Network likes. In the world of Body Count, there is nothing a bullet can’t solve anyway.
Bodycount takes place in Africa and also certain parts of Asia later on in the story. Each mission is broken up into a handful of objectives that must be carried out in order to finish the mission.
Each mission has wav-points marking each area objective that must be completed. Almost like dots on a compass, these wav-points float in front of you, so they are easily trackable. Most missions are very straight-forward in nature — destroy, retrieve, assassinate, escape.
Think of the first-person view as a gigantic interface that is capable of tracking wav-points, ammo and other power-ups that happen to drop from fallen enemies. In Bodycount, you have an extensive arsenal at your disposal for your killing pleasure. These weapons include handguns, assault rifles, shotguns, and heavy machine guns, among others. There are ten different weapons you can acquire over the course of a single-player campaign.
You can carry two weapons at any given time: a primary and a secondary weapon. You are given the choice of any weapons that are available in your arsenal, but some weapons unlock at different times than others. This is where the real fun begins in Bodycount. You can have any load out you desire. Meaning, it is possible to carry two assault rifles, an assault rifle and a shotgun, or just handguns if you wish.
Not being restricted in your load outs really helps, especially since you are not limited to just a handgun for a secondary weapon like in most games. Aside from the weapon selection option, you can choose from four different abilities. These abilities will be gained during the first few missions, and they are: adrenaline, explosive bullets, airstrikes and pulse weapon.
Adrenaline is the ability to move faster. This ability helps immensely when trying to avoid your enemy’s line of sight. Explosive bullets will grant any one weapon a move stopping power that packs a powerful punch during sticky situations.
The airstrike ability works really well in a pinch. When used, it will drop heavy artillery to your selected location. This will clear out just about any enemy that you have targeted in about five seconds. Use this ability wisely because it takes a long time before enough energy is built up to use it again. Pulse weapon happens to be the most valuable ability in your arsenal. It allows you to track and also see any enemies that may be around you. Nearby enemies will pulse a bright blue and work the same as the floating nav-points for mission objectives.
The single player campaign involves attacking and/or assassinating other organizations in order to keep peace in the world. One organization in general, the Network (the company/faction you work for) has had a big problem with an organization called the Target.
The Target’s main goal is to wipe the Network out completely, and it’s your job to see that this doesn’t happen. The Target is a heavily armored faction that has the power to do as they please, and they have the backing of other factions and organizations that are equipped to serve them.
One way of combating the Target is to either attack their command posts or command towers. When attacking the towers, it’s like stepping into another world, where everything has that sterilized, hospital look to it. The environment gives off a very cold and impersonal feeling, adding to the atmosphere of the game.
The Africa missions give the game a different vibe. Africa is portrayed as dank and dirty. Trash litters every corner and poorly constructed buildings are the norm. Africa fits the third world premise and it’s a great setting for combat. The structures are also perfect for ducking and hiding when necessary.
When you finally arrive in Asia later in the game, the environments are clean and feel much different than Africa. Each location has its own unique feel, making every single area a pleasant experience to explore. It’s not often that you see a game that can consistently offer such experiences.
Some reviewers were complaining about the maps repeating in the single player campaign, but this is a non-issue. It’s not like you are doing the same thing over again from a previous chapter. You are either sent in a different direction or completing different tasks.
The single player campaign has seventeen action filled missions to complete. The story mode will run you around eight to ten hours of actual gameplay, all depending on the difficulty you selected before starting the game and how well you do in first-person shooters.
Once you have completed the single player campaign, there are online features to add to Body Count’s replay value. There are three different online modes to choose from: Deathmatch, Team Death Match, and my favorite, co-op mode.
Online co-op has you and another player teaming up to battle twenty different waves of enemies. As soon as the first wave is complete, the next wave begins. This is much harder than it sounds. It takes good teamwork to actually pull this off. You and your teammate are only allowed to die so many times before failing, so again, working together is necessary if you plan on succeeding.
Graphically, Bodycount looks as good as any first-person shooter. The character models have a high level of detail and the rag-doll physics are spot on. Everything can be destroyed, including the walls, neon signs, and even smaller objects like TVs and computers. The level of realism is impressive.
Some people may argue that Bodycount is a copycat of other first-person shooters, but I digress. Every first-person shooter is an inspiration of another. The FPS genre began with ID’s Castle Wolfenstein back in the 1990‘s, so if you want to get technical, the entire genre is a ‘copy’ in one form or another.
Bodycount is a good shooter that has plenty to offer gamers. It deserves far more credit than it’s receiving.
James ‘Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Platform: Playstation 3
Developer: THQ
Publisher: CodeMasters
ESRB: M (Mature)
Price: $59.99
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| The environments offer their own unique mood. | |
| Sound |  |
| Sound effects are impressive and the music was actually quite good. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Great first-person shooter; there’s plenty of blood and action to go around. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| An action-packed FPS that has the right balance of gameplay. Bodycount is not a horrible game like some people may believe. | |
