Price 29.99 (trade in value at Blockbuster 27 dollars)Played thru on Veteran Difficulty
Time to finsh 15-20 hours
I'm a sucker for World War II games, always have been since I played the first Medal of Honor. I played the first Brothers in Arms, Road to Hill 30 back on the original XBOX and it had a lot going for it back then. It was the most realistic WWII shooter and was one of the first games where you could aim down the Ironsights to take down your foes. I was in heaven and I loved the first one. I played Earned in Blood as well and enjoyed it. First a little backstory on Hell's Highway. I'm sure all of you can remember seeing trailers for this game in late 2005-and thru 2006 and then little to no info came out about the game. The game was pushed back several times that I can remember.
Hell's Highway tells the story of Operation Market Garden from the viewpoint of the typical protagonist, Matthew Baker of the 101st Airborne. The game takes place during one of the bloodiest and most costly battles of the war for the Allied Forces. The game is historically accurate in both details and layout. The game is quite good short of a few WTF moments that we've not seen before.
Graphics
This is not one of the best looking titles you'll see. In fact some of the graphics look a bit dated and are not in line with other top tier titles. The character models look somewhat dated, but passable for so called next gen gaming. Environments are dated as well.
Sound
Gearbox is masterful in their sound presentation. It's so nice to hear the clink of an M-1 Garand cartridge as it hits the ground or the sound of an MG. Gearbox also did a great job with character voices. The voices are recognizable and help the gamer relate to the story.
Story
Just like the past two Brothers in Arms, there's a great story which is told in great detail throughout the game. I'll spare any spoilers and say that short of a couple of WTF moments with the story (those that have played it will know what I'm talking about), the story is as good as the other two games in the series. I genuinely care what happens to Matt Baker and his squad and there's a few times in this game, where the gamer truly feels sad for Baker and his squad. Gearbox is so good at telling a story and I'd love to see a Brothers in Arms movie later on down the road. The script is so good that I think a movie could be made from the game.
Gameplay
Brothers in Arms is a different type of shooter. You must be calm, careful, and patient or you'll die many times over the course of the game. The gamer must take the time to plot a course and let his squadron do at least some of the work. You'll spend alot of time in cover, and thankfully Gearbox put a fantastic cover system into place. Call of Duty screams for this type system, but Brothers in Arms is the only WWII shooter to have it. Flat out, this game is difficult at times and frustrating at several points. You will die often in some of the latter stages if you get the least bit impatient and don't thin out the German army first. You'll play the role of Baker as well as a tank commander. The tank controls are the most intuitive of any shooter that I've played. It's genuinely fun to play the tank missions simply due to the controls. I'd be a bit remiss if I didn't mention the kill cam. It was blasted in quite a few reviews online, but I enjoyed it. I did experience some freezing which required replaying some really hard missions.
I'd have loved to have tried out the online mode, but much like Quantum of Solace, no one was playing thanks to Gears and Call of Duty. I cannot speak to the quality of the multiplayer.
Bottom Line
If you're looking for a game with a great story, lots of action, and loads of challenge, then Brothers in Arms is the game for you. EB and Gamestop just dropped the price to 29.99 and it's well worth $60 and even better at $30. Pick this one up
Final Score (8/10)
Points taken off for graphics and some freezing issues towards the end of the game.
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