by RyanR - April 19, 2004

Battlefield Vietnam is the sequel to the award-winning Battlefield 1942 for PC. This new game features improved graphics, 14 new maps, 24 new vehicles, and over 30 new types of weapons.

To War!

Battlefield Vietnam introduces a whole new style of gameplay then was in the original Battlefield. Sure the basic element of shooting people and blowing things up is still there, but Battlefield Vietnam adds a whole new element to the strategic aspect of gameplay, but I�ll get to that a bit later. Vietnam is not a hard game to pick up on, and those that have played Battlefield 1942 will have an even easier time learning it, however there are a few new additions to the gameplay that everyone should be aware of.

The first of these things is character customization. While this doesn�t affect the gameplay, it is a neat option to have, though it is very limited and usually not worth fooling with if you want to get right into the action. The second new thing is weapon choice. In Battlefield 1942 you have 5 kits, each with their own weapons. In Battlefield Vietnam you have 4 kits with weapon subtypes. When you are starting a new game or waiting to respawn you can pick assault, heavy assault, engineer, or sniper. Within each of these are two sub choices that give varying arsenals of the main type. These are very useful in game because they give you the option to customize you weapon choice more based on the situation. The last new aspect of gameplay is the mobile spawn points. In most maps each team has one spawn point that can be moved all over the map. The Vietnamese have a tunnel spawn that their engineers can dig up and carry around. The Americans have a crate that can be lifted by helicopter and moved to a new location.

Of course Battlefield Vietnam isn�t just all about infantry. With all the new vehicles that come with the game, you�ll probably find yourself in one quite often during a fight. The normal vehicles like tanks and jeeps are still there, but Battlefield Vietnam offers a few totally new vehicle types as well. Battlefield Vietnam introduces new helicopter vehicles as well as boats to fight with. Boat control and maneuvering is pretty straightforward. However, helicopters are a bit trickier to learn, but with a little practice most people shouldn�t have to big a problem taking off and landing without crashing.

The things a new graphics engine can do for you...

I love the graphics overhaul in Battlefield Vietnam. All of the graphics look superb, from the character graphics, to the vehicles, and even the reload animation is amazingly well done. The environments are very realistic and add a lot to the gameplay.

Play it one more time

Hands down this game has one of the best in game music soundtracks of any game I�ve ever played. The music fits very well and all the selections are excellent songs from the Vietnam era. In game sound effects are also very nice. You hear walking noises, ambient sounds such as birds in the jungle, and of course the really big explosions and the sounds your gun makes as you pour lead into another player.

As addictive as the first

The game is very addictive from the moment you play it. The single player mode is fun, but the multiplayer mode is even better. This is really just the kind of game that you can play online over and over and over and still have fun new experiences every time you play.

Plasmafactor

This game got me hooked from the very first time I played my first single player instant battle. I think what really sucked me in wasn�t just the new vehicles and guns, but the gorgeous new graphics Battlefield Vietnam sports. I know I�ve probably said this before but I�ll say it again, this game is much more fun and you get a whole lot more out of it if you play online in addition to the single player mode.

Conclusion

I highly recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of the original Battlefield 1942 and even to those who just like first person shooters. This game is a definite winner. See you all on the battlefield!