The 2010 addition to the Battlefield pantheon is a solid all-around experience with a couple of tweaks and a multiplayer mode that will make players rethink FPS tactics.

I’ll tell you now, I picked up this game for the multiplayer element, which, as you might have already guessed, is excellent. However, I had to go back and play the single-player mode to write this review, so on with that first.
A simple glance at the name will tell you “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” does not take itself too seriously. Much like “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,” it uses a formula of light-hearted action, complemented with beautiful visuals and fast-paced gameplay.

You play as Preston Marlowe, one of four glib, one-liner happy squadmates fighting across the world to keep a superweapon from falling into the hands of the Russians. No big surprises here: Plucky misfits save the world.
The execution of the story is where the game really shines. Each set piece is an experience in and of itself. In the jungles you can hear the faint incessant whining of mosquitoes, and the depth and detail make the scenery come alive.

The snowy mountains are majestic, and, in one mission, the subzero temperatures are enough to freeze you to death.

Within each environment, the player has the ability to explore, but not so much that the game gets bogged down. It looks good. Not as sweeping or grand as “Shadow of the Colossus,” but picturesque in the most interactive sense of the word.

To be clear, “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” is not looking for the “gritty” feel of “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2.”
That could be a turnoff to some, but for me, it felt

like playing a late-’80s, early-’90s action movie — I even caught a “Predator” reference or two.

There is a new feature to the combat engine: “Destruction 2.0.” Simply put, you have to move to survive. Walls, sandbags and even entire structures can be destroyed. Houses and walls that once offered cover now are only a reminder of the “good old days.” Rest assured, if you don’t keep moving, you’re dead.

Now for the multiplayer — this is the reason I bought the game. Hell, up until two days ago I hadn’t even attempted the single player campaign. There are three modes: rush, squad deathmatch and conquest.

Rush is a fight between two teams — one defending and one attacking — to destroy or preserve different objectives across a huge map.

Within the framework of those teams, players can join a squad of four people. This feature allows each squad to capture certain locations or perform certain tasks — considerably changing the approach to certain objectives.

For more traditional FPS enthusiasts, squad deathmatch allows four squads to battle it out — first to 50 kills wins. Conquest uses a “king of the hill” approach where players have to capture and hold certain areas to accumulate points.

Within squads there can be up to four types of classes: assault, medic, engineer and recon. Each class has a kit — medics typically carry light machine guns while engineers tote rocket launchers — that can be custom tailored to suit any situation or squad dynamic.

The learning curve in multiplayer is steep — expect to die a lot — but the game rewards those who put their necks out, especially when it comes to assisting your teammates. Plus, the more points you rack up, the more things — guns, explosives, body armour — you can earn.

I promise you, this game is well worth the $60 price tag, and if that’s a little too much, trade in your copy of “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2.” You’ll thank me later.