Product Description

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is an explosive open-world action game set in a massive, highly reactive, war-torn world. When a power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply he sparks an invasion that turns the country into a war zone. But for you, international crisis is all upside: You are a mercenary, and you profit from chaos. You are not a soldier. You don't have to play by anyone's rules. You have your own code: you will fulfill the terms of the contract, no matter what. If you see it, you can buy it, steal it, or blow the living crap out of it. Play your own way, or play with the help of a friend in the new co-op multiplayer mode. And remember rule #1 for mercenaries: EVERYBODY PAYS.

• Massively Open World - Play throughout the varied terrains of Venezuela that is larger than all the Mercenaries maps combined.
• Work for the Highest Bidder - You decide which factions to work for and when. From oneoff pick-up jobs to complex multi-objective missions your choices will decide how the game progresses and which faction wins the war.
• New Toys - Over 130 vehicles from civilian cars to tanks and choppers plus all the destructive weaponry you can handle from pistols to rocket launchers.
• Co-op Multiplayer - Whether split-screen or online you no longer have to go it alone. Invite a friend to jump in and help you fight your way to the top.
• Next Gen Destruction - Take down any building and see them crumble with fantastic effects - and they can be used to take out enemy forces and change the landscape of the battlefield.
• Build Your Own Private Military Company - Recruit other mercenaries to build out your arsenal and options until you have the ultimate array of options to play with.
• Playable Water - Fly over it, swim through it, race across it in boats. No longer just something to look at, water is an active part of the game.
  

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1096 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2008-09-05
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review

If there really isn’t any such thing as bad publicity then Mercenaries 2 is already doing superbly. It certainly already has its fair share of infamy, after being denounced by the Venezuelan government as propaganda for the U.S. Army and even dragging Bono (who part owns developer Pandemic) into a row over its probity. Mind you North Korea weren’t too keen about the first game either and that turned out all right.

The reason poor Bono’s name has been dragged into the dirt is that the game’s plot revolves around a U.S. led invasion of Venezuela after a dictator takes control in a coup. It’s pretty hard to get offended about a game as gleefully silly as this though as its interests are clearly not politics but simply blowing things up as creatively as possible. As before you’re dropped into the war zone and free to ply your mercenary trade with whomever you want. However, this time you’re in charge of your own PMC (Private Military Company) and get to set up your own base and recruit your own soldiers.

Owning your own PMC gives you a lot more control over how exactly you play the game in what is essentially Grand Theft Auto in a warzone. Everything you see can be completely destroyed from innocuous shrubbery to be the biggest buildings. You can now swim as well and there’s lot more vehicles and gadgets, from helicopters to grappling hooks. With an online co-op mode as well even Hugo Chávez couldn’t fail to be entertained (maybe).

Manufacturer's Description

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is an explosive open-world action game set in a massive, highly reactive, war-torn world. A power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a war zone.

But for you, international crisis is all upside: You are a mercenary, and you profit from chaos. Mercenaries 2 features a slew of potential clients, all willing to pay you to do their dirty work. Dirty deeds, done for exorbitant fees. These are world powers with deep pockets, deep grudges and enough arms and ammo to start World War III. This is your kind of environment.

Mercenaries 2 features the latest and most dangerous in civilian and military technology â€" everything from shiny new sports cars to the future-tech satellite-guided bunker-busting mini-nuke. Tanks, APCs, boats, luxury automobiles â€" you name it, you can have it delivered to you in real time. And if you run out of cash you can always 'acquire' the gear you need in the field.

If you see it, you can buy it, steal it or blow the living crap out of it. Play your own way, or play with the help of a friend in the new cooperative multiplayer mode.

You are not a soldier. You don't have to play by anyone's rules. You have your own code: fulfill the terms of the contract, no matter what. Not everyone in the world of Mercenaries is as honorable â€" everyone will try and screw you, given the chance. They think they can get away with it, because they don't know rule #1: Everybody Pays.

Customer Reviews

Great Destructive Fun
Well Mercs 2 is an aquired taste simply for the fact it's all about blowing things up. It's a very open area for you to travel and lots of variety in weapons, vehicles etc but it does come with alot of glitches.

Positives -

The graphics are quite nice... specificaly the explosions
The sound is great (even if the voice acting is abit stiff)
Blowing things up is great fun
Lots of side missions to do

Negatives -

There's alot of glitches in the game. People walk through walls, cars explode randomly and even helicopters fall out the sky. It's not as bad as it sounds though, it's quite funny when it happens.

The menu is abit cluttered, quite hard to make out on some of it but again it's nothing major.
The map might be abit too big. You might fall asleep getting to your destination.
No Split screen Co Op

Overall -

I would say this game is worth the money for the simple fact it's fun, not serious and involves lots and lots of explosions. But if you don't like that kind of thing don't buy it.

Personally demoliting skyscrapers couldn't be more fun!

If you liked the first one.....
If you played the first one, enjoyed it + could forgive it for its flaws then I think you might enjoy this. I have only played a few hours on this but have found it harmless fun. For a more articulate review I would go to the IGN site the 360 review is pretty much right in my opinion. There sum up was good there were occasions to curse things like bad AI but many more occasions that brought a big smile to my face (usually just after a very big explosion:).

Hope this is of use if you are thinking of buying.

Most fun on the X360 so far!
I think I am not as critical of this game as some of the other reviews as I never played the original. For me this is a brand new game...... and what a good one! The closest game to this is GTA, however it is also totally different. You can free roam, have missions to complete, but that's where the similarity ends. A seemingly endless selection of weapons and vehicles which you can use to kill, destroy and generally cause as much havoc with as you can possibly imagine! (MOAB's are great fun!) The vehicles and weapons are pretty easy to use and with lots of side contracts, you can just veer away from the main storyline and just keep blowing things up as much as you like. Had it less than a week, and completed it last night, this game has caused many a late night! My only criticisms are that I have found a few annoying bugs where a HVT 'disappears', buildings blow up and you cant get out and buildings that are totalled still show as not destroyed, and the last 2 missions are maybe a bit too easy, especially compared to some of the ones in the middle of the game, but these are not nearly enough of an issue to move it away from 5 stars! (and I haven't even played online yet!)