Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13959 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Take 2
• Released on: 2003-10-24
• Platforms: Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP

Amazon.co.uk Review
A tense, varied and precise tactical shooter, Hidden & Dangerous 2 plants you in the midst of World War II, sending you behind enemy lines and giving you some tricky challenges to overcome. Happily, it gives you some significant tools: there's the squad of soldiers you must hand pick, for instance, taking into account qualities such as stealth, shooting and lock picking. Then there's the arsenal of weaponry, ranging from quiet and effective daggers through to a loud and brash bazooka. And on top of that there are factors such as your compass, the odd disguise and items such as wirecutters.

It's a lot to wrap your head round at first, although a solid training level helps you negotiate the learning curve. Once you're into the game, things become very tense, very involving and very good fun. You command a team of soldiers, and it's credit to the developers that their AI is of a standard to genuinely make you feel in charge. You also have a certain level of freedom in how you take on the varied, detailed missions you're presented with, often leaving you needing to decide whether to take out the enemy or attempt to crawl right past them.

Hidden & Dangerous 2 is, ultimately, a genuinely challenging game with a long lifespan. It has the odd niggle here and there, but these are far outweighed by the superb blend of tactics, action and stealth that the game presents. It may take a little work to get into, but make the effort and you'll find this to be one of the best-value games you'll buy. It's compelling entertainment. --Simon Brew

Manufacturer's Description
The explosion sends shivers up your spine as the deafening sound temporarily causes you to lose focus. Did they make it out? Countless thousands of lives depend upon your team, the Special Operations Executive, destroying this airfield. You've eliminated dozens of the enemy, outmaneuvered land mines, and covertly planted the detonators. But did they make it out? You regain your senses and stare into the raging flames. Dark silhouettes seemingly rise out of the ground... they're running! They're running at you!

Hidden & Dangerous 2 is a first and third person tactical shooter that builds upon the tremendous success of Hidden & Dangerous. You lead a small squad of Allied soldiers deep behind enemy lines, to carry out secret missions during World War II. The gripping story line takes you to Europe, Africa, Burma, and other locations scattered across the globe. Each critical decision impacts you, your men, and your country. This unique blend of action, strategy, and tactics forces you to use your brain just as much as your trigger finger.

Customer Reviews

Jolly good show chaps!
Wow, so many bad reviews I thought I'd write one to tell people that all hope is not lost! OK so some of the team AI can be a bit ropey and I got lost on the training map too but both these are because you need to learn how the game plays, which is definitely different than the linear blasting of Medal of honour or Call of Duty.

The gameplay is excellent and a world away from the poor handling of the original game. Now lying, kneeling, firing, aiming, sneaking and running are all easily controllable in a similar way to both Hitman2 and Splinter Cell, with the mouse wheel controlling movement speed and aiming bringing you into 1st person perspective etc. The 3rd person perspective view is very useful with excellent camera scripting which shows off the great character animations.

Enemy AI seems good, with soldiers being startled by gunshots in a fairly realistic way and taking cover behind whatever is nearby. The ragdoll engine that is used makes for some dramatic death sequences and bullet hits and wounds appear wherever the bullets hit. (Although this is never particularly graphic).

Performance wise, I run smoothly at 1024x768 using full graphics settings (no FSAA) using a P4 2.4GHz, 512Mb RAM and a 256Mb Geforce FX 5600 graphics card.

If you want a tactical, war game with depth to it, and where you get to use your brain a little bit then I recommend this game.

If you played the original and liked the idea but not the dodgy controls and bugs, then I recommend this game.

If you want a run and gun linear shooter, buy Call of Duty.

If you just want co-op play, wait for the add-on pack or patch coming soon (hopefully).

As good as it gets...
Having played the first version of H&D I’ve been looking forward to this game with some anticipation and I have to say it’s not let me down – Hidden & Dangerous 2 is better than the original (and every other game of it’s ilk) in every respect.

Firstly it appears that the game is pretty much bug free, unlike the original which had more bugs than a dead buffalo. No more mysterious deaths if you told year man to go from point A to B on an enemy free map. No more worrying that your elite troops will be wiped out by a tall ladder. No more levitating two feet off the ground. If fact it all just seems to work.

As for performance and visuals, well I’ve got an Athlon XP2400 with 512mb with Windows XP and a 64mb GeForce 4200ti and it runs a treat at 1024 x 768 with all the settings up (anti-aliasing is off though). A real smooth frame rate at all times, wonderful snow effects with great distance fogging in Norway and in North Africa vistas as far as the eye can see. I’ve not got beyond Africa yet so I can’t say what Burma and Europe look like – but judging by what I have seen so far I’m in for a treat. Animation is very good, as are the in game models and textures with your men actually looking like real people carrying real weapons. Environments, inside and out are great too with good use of sound.

Last but not least the game play is a good as it gets. If you like your shooters on the thoughtful side this game is for you. Tactics really do count, it really does matter what you equip your men with, where you position them and how you move about the battle field. Unlike some games within this genre you don’t have nanny your team at all times – they are more than capable of handling themselves, efficiently dispatching the enemy when the chance arises and not just standing there like bullet sponges when you make contact. The enemy AI is good too and their shooting is humanly accurate, making for a challenging rather than frustrating game at the Normal setting.

This is the best game I’ve played in ages.

don't panic
The way some people are talking you'd think this is the worst game ever , not so, in my opinion. A few points:

1 AI is sound as long as you take the time to direct your squad,
2 I have an athlon xp1700, geforce mx card, 512 mem. and the game plays fine with all graphic options set to high,
3 did anyone who played the first game seriously think there wouldnt be bugs in this iteration?

I cant believe that those who played (and enjoyed) the first game, with it's unique atmosphere and immersive gameplay cant see that this is a game which advances the squad based genre to new heights.