Sarge, Sweetwater, Haggard and Marlow (aka you) are back as the incorrigible Bad Company, a group of military misfits deemed 'expendable' by the army despite their habit of returning from missions very much alive. 

The plot for this sequel, such as it is, is a flimsy and cliche affair about double crossers, chrome-domed megalomaniacs and secret ultimate weapons. In fact, if the plot to Battlefield: Bad Company 2 was a fancy dress party, it would be a 1970s fancy dress party; original this story is not. That said, at least the plot gives the game an excuse to set itself in some interesting and diverse locations: snow covered mountains, humid lush jungles, barren dry deserts and decrepit shanty towns are all convincingly realised thanks to a perfect marriage of graphical and audio design.

Another standout in Bad Company 2 is the game’s sense of humor. As an aside, my only real criticism of Infinity Ward's latest (Modern Warfare 2) is that it takes itself way too seriously, but this game certainly does not. A great example of this can be heard in the hilarious diatribes between Sweetwater and Haggard. What makes these moments all the sweeter is that more often than not they occur in-game as opposed to some book-end cutscene. Humour is a powerful tool for making one feel a connection with a fictional character, and Bad Company 2 exploits this brilliantly.

Still on the subject of in-game laffs, in what I can only assume is an inspired tongue-in-cheek decision from the game developers the opening level is set on a Japanese occupied island circa 'dubya-dubya-two'. That's right, BBC2 (wait, that looks like a TV station)… BFBC2 (that'll do) opens in the single most predictable era you could possibly stage an FPS in. Ironically, it's also this level that's played completely straight, no quips, no jibes, just shooting.

Of course, mention Bad Company and the immediate image that comes to mind is one of buildings falling around your ears… That's right, good old environmental destructibility is back. In my opinion no other game has done it quite as well as the original… except maybe the sequel. DICE has upped the ante in the demolition stakes and now entire structures can be brought down. Of course, what goes around comes around, and all it takes is one paramilitary goon in a raspberry beret and a rocket launcher to turn your 'perfect cover' into an embarrassing pile of kindling. The phrase: 'Safe as houses' really doesn't apply to this game.

As fab as the single-player experience is, Bad Company 2's online multiplayer is where the game truly stands up and rips its shirt off. Supporting up to 24 players in a diverse range of impressively sized maps, online tomfoolery is an intense and visceral experience. The wholesale destruction wrought by gameplay also has the added effect of continuously changing the environment in which you're playing. That favourite bird's nest that you love to snipe from might not always be there. In other words, your tactics have to be both varied and adaptable. Incidentally, when you do get pwned, the sting of death is diminished somewhat as you are able to choose your respawn point form several predetermined locations.

There are (currently) four multiplayer game modes: 'Rush', a defend/destroy scenario; 'Conquest', capture the flag; 'Squad Deathmatch', a four-squad free-for-all; and 'Squad Rush', a squad-based version of the aforementioned. Similarly to other online FPS games, competing online and performing various actions that aid your squad's objectives gains you experience points and promotions. These 'gold stars' unlock new weapons, gadgets and specials, some general and some specific to a particular class. 

There you go. Battlefield Bad Company 2, although the basic single-player plot is as predictable as they come, it's told with wit, humor and panache, which makes it a fun half-day romp. Chuck in a fantastically supported multiplayer experience and you've got a title that stands head and shoulders over its counterparts… No strike that. It 'body surfs' over its contemporaries.