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Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

EMAIL PRINT pc

6.3 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 24 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Gearbox Software

Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: October 4, 2005

Summary

Experience authentic WWII combat as Sergeant Joe Hartsock and lead your squad beyond Carentan to liberate all of Normandy. Taking online tactics to new heights, Brothers In Arms Earned In Blood offers more unique multiplayer missions and improved online support. (Including the bundled addition of modification support for the PC). Earned In Blood features an all-new cooperative Skirmish mode that allows one or two players to take a tour of duty through a series of authentic and harrowing custom combat missions. Arm yourself with additional authentic weapons and command new vehicles like the M10 "Wolverine" Tank Destroyer. More Challenging and Dynamic Combat - the game features close quarter urban environments and a new, next generation artificial intelligence system. [Ubisoft]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

1UP

It's one of those sequels where all of the evolution takes place underneath the façade -- a game you've got to pick up and feel all the subtle differences. And of course, if Blood is your first Brothers experience, well, it's hard to imagine going back to anything less authentic and strategic.

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Next Level Gaming

It is as good as the previous game, and then some with the enhancements that were made. Most notably, in the computer AI that puts up so much more of a fight than even the best FPS games.

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BonusStage

Excellent sense of immersion, great storytelling.

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Computer Gaming World

In many ways, Blood feels like the polished game Gearbox couldn't completely nail last time around. Most of the evolution takes place under the hood.

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IGN

Only an incremental improvement on the original. The greater flexibility of the AI and the new multiplayer options are certainly welcome additions, but the game still feels... more like Brothers in Arms v1.5 than a full sequel.

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GameSpot

Earned in Blood offers a rather similar experience to its excellent predecessor, with improved enemy artificial intelligence and additional multiplayer options. The novelty has worn off just a bit, though.

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Pelit (Finland)

More like an add-on than a real sequel. Despite that, Earned in Blood has better AI and is overall better than the first one. The best WW2 team leader game at the moment. [Nov 2005]

PC Gamer

This intense semi-sequel significantly ratchets up the enemy AI. [Holiday 2005, p.56]

Worth Playing

An awesome game and earns a great deal of respect and admiration, but doesn’t quite earn what I wish it would.

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Computer and Video Games

Buoyed by extra content, yet lacking a proper sense of real progression from the last outing, it nevertheless remains a well-designed foray that taps into parts of the gaming brain that habitually lie dormant. [PC Zone]

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Game Revolution

Even with the improvements to the A.I. and enhanced multiplayer experience, the game feels more like an expansion pack than a stand-alone product.

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Play.tm

The fact that you are being asked to pay full premium for what is effectively an expansion pack in all but name, may put some off.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

It’s essentially the same game as before, only played from a different angle.

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PC Format

Not the advance you may have hoped, but the co-op mode deserves medals. [Dec 2005, p.98]

Edge Magazine

Earned In Blood might not seem like a radical departure from the original but the gloriously cascading AI and open maps have effectively transformed it into a very special WWII experience. The fact that there's nothing quite like it in such a crowded genre speaks volumes. [Dec 2005, p.103]

Cheat Code Central

It's fun and well produced but it's a console version of an expansion pack and nothing more.

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Eurogamer

EiB feels grittier - closer to its fascinating yet fearful inspiration - than any other military shooter out there. Much of that feel comes from the credible mission design and AI already mentioned but a significant portion stems from fundamentals like the way the weapons look, sound and perform.

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Times Online

The first-person caper is satisfyingly immersive thanks to some outstanding graphical touches — heavy rain splatters neatly on Jeeps and we can even see Red’s freckles in close-up. All this detail is demanding, so you will need a fairly powerful PC to prevent the visuals from occasionally chugging.

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GameSpy

From the great use of sound, the sharp graphics, and the innovative use of combat tactics, it's sure to please fans of Road to Hill 30 who want more of that same kind of gameplay.

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ActionTrip

The levels still feel a little too restrictive, the scripted scenes will break again, and the German AI does tend to show flashes of blinding stupidity.

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2404.org

If it were a thirty dollar expansion pack it would have been lovely... but... it’s just not a good deal.

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Computer Games Magazine

Marches behind its predecessor as one of the most polished tactical shooters ever released. [Jan 2006, p.44]

Sydney Morning Herald

There are a couple of perplexing flaws in the design, such as the inability to go prone or jump over low walls and fences, but suspend your disbelief and you'll be gripped.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 6.3 (out of 10) based on 24 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

ERIC XXXX gave it a10:
You should be able to go prone & jump low walls as pointed out earlier. There should be a target sight a more check points on "authentic" difficulty. Throwing grenades on target is really too difficult, I would like a netter sound effect for the Garand & KAR 98. Other than that its a great game. I think this game is at least an 87 & well worth playing & keeping in one's library of ganes.

Mikko V. gave it a10:
Just great. Better AI then in the prequel and new weapons,vehicles and everything. New story is great.

Jimbo gave it a9:
Great game. It completely immerses you in the experience, the German AI are extremely smart, and the satisfaction of flanking an oblivious group of Nazi's is just about as satisfying as a good ol' bowl of mac n cheese. Most people have a problem with this game just because they aren't bright enough to use strategy and want to go James Bond-style on the Nazis....sorry, this ain't the game for them.

Max D. gave it a10:
Very exciting, just a little too short.

Jeremiah R. gave it a10:
Awesome, too short.

Trevor F. gave it a6:
flaws in the design, such as the inability to go prone or jump over low walls and fences.

Dave S. gave it an8:
I played this game for 30 minutes before I quit and said "this is lame"... but a couple days later, I played it again out of boredom and I slowly found it more interesting, where to the point I was playing this game 2-3 hours a day. The concept of the game is unique in the way that it is not a one man stops the whole german army type of game, it can be frustrating at times having to manage 6-7 sticks and a tank at a time but I liked it. The only bad thing is that I beat this game in about 3 days.

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Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

Game Info

Summary

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