Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

BonusStage

Excellent sense of immersion, great storytelling.

TotalGames.net

With so many World War II games on the market, Earned In Blood's dedication to creating an understanding of what the war meant to those who fought it, as much as providing the player with a recognisable game, should be lauded.

PSM Magazine

this is as intense and refined a shooter as can be. No, the WWII genre is not dead. This game is proof. [Holiday 2005, p.80]

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.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

The difficulty won't have you curling up into the fetal position, rocking yourself to sleep, however -the game is engaging with all that strategy and, thankfully, plenty of save points.

Computer and Video Games

Enemies are now far more intelligent. Less likely to be hemmed in by your squad's suppressing fire, they themselves will try to sidle down the blindside of your position and take pot shots at you. [PSW]

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.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

The whole package has a polished look. I even watched a few cut-scenes long enough to figure out that the title Earned in Blood makes reference to how Red tries to gain his fellow soldiers' trust. And Brothers in Arms is beginning to earn our trust, too--as not just "another war game."

Game Chronicles

Add to this the solid graphics, the intense sound of warfare, and the electrifying strategy of squad command, and you have another great title from Gearbox. However, our patience for ingenuity is waning, and I only hope we can see some fresh features in the next installment.

Gamers' Temple

A decent WWII game and attractive to those who like a little strategy in their FPS but if you have a choice go with the PC or Xbox version.

Worth Playing

There's really nothing here that wasn't previously explored in the original game, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Digital Entertainment News

Doesn't provide much more in the way of improving upon the original formula, and manages to totally demolish the fantastic enemy AI on the trip over to Sony's console.

Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK

It's a great shooter, especially if you want to use your brains as much as your ammo, but it doesn't quite add enough as a sequel. [Dec 2005, p.122]

GamePro

The result of a single botched command or accidental mismanagement can mean death for you and your troops, making Earned in Blood a frustrating (but not unrewarding) experience.

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.

GameSpot

All of the problems that plagued the PlayStation 2 version of the original Brothers in Arms are front and center once again, making for a lackluster port of a great game.

Gaming Horizon

There are just way too many issues at hand to recommend picking up this sequel until it hits the bargain bin.

GameSpy

One of the most impressive elements of the Xbox version of Earned in Blood was the AI (both your enemies' and that of your squadmates). Alas, the PS2 version of the game just can't keep up, and there are bugs and glitches all over the place.

TotalPlayStation

It's a squad-based shooter/puzzler without the squad. As such, it's only half a game, and that half isn't very good.

IGN

It's mostly AI problems that doom it, which goes as far as not only destroying your ability to command troops, but the fundamental design of the game as a whole.