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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Altered Beast
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway brings the critically acclaimed squad-based WWII shooter into the next generation of gaming with amazing graphics and sound, new cutting-edge gameplay features and a completely redesigned online component. Delivering on the franchise's compelling story, unrivaled authenticity and intense squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway drops you into Operation Market-Garden, the largest airborne operation of World War II. Lead Matt Baker, Joe Hartsock and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division as they fight to open "Hell's Highway" in a daring bid for a quick end to the war. [Ubisoft]
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... 94
GameFocus
One of my favorite World War Two video games on any system, if the couple of glitches were fixed it would be my favorite over Call of Duty on the PC. But for your home console, buy this great game and enjoy it. Hopefully they are working hard (after a vacation) on Brothers in Arms: Battle of the Bulge which is the last big fight the 101st was part of in World War 2.
 90
Totally360
Even if you have grown tired of World War II be sure to give this game a try as the whole squad mentality does tend to change things up a bit. It is an enjoyable title that every fan of the genre should experience.
90
PGNx Media
Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway is an intense and powerful shooter.
90
Official Xbox Magazine
The successes massively outweight the mistakes here - which, strangely enough, is exactly how we'd describe Matt Baker, the game's troubled hero. [Nov 2008, p.62]
90
Gameplayer
Intuitive team controls, fantastic presentation, superb sound and impressive visuals (particularly the paratrooper models) make Hell’s Highway far better than we ever would have guessed. That said, it’s going to be divisive for all manner of reasons.
90
Extreme Gamer
Unlike other games, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway brings you into the action making it feel like more than a simple game, it becomes a believable journey into the heart of a war.
89
XboxAddict
Whether you’re a history enthusiast that wants to play authentically recreated engagements of significant events in Holland following September 17, 1944, or whether you’re looking for a strong single player story-based shooter to loose yourself in for a week, or if you’re up for a squad-based combat game with some genuinely intelligent enemies to fight, this is definitely your bag.
88
Game Chronicles
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway does an fantastic job of bringing all the intensity of war to your Xbox with a great blend of FPS action and tactical leadership, all the while creating and weaving an emotional tale of comradery that only a group of men thrust into the horrors of war can share.
87
MEGamers
The game offers so much, from an engaging emotional story to showing the brutal face of war. Easily one of the best WWII based shooters.
87
Talk Xbox
There are plenty of battles to fight through, collectibles to discover, and techniques to perfect in Hell’s Highway, and I fully recommend purchasing.
85
3DJuegos
Brothers in Arms returns with its third episode, and it does it demonstrating its healthy status in its debut in Xbox 360. Despite not having many differences with the previous games, this is an exciting and intense game; a title that could have turned into the best one of the saga if it was a little bit more polished. Even so this is a totally recommendable title for shooter fans, because of its treatment of the war with the respect and the depth that it deserves.
85
GameSpot
The beautiful landscapes complement the gritty combat, and thoughtful cinematic techniques breathe life into the engaging characters. Despite the somewhat spotty story and sundry oddities, Hell's Highway is a game you should consider playing twice.
84
GamingExcellence
A thinking man’s shooter, it just might rejuvenate your interest in the World War II genre. At worst, it will give you a good story and gameplay, not to mention a hefty challenge along the way.
83
Gaming Nexus
Brothers in Arms is a very cinematic game with interesting level layouts that force the player to think in tactical ways that no other series have been able to duplicate.
83
Gaming Age
It's definitely worth picking up for not only shooter fans, but those that enjoy a little bit of strategy with their action. You won't get away with run and gun tactics on this title, and it's easily one of the better representations of squad based combat I've seen in a game since the original Brothers In Arms.
83
GameTrailers
Hell's Highway is a polished, coherent experience that, despite a few setbacks, remains compelling with interesting mechanics and compelling gameplay.
82
Gamer 2.0
The fantastic storytelling coupled with an equally impressive score though will make you forget your grievances with the finished product, and there are just enough extras in the campaign to make completionists return a couple times to get them all.
82
GameZone
Great storytelling aside, Hell’s Highway is an utterly gripping and action-packed jaunt into the hellish frontlines that might not be executed as well as it should be but is still worthy of playing. Its glitches and somewhat unspectacular visuals actually keep this from being a brilliant game but it doesn’t hold it back from being fun either.
81
Team Xbox
It’s more story-driven and -focused, which might not be as satisfying or challenging for hard-core gamers looking for constant, fast-paced action—and if you don’t like that kind of game, it’s a good bet you won’t like the next BiA that’s surely coming.
80
VideoGamer
Bar the jarring Action Camera, there's not a lot wrong with Hell's Highway. Rather, there's a lot good with it. It's an intelligent game made by adults for adults.
80
Official Xbox Magazine UK
Replay value is immense too, thanks to open tactics, large maps and good Xbox Live modes including Co-op.
80
GameSpy
While there are some definite issues, the single-player game is a lot of fun and the story is engaging (though it could be a bit confusing to new players). Unfortunately, we were a bit let down by the multiplayer, which wasn't as good as it was in the previous games.
80
MS Xbox World
If you like story driven shooters with a tactical edge then I’d say this game is well worth a look in, however if you are after a long experience that you’ll savour for years to come, then I doubt this game is going to offer you that.
80
Gamervision
Brothers in Arms continues the tradition of bringing realistic warfare combat to gaming, honoring the war without sugar coating the truth.
80
Gamer.nl
BiA: Hell's Highway is a must buy for any tactical shooter fan and is even fun to play for a 'normal' gamer. The combat is more than intens, the story keeps pulling you back and that typical Dutch atmosphere feels just right. Just be aware of the fact that after the ten our singleplayer experience there isn't much left for you to do. For the rest the game is one hell of a ride.
80
Thunderbolt
While it lacks the graphical finesse and multiplayer modes of its peers, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway outshines them with a brutally honest portrayal of war and one that you won't forget.
80
Da Gameboyz
Once you get past that initial inclination to just run in with smoking guns and barrels, Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway offers up a great experience and stands as a solid game.
80
Game Over Online
With an emphasis on squad-based tactics, it’s equally a strategy game. It’s a little rough around the edges and multiplayer is generally forgettable, but with a poignant story, believable characters, and intense and varied battle scenes, it’s a single player experience well worth enlisting in, even if you think you’ve had enough of World War II.
80
Giant Bomb
One of my favorite things about Hell's Highway is the fact that you can spend as much time commanding your squads as you do actually shooting enemies yourself.
80
GamePro
As the best realization of WWII in a game to date, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway explains why war is hell - with loads of "hell yeah!" moments along the way.
80
Maxi Consolas (Portugal)
While it’s not a rupture from the series roots, this is still an excellent experience, thanks to a thrilling story and a group of characters that can touch the player. The tactical nature of the gameplay is still a distinctive approach in the World War II genre. [Oct 2008]
80
Cynamite
Ubisoft’s war drama is gripping and brings some new features to the battle, but they fail to have an impact. A must-have for BiA-veterans.
80
Armchair Empire
If there is a sequel, and there probably will be, here's hoping Gearbox provides more squad management and little more complexity to the environments, since all the other pieces appear to be in place.
79
Games Master UK
An excellent shooter that maintains the series' sterling rep, but where are the new ideas? [Nov 2008, p.76]
79
Xbox World Australia
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is a great sequel to an already rock-solid franchise.
79
Console Monster
At the very least it is worthy of a rental, if only to see how storytelling should be done in a game.
79
Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
Even the most hardened Brothers In Arms fanboys out there will more than likely get the feeling that this belated entry should have strived for so much more than this.
78
Game Informer
A competent tactical shooter blessed with a dedication to narrative rarely seen in shooters. If Gearbox can build off this success with more inventive gameplay, the series has a chance of overcoming the boredom that curses so many WWII titles.
77
HellBored
But despite all its flaws, Hell’s Highway should be applauded for all the work in the story and characters. It’s brilliantly scripted and even provides elements of survival horror as the terrors close in on Baker’s mind. Worth a look, even though the series appears stuck in neutral.
76
IGN
While many of the franchise's traditional gameplay elements return, such as the tactical controls of squads, so do the issues associated with those controls. Tie in some questionable visuals and AI issues, and you have a title that's good, but not great.
75
DailyGame
Flawed squad mechanics and a crutch-like suppression system undo the game's historical and voice-acting achievements.
75
GameShark
Basically Hell’s Highway is a great example of a World War II shooter that isn’t just about running around and blasting Nazis. The squad command system makes for plenty of tactical thinking as you outmaneuver your enemy, and though the cover system has its flaws it still comes through in the end.
73
ActionTrip
The single-player campaign is reasonably lengthy, offering a range of challenging tasks in a number of different areas. But thanks to several AI flaws, repetitive mission structure, chances are you'll get a bit fed up with the whole thing before completing the main story.
72
Xbox360Achievements
A good solo experience that is slightly held back by too much emphasis on the older games, a few other niggles also start to grate after a while and the whole game just doesn’t last long enough. It’s a good starting point for the franchise on the 360 though but it’s not going to displace the likes of COD 4 any time soon.
70
DarkZero
A nice evolution of its predecessor rather than been a true revolution of the developers efforts from last gen.
70
Boomtown
The player needs to be given much more freedom.
70
AceGamez
The tedium of what makes this game good in the first place makes it somewhat of a charlatan, but so long as routine and predictability is the in-thing, you'll be okay.
70
WonderwallWeb
Overall Brothers In Arms is a game that had all the groundbreaking ideas, however having taken so long to have been released it has missed the boat slightly.
70
Kikizo
A diverting tactical shooter curbed by ageing design principles, flawed story-telling and run-of-the-mill tech. Easily the best Brothers in Arms title so far, but after three years in development we were expecting something more evolutionary.
70
GameDaily
Few World War II video games are as gripping and brutal as Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway.
70
EuroGamer
Hell's Highway represents little more than a solid evolution of the original, as opposed to being a game which takes strategic World War II gaming to dizzy new heights. With an engaging but ultimately repetitive play mechanic at its core, it's a game which deserves a decent amount of respect, but whose charms wane rather than grow as the game progresses.
70
IGN AU
It doesn’t do what it says on the tin, doesn’t break any barriers and is mildly dull as often as interesting but when you’re in the middle of crossfires, your squads do what they’re told and you know that you’re about to blow up a whole mess of Nazis, it’s pretty good.
68
Cheat Code Central
Aspiration got the best of this title - it ultimately promises more than it delivers.
68
Play.tm
All in all, considering that the overall gameplay mechanic is a rinse and repeat exercise of duck and cover shooting coupled with a partially fractured command interface, it's hard to recommend Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway to anyone other than hardened series fanatics.
67
1UP
The problem is that Hell's Highway doesn't make me care about the characters as much as the other installments did.
65
Meristation
As the third installment in the series, Hell's Highway does a great job recreating the atmosphere and surroundings featuring Dutch's Operation Market Garden in the WW2. Despite the core mechanics remain untouched, this combined shooter with some sort of tactical component feels somehow repetitive over the missions, misled on the plot and definately could use a little more polish on its technical side. Overall entertaining but could be improved.
65
ZTGameDomain
Brothers in Arms seems to wish they were cool enough to eat lunch with Band of Brothers and ends up taking itself all too seriously. It is an earnest backdrop for a game in which the "fun part" is supposed to be blowing people into tiny bits.
60
games(TM)
To continually repackage the same hackneyed take on real pain, real suffering, and real people in the mane of entertainment is a sure road to exploitation. [Nov 2008, p.112]
60
Edge Magazine
Gearbox has made a game that is stable and complete, if hugely unrefined in places, with an under-exploited but sound core of tactical squad combat. [Nov 2008, p.93]
60
NTSC-uk
There will obviously be another in the series, by which time Gearbox Software will have hopefully managed to tame both their engine and the irksome controls, and ultimately provide the game experience that this title should have been.
60
X360 Magazine UK
Sadly, Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway looks destined to become yet another also-ran in the great yuletide arms race of 2008. It may hold your attention for a while but don’t get your hopes up.
60
Total Video Games
We've been waiting two years longer than we expected for Hell's Highway and the wait has bought little reward.
60
G4 TV
The game is an intense shooting gallery, despite the repetition, yet the set-up, landscape, and gameplay feel so familiar at this point that it borders on boring.
58
Game Revolution
Online multiplayer in Hell’s Highway depends too much on your teammates adhering to their assigned roles.
50
Level7.nu
This might not be a game from hell, but it's no blessing of an experience either. Although it does history justice, gameplay isn't as kindly treated. Bad AI, flawed controls and an underwhelming presentation makes the overall experience a poor one. Add one haphazard online mode and you'll be hard pressed to find reasons for purchase here.
Dan C. gave it a9: Zack S. gave it a9: KC L. gave it a10: Dylan H. gave it an8: Steve H. gave it a9: Damo W. gave it an8: David W. gave it a1: |
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