I ain't no Senator's son...

Just to lay the groundwork, this review is going to rely heavily on references to my earlier review of Battlefield 1942. This is because Vietnam and 1942, while not exactly the same game, have very definite "family resemblance." So, on that note, I'll talk about what is pretty much the same between these two games.

Just like it's WW II cousin, Battlefield Vietnam is a FPS that concentrates heavily on the use of vehicles, such as planes, tanks, and jeeps. The controls are set up the same as they are in Battlefield 1942, but this game retains the high level of control customization that made 1942 so user-friendly. The basic gameplay is the same, in that there are still control points to capture and ticket counts to reduce to zero. Players can still select from one of several classes, each of which is equipped with different weapons for specialized roles. Additionally, the environments are just as large and expansive in Battlefield Vietnam as they were in 1942.

However, there are a number of refinements to these similar characteristics that do help to elevate Battlefield Vietnam from its predecessor. Certain maps add helicopters to the mix of vehicles, which results in a lot of interesting tactical abilities. Not only are helicopters efficient at transporting infantry, but they can also airlift vehicles and  serve as gunships. The classes of Battlefield Vietnam have been simplified somewhat, in that there are fewer classes to chose from. However, each class has two sets of weapons to pick from, which helps to keep things interesting. Unlike Battlefield 1942, the classes on opposing sides aren't matched weapon for weapon, which means that if the NVA engineer has a submachine gun, the US engineer doesn't necessarily also have a submachine gun.

I think this improves the game by making it impossible to just always pick one class and doing the exact same thing, regardless of the side you are playing. The weapons are all period-appropriate, and another twist is that they can change to accurately reflect the side or time period being depicted in the map. This aspect of the game, with one exception, has been implemented well. That exception is the US heavy assault class, which is given both a LAW (an anti-tank rocket) and the M-60 light machine gun. Both of these weapons, taken together, make for a soldier with an over-abundance of firepower, and I've seen a lot of people complaining that this class unbalances the game. Well, I have to tell you, this class probably is a bit much, but at the same time I've had just as much success going with a standard rifleman and arming myself with an M-16 as I have had going with the LAW/M-60 combo. So, I'm starting to think that the whole balance issue is blown out of proportion.

The environments and maps on this game are a definite step up over those of Battlefield 1942, especially in the flora department. No longer to environments look like textured deserts; now there are trees, shrubs, and even tall grass to hid in. Additionally, there are some very well done urban maps that manage to get a way from the "clump of buildings standing in a field" feel of Battlefield 1942. However, there are still some issues with Battlefield Vietnam's maps. First of all, there really aren't that many, especially compared with Battlefield 1942. On top of that, the variety to be found in the environments isn't as great, but that is only natural given that the Vietnam War took place in a much more confined geographical area. Many of the maps, much more so than in Battlefield 1942, boil down to an infantry based affair, since these maps have no aircraft and vehicles often times become nothing more than targets for RPG-wielding players.

This is a problem, because this deprives the US side of one of its key advantages during the real Vietnam War, airpower. Furthermore, most of the maps of Battlefield Vietnam are still too wide-open, and fail to capture the feel of dense jungle warfare. In this way, I think that the mod Eve of Destruction for Battlefield 1942 bests Battlefield Vietnam. However, one thing that Battlefield Vietnam brings to the table that no mod can is the sheer level of polish in its presentation. The biggest example of this can be found in the game's music, which features a dozen period songs that can be played from any vehicle's "radio." This is a welcome departure from Battlefield 1942, which was rather sparse in the music department. These songs really help to add a sense authenticity to the game, which is sometimes lacking in the maps and gameplay.

I have found Battlefield Vietnam to be just as fun and as engrossing as the original game was, and the presentation and implementation of gameplay and graphical tweaks far out-strips any mod I've played for Battlefield 1942. Even with these tweaks, Battlefield Vietnam's ancestry is immediately recognizable. This game plays pretty much like its predecessor, but this is a good thing for me, since I never got sick of the original. I highly recommend this game to any shooter fans, but be warned that just like Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Vietnam will need a pretty powerful computer to run well.

By Andy Rucker