[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/bf1942sww2/cover.jpg[/floatleft]Have you ever wondered what World War II would’ve been like if it spanned for 10 to 15 years longer than it did? It’s interesting to think about it, but I really think that this game pretty accurately presents what could have been. I also think it was quite interesting that on the day BF 1942 Secret Weapons was released, the History Channel was presenting a documentary on the Secret Weapons the Nazi’s were developing during the war. Fortunately, the war was over before those weapons were put to use. For example, the fighter-bomber, “The Horton HO 229,” was an actual stealth bomber that the Nazi’s were developing that had the capabilities to reach New York and back to Germany with a massive payload of bombs on a full tank of jet fuel. It was a good thing they never actually finished the project. The design of that same fighter jet spawned the design to many of the U.S. designs of stealth fighter jets today. In case you were wondering, I just thought I would throw some of the History Channel knowledge to you Snackbarians out there. All in all, this game has a good amount of positive aspects to add on to the BF 1942 series.
EA decided to go ahead and add some creative elements to the soldiers on the battlefield. A really cool addition to the weapons mix was the Remington Auto 5 Shotgun. You can definitely run around a corner and take someone’s head off. Another weapon which I love to use is the Gewehr 43. This sniper rifle has gone semi-automatic baby. Instead of waiting to reload after every shot, you can set off several more rounds and cause more damage from afar. Speaking of reloading, sometimes it’s hard to find an ammo depot nearby. In this case, you can pull out your trusty knives and throw them at your foe. That’s right folks, SLICE AND DICE!! There are many more weapons that EA has added to your arsenal, but I’m just listing my faves.
[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/bf1942sww2/ss03_thumb.jpg[/floatright]Let me just go into the vehicles that were added to the madness of BF 1942. AAWW YEAH PEEPS, this is where it gets insane!!! Now, I’m not sure that if the war even spanned for another 10-15 years that anyone would’ve ever invented a rocket pack. I mean, I wouldn’t put it past the Nazi’s to develop something as crazy as that. The rocket pack is really cool to use when you want to make a quick getaway. It’s also good when you want to cause some damage from a high point. The rocket pack freaking rules over all. EA went crazy with adding more vehicles by adding jet planes, stealth bombers, a Harley Davidson with a gun-mounted sidecar, an amphibious jeep, and powerful tanks. Did I mention that there is a commando raft too? Powerful tanks? Well, these tanks aren’t your ordinary tanks; think a Sherman tank with a mounted rocket launcher canopy or a Flakpanzer, which is a mobile Anti-Aircraft weapon that causes mass damage. All the new tanks are much faster, much more maneuverable, and can sustain much more damage before blowing up. Now, the rocket jets are different story. These planes are super hard to maneuver and way to fast to cause any damage from ground forces. The Natter rocket plane is way too fast. It banks too fast and gives you no time to react. The bombers are also very difficult to maneuver. When you bank, it flips you upside down, and it makes insane wide turns. But it does let off multiple bombs at one point, as a bomber should. I personally liked the old war birds like the P-51, the Messerschmidt, and the Spitfire. They are fast, maneuverable, and damage effective. Now, before I move on, let me mention one of my favorite additions to the series. THE ONE AND ONLY…C-47 CARGO PLANE!!! First off, I’m the biggest 101st Airborne fan of all time. The C-47 flies like a dream. It carries a mounted machine gunner position and it’s a mobile spawning point. This is a great tool to use especially when the enemy’s across a huge body of water. I just love being able to spawn over enemy territory and parachute out. DEATH FROM ABOVE!! Umm, did I mention you get to guide freaking rockets to the enemy’s base? YEAH!! Freaking Noobs will never know what hit’em!
EA improved on maps by a huge margin by adding more obstacles, advantage points, and much more room to boot. The graphics still stay true to the BF 1942 feel, and a lot of the rough parts are smoothed out. Buildings, scenery, weapons and vehicles are much more attractive. Movements and the such have been the same since the beginning, so don’t expect any changes. EA really just wanted to add some spice to the mix with exotic weapons, vehicles, and environments. Overall, this game freaking rules and has been a great addition to the series. I was highly pumped to see many people greet this expansion pack with open arms. If battles get too intense for you sometimes, then you can always go back to old conventional warfare. Playing Secret Weapons is great fun with the original feel of BF 1942. I recommend all who enjoy the BF 1942 series to get this expansion, as it really is a great addition to the series.
