Like Euro Force and Armored Fury for Battlefield 2, Digital Illusions CE and EA are delivering EA Link-only booster packs for Battlefield 2142. These booster packs are to add more gameplay to the core game, but aren’t quite as large as expansion packs. The first pack for BF2142, Northern Strike, was recently released and adds what a booster pack should, and also tweaks some already placed systems.
NS adds two new vehicles, the FAV Hachimoto for the PAC and the Goliath for the EU. The FAV is a pseudo-hover bike which carries two people, and is perfect for annihilating infantry and smaller vehicles. The Goliath is heavily armored, can heal and rearm nearby allies and carries several heavy weapons. An orbital strike won’t slow the Goliath down, so be sure to plan a proper assault in order to take it out.
The pack also includes 11 new awards and 10 new unlockables. The system has changed; now players can earn the awards in-game and receive unlock credits for the unlockables. Ribbons are also earnable for in-game tasks. A new pin, called the Assault Lines Pin, has also been added. Once the unlockables have been unlocked, they are usable in any standard BF2142 game.
Players may have gravitated towards playing different roles in BF2142, but with NS it’s better to stick with a specific class. It allows you to gather the new unlockables to suit just one character (as NS intends), and helps get you into the gameplay style that BF2142 is slowly becoming. With the new unlockable/achievements system, it mirrors a MMORPG — kind of like World of Warcraft and its PvP battlegrounds honor system where you’re awarded credits to purchase gear.
Lastly, three new maps and a new game mode called Assault Lines are included. Note that the two new vehicles are limited to just the new maps. One of the new maps, set in an Alpine Base in Bavaria, is a series of linked outdoor maps, but is categorized by several choke points courtesy of mountain paths. Another new map uses a famous World War II battle as its backdrop: the battle fought for the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen on March 7, 1945. The new gameplay mode is an enhanced version of the current Conquest mode.
For the price of $9.99, NS is a perfectly fine pack for BF2142 players. It doesn’t specifically adhere to the veteran players, either; new players will get some satisfaction trying to get the different achievements. There was nothing more enjoyable than hopping in the FAV Hachimoto with another player and just running amuck. Hopefully in the long run, the RPG-like turn this booster pack is leaning towards does good for the series rather than alienate players. Just remember, this booster pack is not an expansion pack; it’s more of the bridge in-between, and should be purchased by all BF2142 players.
