Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

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Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
EIBbox.jpg
Developer(s) Gearbox Software, Gameloft (Mobile)
Publisher(s) Ubisoft, Gameloft
Engine Unreal Engine 2
Platforms Mobile phone, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox, PlayStation 2
Release date(s) Mobile
    Microsoft Windows, OS X & Xbox
      PlayStation 2
      NA 20051026October 26, 2005
      EU 20051028October 28, 2005
      JP 20060727July 27, 2006
      Genre(s) First-person shooter
      Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

      Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is a first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox and PlayStation 2. The mobile phone version was developed and published by Gameloft and released in October 2005 along with the console versions. It was ported to the Wii in 2008 as a part of the Brothers in Arms: Double Time compilation.

      Earned in Blood continues the Brothers In Arms saga as newly promoted Sergeant Joe "Red" Hartsock (Hartsock was the Corporal of Baker's Fire Team), who was part of the historic Normandy invasion in the previous game. Earned in Blood includes several new multiplayer missions, weapons and vehicles, plus a new co-op skirmish mode. The AI of enemies has also been improved considerably in this game, while level designs are more open-ended than the original.

      Story

      The story is essentially told as a "reflection" on the events that took place earlier, as Army historian Colonel S.L.A. Marshall is interviewing paratroopers 15+ days after D-Day. The story is divided into three parts. The first part of the game is recollection of Hartsock's time in Sergeant Matt Baker's squad during the initial D-Day invasion. The second part picks up when he takes command of 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon during the liberation and defense of Carentan, and the eventual link up between 82nd and 101st Airborne Division at the town of Baupte. The final part will take place in and around Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte. Although the first part takes place under Baker's command, every mission is one not included in Road to Hill 30. The player commands Desola, Allen, and Garnett from 3rd Squad, and some soldiers from 2nd Squad at first. Then the game switches the player to command the entire 2nd Squad after the Battle of Bloody Gulch (Hill 30).

      Hartsock's squad consists of the remains of the original 2nd Squad (Cpl. Franklin Paddock, Pvt. Dean "Friar" Winchell, and Pfc. James Marsh) and the remnants of 1st Squad (Cpl. Jacob Campbell, Pvt. Will Paige, and Pvt. Derrick McConnell). In addition, the player will also be in command of Corporal (later promoted to Sergeant) Seamus Doyle of the 82nd Airborne during the initial D-Day invasion in early parts of the game.

      Graphics

      The games uses the same graphic engine as Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, which is based on the Unreal Engine 2.0

      Gameplay

      The gameplay in Earned in Blood is similar, if not identical, to Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30. The player usually assumes command of two teams of paratroopers to use the Four Fs—Find, Fix, Flank, and Finish—tactic against the enemy. The game discourages the use of solo run 'n' gun tactics by limiting the player's ability to aim, by decreasing the player's health, and by placing large numbers of enemies behind cover. To successfully complete a mission, the player has to study the layout of the battlefield, fix/suppress the enemy with overwhelming suppressive fire with one team (usually the fire team), and direct another team (usually the assault team) to flank the enemy by sneaking to the side or rear of the enemy to finish them off.

      In Earned in Blood, the enemy will constantly reposition himself according to the player's action, regardless of danger. This change makes stealth and distraction important considerations when the player is attempting to flank the enemy. At the same time, new tactics such as forcing the enemy into kill zones is possible with the new AI system. The new enemy AI allows the player to be attacked more frequently than in Road to Hill 30. Also it is not possible to destroy a tank with a grenade unless the hatch soldier is killed.

      Reception

      Reception
      Aggregate scores
      Aggregator Score
      GameRankings (Xbox) 85.11%[1]
      (PC) 84%[2]
      (Mobile) 78.40%[3]
      (PS2) 74.41%[4]
      Metacritic (Xbox) 85/100[5]
      (PC) 84/100[6]
      (PS2) 71/100[7]
      Review scores
      Publication Score
      Edge 8/10[8]
      EGM 8.33/10[9]
      Eurogamer 8/10[10]
      Game Informer 8/10[11]
      GamePro 3.5/5 stars[12]
      Game Revolution B+[13]
      GameSpot 8.7/10[14]
      (PS2) 6.8/10[15]
      (Mobile) 6.7/10[16]
      GameSpy (Xbox) 5/5 stars[17]
      (PC) 4/5 stars[18]
      (PS2) 3/5 stars[19]
      GameTrailers 8.9/10[20]
      GameZone 8.9/10[21]
      IGN (PC) 8.8/10[22]
      (Xbox) 8.2/10[23]
      (Mobile) 7.5/10[24]
      (PS2) 5/10[25]
      OPM (US) 4/5 stars[26]
      OXM 9.6/10[27]
      PC Gamer (US) 87%[28]
      The Sydney Morning Herald 3.5/5 stars[29]
      The Times 4/5 stars[30]

      Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood received mixed to positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Xbox version 85.11% and 85/100,[1][5] the PC version 84.00% and 84/100,[2][6] the Mobile version 78.40%[3] and the PlayStation 2 version 74.41% and 71/100.[4][7]

      Copy protection

      The PC version of the game contains the controversial StarForce DRM which may interfere with some CD/DVD burners, burning software and disk mounting software.

      Purchasing the game on Valve's Steam does not include StarForce.

      References

      1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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      4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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      18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
      30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(subscription required)

      External links

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