Electronic Arts is celebrating the first anniversary of its best-selling World War II first-person shooter, Battlefield 1942, with the release of its second expansion pack, Secret Weapons of WWII. However, anyone expecting this add-on to continue in the same historical vein as the first expansion, Road to Rome, will be surprised with this latest offering.
As the name implies, Secret Weapons gives the player access to a host of top-secret projects that were under development by both the Axis and Allied forces. These projects cover the full sphere of Battlefield land vehicles, planes and weapons.
Lots of new toys
Some of the more interesting personal weapons include a throwing knife and a Remington Auto 5 shotgun.
However, it is the planes and vehicles that immediately grab the attention. The Wasserfall guided rocket is a real blast (sorry, couldn`t resist) to use. The player controls the rocket in first-person view.
Think of the fastest plane you have flown in Battlefield and you will still not be close to the speed of the Wasserfall. It does take a while to get used to piloting a missile, but its punch makes it worth it.
Another new addition is the rocket pack. Players should be wary of its limited fuel supply as running out of fuel in mid-air is not much fun. The rocket pack is a typical prototype device and works like a glorified jump pack instead of a flight suit.
On the aerial side of things, the most interesting is the C-47 cargo plane. This transport serves as a mobile spawn point, meaning it could be used as either an offensive or defensive unit.
One of the more destructive German vehicles is the Sturmtiger. Essentially, it combines a modified Tiger tank chassis with a mounted naval gun. Enough said.
Mapping things out
With any Battlefield expansion, one expects a host of new maps and Secret Weapons is no different. There are eight new maps that feature secret battles and special operations from World War II. Six of these maps introduce a new addition to the Battlefield franchise, an objective mode.
In this mode, players must destroy or protect the objectives circled in red on their mini-maps. These missions can become quite frenetic, especially on some of the smaller maps like The Eagle`s Nest, April 1945. The Allies need to break into Hitler`s famed hideaway and destroy a safe containing military secrets. Obviously, the Axis players need to defend against the onslaught.
Some of the other maps include Telemark, November 1943 where the Germans are researching the world`s first atomic weapon and Mimoyecques, July 1944 where a gun with a 130m long barrel is being built that can shell London every 12 seconds.
But is it worth it?
While Secret Weapons might come across as being a gimmicky add-on rather than a true historical offering, it does provide hours of multiplayer fun. The new weapons alone make it a worthy addition to the Battlefield franchise.
If you are a fan of the franchise, then Secret Weapons is a wonderfully fun expansion to have.
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