Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

Last updated
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
EIBbox.jpg
Developer(s) Gearbox Software
Publisher(s) Ubisoft
Director(s) Brian Martel
Producer(s) Mike Wardwell
Programmer(s) Patrick Deupree
Artist(s) Matthew Vandolen
Writer(s) Mike Neumann
Composer(s) David McGarry
Series Brothers in Arms
Engine Unreal Engine 2
Platform(s)
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows, Xbox
  • NA: October 6, 2005 [1]
  • EU: October 7, 2005
PlayStation 2
  • NA: October 18, 2005 [1]
  • EU: October 28, 2005
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, Xbox and PlayStation 2. It was ported to the Wii in 2008 as a part of the Brothers in Arms: Double Time compilation.

Contents

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 a 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.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Earned in Blood is similar 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 constantly repositions 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, tactics such as forcing the enemy into kill zones is possible. The enemy AI allows the player to be attacked more frequently.

Development

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

Reception

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood received "generally favorable" for PC and Xbox, and "mixed or average" for PS2 reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [2] [3] [4]

During the 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Earned in Blood received a nomination for "Outstanding Achievement in Story and Character Development". [27]

Related Research Articles

<i>Full Spectrum Warrior</i> Real-time tactics video game by Pandemic Studios

Full Spectrum Warrior is a real-time tactics video game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by THQ for Xbox, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2. A sequel titled Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers was later released.

<i>Battlefield 2: Modern Combat</i> 2005 video game

Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is a first-person shooter video game in the Battlefield series, developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. Modern Combat is the first Battlefield game for video game consoles and the first to offer a full single-player campaign. Despite its name the game is neither a port nor a spin-off of Battlefield 2 which was in development at the same time.

<i>Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30</i> 2005 video game

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by Ubisoft for Xbox, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2. It is the first game in the Brothers in Arms series. The game takes place during World War II and focuses on tactics. It was ported to the Wii in 2008, as part of the Brothers in Arms: Double Time compilation.

<i>Tom Clancys Ghost Recon 2</i> 2004 video game

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 is a tactical shooter video game developed by Red Storm Entertainment and published by Ubisoft for Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube. A Microsoft Windows version was planned but cancelled in April 2005 in favor of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. It is a direct sequel to the 2001 video game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon.

<i>Tom Clancys Rainbow Six: Lockdown</i> 2005 video game

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown is a 2005 tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Red Storm Entertainment and published by Ubisoft for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows. It is the fourth game in the Rainbow Six series. The game's plot follows Rainbow, an international counterterrorist organization, as they battle a terrorist organization that has stolen a deadly bioweapon.

<i>Star Wars: Republic Commando</i> 2005 tactical first-person shooter video game

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed and published by LucasArts. It was released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows in March 2005. Set in the Star Wars Legends expanded universe, the game revolves around Delta Squad, a special ops unit within the Galactic Republic's Clone Army consisting of four genetically-enhanced clone troopers, referred to as "Clone Commandos." Throughout the single-player campaign, players assume the role of the squad's leader, RC-1138 ("Boss"), and complete various missions during the Clone Wars. Players can also indirectly control the actions of their squadmates RC-1262 ("Scorch"), RC-1140 ("Fixer"), and RC-1207 ("Sev") by issuing different commands, which allow for certain situations to be approached in multiple ways.

<i>NBA Live 2004</i> 2003 video game

NBA Live 2004 is the 2004 installment of the NBA Live sports video game series. The game was developed by EA Canada and released in 2003. It is graphically similar to NCAA March Madness 2004 and has the same create-a-player models. It was the last EA game to include Michael Jordan. The cover shows Vince Carter as a member of the Toronto Raptors; in Spain it is Raul Lopez instead.

<i>NBA Live 2005</i> 2004 video game

NBA Live 2005 is the 2004 installment of the NBA Live sports video game series. The game was developed by EA Canada and released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows.

<i>Call of Duty 2</i> 2005 video game

Call of Duty 2 is a 2005 first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in most regions of the world. It is the second installment of the Call of Duty series. Announced by Activision on April 7, 2005, the game was released for Microsoft Windows on October 25, 2005, and as a launch title for the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005. Other versions were eventually released for OS X, mobile phones, and Pocket PCs.

<i>Star Wars: Battlefront II</i> (2005 video game) 2005 action shooter video game

Star Wars: Battlefront II is a 2005 first-person shooter and third-person shooter video game based on the Star Wars film franchise. Developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts, it is a sequel to 2004's Star Wars: Battlefront and the second game in the Star Wars: Battlefront series. The game was released in PAL regions on October 28, 2005, on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable (PSP), Microsoft Windows, and Xbox platforms, and in North America on November 1 of the same year. It was released on the PlayStation Store on October 20, 2009, for download on the PSP. The PSP version was developed by Savage Entertainment.

<i>Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</i> (video game) 2005 video game

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 action-adventure video game published by Electronic Arts. It is based on the 2005 film of the same name.

<i>Delta Force: Black Hawk Down</i> 2003 video game

Delta Force: Black Hawk Down is a first-person shooter video game developed by NovaLogic. It was released for Microsoft Windows on March 23, 2003; for Mac OS X in July 2004; and for PlayStation 2 and Xbox on July 26, 2005. It is the 6th game of the Delta Force series. It is set in the early 1990s, during the Unified Task Force peacekeeping operation in Somalia. The missions take place primarily in the southern Jubba Valley and the capital Mogadishu. The game also features a mission editor with which players can make custom missions. The game is based on the book of the same name, not the Sony film.

<i>NBA Live 06</i> 2005 video game

NBA Live 06 is a 2005 installment of the NBA Live series released on the Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2 and Mobile. It was developed by EA Sports. The game features several game modes, including Dynasty, Season, Playoffs, or Free Play. It features Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat on the cover. This was the last NBA Live game on the GameCube and it also was the first NBA Live game on the Xbox 360 as a launch title and on the PlayStation Portable.

<i>Tom Clancys Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter</i> 2006 video game

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (GRAW) is a tactical shooter video game released for the Xbox 360, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows in 2006. As in previous Ghost Recon games, players command their team while neutralizing hostile forces and completing various mission objectives. These objectives can range from escorting friendly units across the map to rescuing hostages or taking out enemy artillery.

<i>Conflict: Global Terror</i> 2005 video game

Conflict: Global Terror is a tactical shooter video game developed by Pivotal Games and Synergenix, and published by SCi Games and 2K for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows. It is the fourth installment in the Conflict series.

<i>Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway</i> 2008 video game

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is a 2008 first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The game is the third installment in the Brothers in Arms series. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway follows the men of the 101st Airborne Division in the later stages of World War II, during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, with the player returning to the role of Staff Sergeant Matt Baker from the previous titles in the Brothers in Arms series.

<i>Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown</i> 2003 video game

Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown is a video game loosely based on the legend of Robin Hood and remake of Cinemaware's previous game Defender of the Crown, released for PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox, and mobile phones.

<i>Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers</i> 2006 video game

Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers is a real-time tactics video game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by THQ for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

<i>Close Combat: First to Fight</i> 2005 video game

Close Combat: First to Fight is a squad-based military first person tactical shooter video game created by Destineer Studios for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and Xbox. It was released in April 2005. The player commands a fireteam of three U.S. Marines in a realistic fictional, scenario where the United Nations sends Marines into Lebanon when their Prime Minister falls ill and Syria and Iran send forces to bolster certain factions.

<i>Star Wars: Battlefront</i> (2004 video game) 2004 action shooter video game

Star Wars: Battlefront is a 2004 first and third-person shooter video game based on the Star Wars film franchise. Developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts, it is the first game in the Star Wars: Battlefront series. It was released on September 21, 2004, for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows to coincide the release of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set. It is also available for purchase on both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One through their backwards compatibility features. Aspyr released a Mac OS X port in July 2005, and a cellular phone version, Star Wars Battlefront Mobile, was released November 1, 2005. A sequel, Star Wars: Battlefront II, was released on November 1, 2005, for Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The game is primarily played as a conquest game, however other modes such as Galactic Conquest bring strategy elements to the title.

References

  1. 1 2 Thorsen, Tor (September 21, 2005). "Earned in Blood demo dripping on DLX". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 12, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2005.
  2. 1 2 "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 12, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on March 24, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Edge staff (December 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (Xbox, PC)". Edge . No. 156. p. 103.
  6. 1 2 EGM staff (December 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PS2, Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 198.
  7. ↑ Clare, Oliver (October 7, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PC)". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ Kato, Matthew (November 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned In Blood (Xbox)". Game Informer . No. 151. p. 166. Archived from the original on 2007-05-28. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  9. ↑ Bones (October 28, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro . Archived from the original on January 15, 2006. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  10. 1 2 Gee, Brian (October 18, 2005). "Brothers In Arms: Earned In Blood Review (Xbox, PC)". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  11. ↑ Colayco, Bob (October 6, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on May 15, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  12. ↑ Colayco, Bob (November 2, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  13. ↑ Colayco, Bob (October 6, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  14. ↑ Abner, William (December 8, 2005). "GameSpy: Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PC)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  15. ↑ Tuttle, Will (November 3, 2005). "GameSpy: Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PS2)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  16. ↑ Tuttle, Will (October 4, 2005). "GameSpy: Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood, Review". GameTrailers. October 7, 2005. Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  18. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (October 6, 2005). "Brothers In Arms Earned In Blood - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  19. ↑ Butts, Steve (October 4, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PC)". IGN . Archived from the original on January 2, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  20. ↑ Roper, Chris (October 27, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PS2)". IGN. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  21. ↑ Onyett, Charles (October 5, 2005). "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (Xbox)". IGN. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . January 2006.
  23. ↑ "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood". Official Xbox Magazine . December 2005. p. 113.
  24. ↑ "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood". PC Gamer . December 25, 2005. p. 56.
  25. 1 2 3 Fish, Eliot (October 29, 2005). "Goooooooal!". The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on June 20, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  26. 1 2 3 "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood". The Times . October 8, 2005. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2014.(subscription required)
  27. ↑ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 30 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.