Brother in Arms: Earned in Blood (PlayStation 2)

Barely seven months after the release of Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, Gearbox brings us the sequel.

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood tells the story of Corporal Joe “Red” Hartsock as one of the thousands of paratroopers who landed in Normandy, France, on the eve of D-Day. Hartsock made an appearance in the previous game and now we get to see the events from his point of view, based on actual events and persons.

Though the game engine remains largely unchanged, the A.I. has been significantly improved to offer a more challenging experience as the player tries to advance through the treacherous area known as the Bocage. The player fights in first person as Hartsock but also commands either two fireteams or a fireteam and a tank as using cover and suppression fire is critical to success.

The game also offers an interesting multiplayer mode with the rare single-mission co-op option available for the PC, as well as skirmish maps and other mods such as “Defense”.