Battlefield 2 is a 2005 first-person shooter game created by Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows. It is the third part of the Battlefield series. The game was released on June 21, 2005, in North America.

Players engage in battles using modern weapons and equipment. Battlefield 2 combines first-person shooting with strategic and tactical gameplay.

In the single-player mode, players complete missions involving conflicts between U.S. Marines, China, and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition. The multiplayer mode lets players join squads led by a commander to encourage teamwork. The story is set in the early 21st century during a fictional world war among several groups: China, the European Union, the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC), Russia, and the United States. The game takes place in different regions, including the Middle East and China, where U.S. and EU forces are fighting, and the United States, where Chinese and MEC forces are attacking.

The game was widely praised by critics and is considered one of the best games ever made. On June 30, 2014, the multiplayer server was closed, along with other GameSpy-powered games, but players can still play the game online through fan-made modifications and alternative servers. In 2017, Electronic Arts requested the removal of modified versions of Battlefield 2 hosted by a group called "Revive Network," citing copyright violations.

A follow-up game, Battlefield 3, was released on October 25, 2011.

Gameplay

Battlefield 2 is a follow-up game to Battlefield Vietnam and includes changes to how the game is played. New features in the game focus on working together with other players. The game uses a new engine that improves how objects move, how light changes, and how materials react in realistic ways.

Battlefield 2 is a multiplayer video game played online or on a local network. It also includes a single-player mode with three difficulty levels. Both modes use the same maps and the "Conquest" game mode. In single-player mode, up to 16 computer-controlled players can join, while online mode allows up to 64 players. Players can choose to play as the United States Marine Corps, the People's Liberation Army, or the "Middle Eastern Coalition." More factions, like the European Union, are available through expansion packs. Players earn promotions by completing tasks, which unlock new weapons. Playing on ranked servers lets players improve their global statistics, which help earn promotions and achievements.

In Battlefield 2, players are split into two opposing teams based on the map chosen. The main goal is to reduce the opposing team’s tickets, which show how many soldiers are available to fight. Each team starts with a limited number of tickets, and each loss reduces the total. Control points, marked by flags, are important locations where players can respawn. If one team controls most control points, the opposing team’s tickets decrease over time, even without losing soldiers. A round ends when one team runs out of tickets, the time limit ends, or if a team has no soldiers and no control points left.

Battlefield 2 has two game modes: Conquest and Cooperative. In Cooperative mode, teamwork is important, and the goal is to achieve group success rather than individual wins. The only difference between the two modes is that Cooperative includes computer-controlled players, while Conquest is only for human players. Results from Cooperative mode do not count toward global player statistics.

Like earlier Battlefield games, players can choose from different infantry classes. Each class has weapons suited for their role. Assault soldiers are general-purpose fighters with grenade launchers and extra armor. Medics carry equipment to heal teammates, and Anti-Tank troopers use missiles to fight heavy vehicles.

Players can choose a class at the start of a match or after dying and respawning. They can change classes by picking up a "kit" from a fallen soldier, whether friendly or enemy. For example, an Assault soldier can become a Medic by using a fallen Medic’s kit. Classes are divided into "Heavy" and "Light" types: Heavy classes take less damage to the torso but have less stamina, while Light classes have standard damage multipliers and more stamina for longer running.

Within the infantry class, there are three support classes with special abilities. Engineers can repair vehicles using a wrench. Medics can revive and heal teammates with a defibrillator. Supports can resupply teammates with ammunition. When these classes are in vehicles, nearby players and vehicles can receive repairs, healing, or resupply if they are close.

• Assault: Fights enemies at medium range.
• Medic: Revives and heals teammates.
• Anti-Tank: Fights enemy vehicles.
• Engineer: Repairs or destroys vehicles.
• Support: Provides cover fire and resupplies teammates.
• Special Forces: Carries out stealth and sabotage missions.
• Sniper: Fights enemies at long distances.

Battlefield 2 continues the series’ focus on vehicles, allowing players to control many types of real-life military vehicles. Unlike Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2 has only one water-based vehicle, the rigid-inflatable boat, though three APCs can also move in water. The game uses a balance system where each vehicle has weaknesses, similar to rock-paper-scissors. For example, mobile anti-air units can destroy helicopters but are weak against tanks. Stationary defenses, like light machine guns, also play a role. The number of vehicles available depends on the map and control points captured. Expansion packs add more vehicles. The USS Essex is the only naval ship in the game, with two spawn points and aircraft spawn points, but it cannot be driven or destroyed except for its Phalanx turrets.

Players can form squads of up to six soldiers to work together. Each team can have up to nine squads, each with a number and name for identification. Squad members can communicate using the game’s voice over IP (VoIP) system.

Squad leaders can assign tasks, like moving to a location or attacking. Orders can also come from the team commander. Squad leaders can request commander assets, like artillery, and speak directly with the commander.

Squad members can respawn near their leader if the leader is alive and the team controls at least one control point. This helps squads regroup after losing soldiers.

The commander role is held by one player per team. Any player can apply, but higher-ranked players are prioritized. The commander has a special screen to view the battlefield and manage assets like artillery, vehicle drops, and UAVs. They can give orders or use VoIP to communicate with squads. If the commander resigns or is removed by a mutiny vote, another player can take over. The commander does not earn points from kills or captures but gets double points if their team wins.

The commander role returns in Battlefield 2142 and Battlefield 4.

Players can earn awards like ribbons, badges, and medals for in-game achievements. Ribbons and badges are easier to

Plot

The game takes place in the year 2007 during a global war between different groups of countries. The United States, along with the European Union, is fighting against Russia, China, and a fictional group called the Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC), which is supported by some rebel groups. The reasons for the war are not explained in the game. In the game, the United States and the European Union are working together, and the European Union has made a peace agreement with Russia. However, it is unclear whether China and the MEC are allies. The game includes multiple battle areas, such as the Middle East and China, where forces from the United States and European Union are fighting. At the same time, the United States is being attacked by forces from China and the MEC.

Additional content

The first expansion pack for Battlefield 2, called Special Forces, began development around the time the original game was released. It was created by DICE Canada. Mike Doran, a Battlefield producer, said in August 2005 that work on Special Forces started several months earlier. The expansion was officially announced on July 14, 2005, and released on November 21, 2005. Unlike the original game, which focused on vehicles, Special Forces emphasized combat involving soldiers on foot. Most of the new content in the expansion is only usable by infantry players.

The expansion includes eight maps, six playable factions, and ten new vehicles, such as the AH-64D Apache and Mi-35 Hind. However, all jets from the original game were removed. Players can use new equipment like night vision goggles, tear gas, gas masks, zip lines, and grappling hooks, which change how the game is played. Eight new small arms, such as the G36K/E and FN SCAR L/H, are added, and some original weapons are replaced. The expansion also introduces more awards, like badges, ribbons, and medals, that players can earn. Many weapons from Special Forces can be used in the original Battlefield 2.

Booster packs are additional content for Battlefield 2 that were made available for free download. Like Special Forces, they were developed by DICE Canada. Later, these packs were sold in a retail collection called the Booster Pack Collection, which included a DVD with the packs. They were also part of The Complete Collection, which included the original game and all expansions and booster packs.

Booster packs add new content to the game but are different from expansion packs because they are meant to enhance the original gameplay rather than be played independently, as Special Forces is. They include new maps, vehicles, and a new European Union faction.

The two booster packs were included for free in an update called 1.50, released on September 1, 2009.

The first booster pack, Battlefield 2: Euro Force, was released on March 14, 2006. It allows players to control a new European Union army with weapons and vehicles from EU countries. It includes four new vehicles, three new maps, and seven new weapons, such as the L85A2 with AG36 GL, FAMAS, HK53, HK21, and Benelli M4. Vehicles for the EU military include the Challenger 2, Eurocopter Tiger, Leopard 2A6, and Eurofighter. The maps feature scenarios where the EU army fights in northern China, the Middle East, and near the Caspian Sea. Euro Force was made free with patch 1.5.

The second booster pack, Battlefield 2: Armored Fury, was released on June 6, 2006. It added three new maps and two new vehicle classes: attack jets for close air support and reconnaissance helicopters that act as mobile UAVs. The pack features the USMC defending U.S. soil from invasions by the PLA and MEC. New vehicles include attack aircraft like the A-10 Thunderbolt II, Su-39, and Nanchang Q-5, as well as helicopters like the MH-6 Little Bird, EC-635, and Z-11. The Muscle Car and Semi Truck were also added. The AV-8B Harrier was not included due to balancing issues. Armored Fury was also made free with patch 1.5.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of Battlefield 2 has 18 tracks composed by Fredrik Englund, David Tallroth, and Jonas Östholm.

Reception

The game received high praise from critics, with an average score of 91 out of 100 based on 55 reviews on Metacritic. It earned a perfect five-star rating from Yahoo! Games, GameSpy, X-Play, and Computer Gaming World. PC Gamer gave it a 94% score, saying, "Its well-designed maps and balanced gameplay show that improvements can be made to something already excellent," and named it Game of the Year. GameSpot rated the game 9.3 out of 10, noting that "when played with teamwork and real-time voice chat, Battlefield 2 feels unlike any other game."

Some lower scores were due to problems in the initial release, such as many bugs and glitches, including crashes that forced players back to the desktop and network issues. For example, Gaming Nexus gave the game an 8.7 out of 10, stating, "Although I had many enjoyable moments, the bugs and strange issues in the game reduced the overall experience."

GamesRadar gave the game a 90% score but added that the experience works best "if your computer is powerful enough." GameSpot also mentioned that the game requires strong hardware, noting that "long load times are a major issue, even on high-end computers."

Battlefield 2 sold 1.2 million copies in its first month. By July 2006, total sales reached 2,225,000 copies. It received a "Gold" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), which means it sold at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

Battlefield 2 won PC Gamer US's "Best Multiplayer Game 2005" and "Game of the Year 2005" awards. The magazine's Dan Stapleton wrote, "Few games have captured the feeling of modern military combat in an urban setting as effectively as this one." Computer Games Magazine also honored Battlefield 2 with awards for "Best Action Game" and "Best Multiplayer," calling it "one of the most exciting examples of how far shooters have advanced in recent years."

At the 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awarded Battlefield 2 "First-Person Action Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay," along with a nomination for "Computer Game of the Year."