Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 164 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 99 out of 164
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 164
  3. Negative: 32 out of 164
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  1. Necrotaur
    Jun 13, 2012
    0
    Just writing this review to give a quick warning: Mercenaries 2 servers were taken down about a year ago, and the game will freeze your Xbox if you try to play while connected to Xbox Live. You MUST play offline. There is a workaround involving a demo for another EA game, but this ought to have been fixed by now. Way to go, EA, you've ruined an otherwise good game.
  2. JaceN.
    Sep 22, 2008
    4
    My advice to anyone is stick with the original as Mercenaries 2 seems to be suffering a "Just Cause" infection with a hint of EA-ism. The worst addition has to be the regenerative health as on its own merits...may make the game easier to cope with but in practical terms...made Pandemic think it was okay now to throw ten times the pain at you now players have regenerative health. Most My advice to anyone is stick with the original as Mercenaries 2 seems to be suffering a "Just Cause" infection with a hint of EA-ism. The worst addition has to be the regenerative health as on its own merits...may make the game easier to cope with but in practical terms...made Pandemic think it was okay now to throw ten times the pain at you now players have regenerative health. Most fights degrade into "get splattered with a rocket...hide while you heal...kill whoever dares come find you...rinse & repeat till bored and annoyed". The graphics are awful, skin displays a stupid radiactive red glow if the fake sunlight/HDR lighting hits it, loads of screen tearing, texture/object popup, friendly AI that forgets how to shoot until youre standing in front of them, enemy AI that can see through walls, millions of dollars to buy airstrikes but not a cent can be spent on clothing (you have to complete near impossible wager challenges with Fiona to UNLOCK them) and whisper quiet ill-timed dialogue that gets drowned out by any other noise. There may have been a market for this years ago but with so many alternatives around now youd have to both desperate and living in the middle of a software dry spell to buy this...factors which contributed to its initial sales.… Expand
  3. realgamer1
    Sep 2, 2008
    4
    Ok. As someone who played the first game years ago, i have to say i really don't see anything new add to the new one. oh yeah you can sprint now. the graphics are lame. not good enough for next gen. the bugs are ridiculous. you cant walk through a bush in a jungle???? bad guys aiming invisible weapons. what??? the physics are way off. you ram a huge vehicle into a motorcycle and Ok. As someone who played the first game years ago, i have to say i really don't see anything new add to the new one. oh yeah you can sprint now. the graphics are lame. not good enough for next gen. the bugs are ridiculous. you cant walk through a bush in a jungle???? bad guys aiming invisible weapons. what??? the physics are way off. you ram a huge vehicle into a motorcycle and nothing happens to the motorcycle or the guy riding it. everything looks the same. yeah i was impressed the first time i saw a building crumble to the ground, but that was on a playstation2 years ago. i didn't think it would look exactly the same in a sequel on a next gen console. once again, they fooled us all by putting out crap like this with a major marketing push. the best thing about this game is the fold out ads it had in gaming mags. TRUTH. those things looked fresh as hell. THIS GAME SUCKS!!!!… Expand
  4. JohnHrabovsky
    Sep 8, 2008
    1
    The graphics, gamplay, plot is horrible. If I had to compare ths to a first person shooter it ranks below arma and thats bad.
  5. DaveC
    Sep 14, 2008
    3
    Agree 100% with "Real Gamer1" comments above. I loved the first one, but if anything I'd say this second version is worse in some areas. I was worried when I saw it released on PS2 - that's what this game feels like on the 360, an old PS2 game. OK, draw distance is further so there's less fog than the first one. But the physics are indeed rubbish, especially after being Agree 100% with "Real Gamer1" comments above. I loved the first one, but if anything I'd say this second version is worse in some areas. I was worried when I saw it released on PS2 - that's what this game feels like on the 360, an old PS2 game. OK, draw distance is further so there's less fog than the first one. But the physics are indeed rubbish, especially after being treated to the quality of GTA4. There's a lot of loading screens; when you finish a mission, you get automatically transported back away with a black loading screen, which impacts on the overall feel of being open worlded and having to fight your way back out of the place you just trashed. While the vehicles and emplaced weapons are very cool and gutzy, the hand weapon combat and AI is rubbish. Shooting a carbine feels like you're shooting one of those toy cap guns. It's just about impossible to die, even charging in with no tactics, so there's no real incentive to be careful. Very disappointing for a next gen console game coming out years after the first.… Expand
  6. JonM
    Sep 20, 2008
    1
    Let me start by saying I would love to have given this game a far higher score; indeed I believe it deserving of at least a seven. The concept is good, there are some brilliant weapons and vehicles. However, the unacceptable amount of glitches and bugs, combined with some truly dreadful voice acting and very shallow and undeveloped storyline, personally lowers the score for me. The final Let me start by saying I would love to have given this game a far higher score; indeed I believe it deserving of at least a seven. The concept is good, there are some brilliant weapons and vehicles. However, the unacceptable amount of glitches and bugs, combined with some truly dreadful voice acting and very shallow and undeveloped storyline, personally lowers the score for me. The final straw was when the game refused to allow me to access my saves, meaning I had to restart the whole game. This has happened a second time, and quite frankly EA and Pandemic have a hell of a lot to answer for. This game is CLEARLY NOT FINISHED, so WHY was it released. Never before have I encountered such an annoying game, and I truly feel sorry for (most) of the people involved in the game, as they now are left looking at it and thinking … Expand
  7. ALLG
    Sep 5, 2008
    4
    Total dissapointment. Crappy physics, horrible bugs, and the graphics could be a lot better. I can't figure out why this was pushed back so long. They sure were not not working on the game during those months of delay. I'd much rather be playing the first Mercenaries. The game is actually thrown together so poorly that you can actually see some of the seams where they put Total dissapointment. Crappy physics, horrible bugs, and the graphics could be a lot better. I can't figure out why this was pushed back so long. They sure were not not working on the game during those months of delay. I'd much rather be playing the first Mercenaries. The game is actually thrown together so poorly that you can actually see some of the seams where they put together the game. Terrible. I want my money back.… Expand
  8. sullye
    Aug 24, 2009
    3
    Yeah this game isn't to be taken seriously, I'll give it that. However I'll be specific when i say this; WTF this game has a NUKE but by the time you get it you're so effing over blowing the same ol same ol that you don't even care to use it. Not to mention that collecting these little red boxes is a head ache and a half, or at least it was. Now that the game Yeah this game isn't to be taken seriously, I'll give it that. However I'll be specific when i say this; WTF this game has a NUKE but by the time you get it you're so effing over blowing the same ol same ol that you don't even care to use it. Not to mention that collecting these little red boxes is a head ache and a half, or at least it was. Now that the game glitched out and I lost every part I collected. Not to worry though if I come within a few cm. of the I get them back, so I'll just fly around this aimless map in a helicopter that averages 15 MPH, man I'm bored just thinking about it. This is a half game, for the guy who says "just rent it" yeah that's fine except that it'll only generate enough revenue from that (not to mention false demand) to encourage duplication, not innovation.… Expand
  9. DME
    Jul 15, 2012
    0
    Literally unplayable
  10. JuicyB.
    Sep 1, 2008
    1
    This game blows. Its ugly and its like being a gaming neither world when playing it. The AI is terrible and I could spend my 60 bucks to blow stuff up in WAY more entertaining games.
  11. BillyB
    Sep 10, 2008
    4
    Bug ridden, infuriating mess of a game, this is one rare title that's had me shouting profanities at the screen it's irritating both in structure and execution, badly flawed and i sincerely hope you chose to avoid it or rent it, i literally feel ripped off it's that bad. Oh and you cannot play co op with people in other countries.
  12. MichaelS.
    Sep 20, 2008
    3
    I waited years for this game. The first was classic... and well, this just happens to be the biggest games-related disappointment since HAZE. It's actually quite a lot worse than that game since Haze is average and this is far below (graphically, AI wise, and gameplay). A travesty.
  13. wans
    Sep 3, 2008
    1
    Terrible game, the graphics suck, the gameplay is bland.
  14. ApocalypseBrown
    Sep 4, 2008
    4
    Everybody is entitled to a opinion, unfortunately many people opinion are far from the truth. While not testing the online features, this game is worse than the original. Don't get me wrong, blow things up with air fuel tankers is extremely fun, but unlike Battlefield it becomes very boring very quickly. The character interaction with other clans is also rubbish, as well as the Everybody is entitled to a opinion, unfortunately many people opinion are far from the truth. While not testing the online features, this game is worse than the original. Don't get me wrong, blow things up with air fuel tankers is extremely fun, but unlike Battlefield it becomes very boring very quickly. The character interaction with other clans is also rubbish, as well as the mission objectives. Overall, Battlefield is a much better game, so is GTA4, so is virtually any open world game compared to this.… Expand
  15. AnonymousMC
    Dec 15, 2008
    2
    Where to begin? This game is riddled with bugs, many of which will lead to you failing missions. Not that failing missions will be anything new to you having played this game for a while as the people at Pandemic seem to be completely unaware of that thing called "balance". This game sets out from the start to screw you as hard as possible.

    The entire premise of having one person defend    Where to begin? This game is riddled with bugs, many of which will lead to you failing missions. Not that failing missions will be anything new to you having played this game for a while as the people at Pandemic seem to be completely unaware of that thing called "balance". This game sets out from the start to screw you as hard as possible.

    The entire premise of having one person defend themselves against entire armies sounds ridiculous and begs the question of what they've done to even the balance. The answer is nothing. On entering a town you will be bombarded with missiles from every direction. Another indication that Pandemic have no idea what they're doing is that missiles trump everything and *everyone* has missiles. On foot? The enemies perfect aim will make sure that within a couple of hits you will be dead. Back to the start with another 10 minute drive to look forward to. Grab a tank? Again, a couple of RPG hits and the tank is gone and you are back on foot. Helicopter? Again, you will be blown out of the sky within a few seconds.

    I judge games by the amount of enjoyment I get out of them. There is very little fun to be had in this game and a whole lot of frustration as you battle with all the glitches and the fact that the odds are stacked completely against you. The punishment for failure is high as you are forced to start the mission all over again which always involves driving/flying/etc all the way back. The missions themselves are boring and range from "blow this thing up" to "blow this thing up in x amount of time". Even taking enemy vehicles is tedious as you're forced to complete a stupid mini-game where you have to hit certain buttons in sequence.

    In short this game is extremely derivative and yet despite it's lack of originality fails at everything it does. When it's not boring you to death it has you screaming with frustrating.    … Expand
  16. GundamMars
    Apr 2, 2014
    4
    Take a great action game add Monster energy drink and you've got Mercenaries 2. This game took a route that most games usually go down if the original becomes popular enough. MAKE IT EXTREME!!!! The once cool, low-key characters have become over-blown and over the top cut outs of their former selves. Covered in tattoos and sporting more attitude than necessary this game destroys everythingTake a great action game add Monster energy drink and you've got Mercenaries 2. This game took a route that most games usually go down if the original becomes popular enough. MAKE IT EXTREME!!!! The once cool, low-key characters have become over-blown and over the top cut outs of their former selves. Covered in tattoos and sporting more attitude than necessary this game destroys everything that made the original so great. From choppy graphics, pop in that would be bad on the Dreamcast and collision detection that'll make you say "HUH?!" The only redeeming feature is the 2 player co-op, but even that has just as many flaws as playing alone.… Expand
  17. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    3
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamessss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! m2

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
24
#24 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
28
#28 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 69 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 69
  3. Negative: 2 out of 69
  1. Gamer 2.0
    77
    The game is worth a rental and a purchase if you want to keep your destruction going. So if you’re looking for a fun game, check out Mercs 2.
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  2. IGN
    79
    For every time I cursed the stupid AI, I cheered at the demolition of another building. For every bug that got me stuck in some bushes, there was an attack chopper waiting to be jacked. If Mercenaries 2 had more polish, it would have been a great game. As is, it’s still worth playing – and enjoyable – but falls far short of its promise.
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  3. 1UP
    83
    It won't light the world on fire, but this next-gen playground of destruction offers you tons to do (well, tons to explode), it's always enjoyable, and I dove right back in after the credits rolled.
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