I think inside each of us there is an inherent and sometimes hidden instinct to have some fantasies of being a war hero. In reality, were I to be involved in some kind of national battle, I would probably take up the role of the guy who runs out full of enthusiasm, only to be shot in the finger and fall down, hurting my leg and thus sitting out the rest of the war with a slightly bruised shin. Therefore, I can vent my rather girlish bloodlust on games such as Call of Duty, Conflict Vietnam and now Battlefield 2: Modern Combat.

If you've ever sat through a war epic motion picture you will see where EA are coming from with their latest title. Right from the off, a multitude of low pitched intense music, mixed in with gunfire, explosions and commanding voices sets the perfect atmosphere for blowing the heads off your adversaries. This title sounds good but it looks great; it's true that we're used to a higher standard graphically these days and this has never been truer with the recent appearance of the first next-generation console from Microsoft. Battlefield 2 lives up to these standards with awe-inspiring environments that cover all the war hosting stereotypes we are used to. In particular, the missions in colder snowy climates are amazing; there's nothing better than watching the breath rise up from a sniper, then sending a bullet cutting through the snow-filled sky and landing right between his eyes. The whole game is shot in the first-person, a genre I'm not generally fond of, but Battlefield took longer steps towards quashing my discriminate nature than its predecessors. The graphics as you reload or change weapon are impressive and cleanly performed, and to combat the obvious deficiencies with a restricted view, it's extremely quick and responsive when turning your character around. The only downside to the graphically quality of this game is that there are a few sloppy moments. I can understand a need for gameplay not to be littered with departed enemies or destroyed vehicles, but it's a little disappointing to see them vanish straight away.

However, don't let that put you off, as there's plenty impressive and intuitive gameplay to go around. The aiming is a little tricky at first, but after delving into the settings and inverting the controls, I was swiftly shooting helicopters out the skies and occasionally shooting my own men in the knee for a laugh. The aiming also varies accurately to each weapon, sniper rifles allow zooming for shooting specific body parts, whereas something like a shotgun means that you don't have to be quite as accurate to secure a kill. Like you would expect from an elite army team, there is a full arsenal at your disposal, which is impressive at first, and with progress becomes astounding. Despite my love for major destruction that can be caused by the rocket and grenade launcher, the game possesses an array of the more silent weapons. I can't get enough of the sniper-rifle; although it would have benefited from an adjustable zoom (more so than two intensities) there is a level of pleasure from picking off ten enemies from the quiet of a rooftop that is immeasurable.

The diversity is continued forward during the use of vehicles. Too often an area left alone by this game genre, Battlefield 2 has exceeded expectations by offering a huge number of alternative forms of transport. The rule of thumb tends to be that if you see it, you'll get chance to drive it, be it a helicopter, boat, humvee or tank, with plenty of mounted weapons to use on many of the vehicles.

Modern Combat really needs to be experienced from two separate viewpoints. On one hand we have the campaign mode. With various missions involving the plights of self-appointed world peacekeepers the EU and their older brother the US, or the more terrorist based antics of the Chinese and the Middle Eastern Coalition. The missions are a nice mix, varying from the more gung-ho 'get in, kill everything' style, to the 'slowly pick off intruders', each one bringing bonuses and medals that are rewarded with additional weaponry. Within this single player mode lies one of my favourite features of this title. Whilst aiming in the general direction of a comrade, a tap of the square button sends the camera spiralling towards them, and like an agent in the Matrix we are quickly in full control of that character. Whether this was conceived with the intention to allow users to experience the full variety of this title or not, it is undoubtedly a resoundingly successful idea. No more chasing down vehicles to get a glimpse of driving them and no more dying at the hands of a foe that you didn't have the right firepower to defeat. Be warned however; despite this, some of the missions are difficult and once again, if you're the type of gamer to get infuriated by slipping from rooftops or some defective A.I. causing mission failure, you may want to steer clear from this section of the game. It's a rare occurrence, but I can recall allowing my driver to destroy the jeep I was in by trying to drive it through a rather large tree.

Those users are better off entering the area of this title that is fast becoming many gamers' sole reason for purchasing Battlefield 2. With the development of online gaming continuing unabated, it wasn't too long before developers started creating titles with net play firmly at the forefront of their nerdy minds. If you've ever endured an afternoon paintballing, then this is the closest game you can get without the inevitable arse-bruises. With up to 24 players able to compete at one time, the basic concept is kill or be killed. It's incredibly good fun, as Battlefield 2 has around 10 maps, each with their own selection from the thirty or more vehicles available within the game. Two teams are provided with a number of checkpoints that players spawn from, the basic aim being to capture all your opponents' points by kneecapping them in a variety of ways with a variety of devastating weapons. Calling this online play fun just doesn't do it justice; whether you get your thrills from picking people off from a window of a city building with a single shot to the head or you prefer ploughing an enemy into the sand of a baron desert-land, your tastes are catered for in this scintillating war epic. If you want more on the kind of modes and gameplay available online, then check out Chris Martin's review of the Xbox version.

By now you're probably thinking, "Sounds great, but why has this buffoon only given Battlefield 2: Modern Combat 8 out of 10?" Well, despite the fact that online this game rivals even the most successful net play titles since its introduction some years ago, not everyone is as yet online enabled. Therefore, despite the single player campaigns being enjoyable, they would struggle to warrant the forty odd pounds needed to purchase this title. So why have I given a score as high as 8? Because my friend, the online play is that good that it would be worth your time, money and effort to take all the necessary arrangements to get yourselves online enabled. Once achieved, make Battlefield 2: Modern Combat your first port of call - just be warned that when you join this battlefield, you may find yourself unable to leave for a very long time!

Reviewed by Rob Byron for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).