Electronic Theatre delivers an in-depth analysis of the European release of Pandemics Mercenaries 2: World in Flames for Xbox360 and PLAYSTATION3. The game performs well, despite some obvious flaws...

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames has received much attention in the run-up to launch, and not only due to the anticipation of the fans of the first title. Set in Venezuela, the player is asked to choose one of three tooth-and-nails mercenary operatives and cause general chaos across the region on behalf of various factions. And it is this setting that the attention paid to the title has been accredited to.

Some months ago, an attack on the game was launched by the Venezuelan government, stating that it was their belief that Pandemic – the developers of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames – were creating a rallying call for an international coup of Venezuela, disguised as an innocent-enough looking videogame. Despite the rather melodramatic nature of the statements made, the Venezuelan government comments were noticed - and even reached the national press - before being utterly dismissed and ignored by most. Ignored by so many in-fact, that Pandemic have even been allowed to include a cheeky self-referential one-liner; “Why would an American videogames company be interested in people like us? It’s all just propaganda…” states a passer-by, whilst Mattias Nilsson drives past in his freshly “liberated” People’s Liberation Army of Venezuela (P.L.A.V.) Armoured Personnel Carrier.

Along with this came...

kevcothirtythree via electronictheatre.co.uk »