But where Hell's Highway's gameplay takes a tumble, its story is there to pick up the slack. Again, unlike many of its genre compatriots, Hell's Highway's war-torn tale isn't simply an overview of World War II; instead, it takes a grimy, almost painful look at a division of soldiers who fought the good fight. Clichéd though it may be, war is hell, and Hell's Highway beats you - and its characters - over the head with that fact.
Eschewing modern shooter conventions, Hell's Highway conveys its story through traditional cut scenes. Heartrending flashbacks get almost as much screen time as your character's various death-dealing ordinances. Combined with an excellent script, these mad-cap interludes will have you empathizing with the game's cast, regardless of whether or not you've played the other two games in the series.
At least, you'll be crying your crocodile tears for characters in the cut-scenes. Once Gearbox snaps the puppet strings from its characters and puts them back under your control, things get a little dicey. On one side, you have a fleshed-out squad that's seen some things, man. On the other, you have a bumbling team of bottom-shelf robots, endowed with the intelligence of a creepy Chuck E. Cheese automaton and only a smidge more humanity. Their three or so incessantly repeated catch-phrases only serve to drive that point home.
On top of that, for a game that's essentially a sermon about the horrors of war, your "dead" squadmates' magical ability to spring back to life post-battle is jarring. Sure, it keeps the game "fair," but it kills any sense of loss during gameplay. By the same token, the slow-mo kill cam, probably meant to highlight the limb-rending pain of battle, only serves to glorify death with a blood-splattered plethora of "Whoa! Awesome!" moments.
Hell's Highway has a multiplayer mode, but you probably won't care. It's a typical objective-based setup, but you're not in control of an A.I. squad, so why even bother? It's Brothers in Arms without the brothers. Yes, there's a "squad," but it's composed of other people who, in the time I spent online, played Hell's Highway like it was Halo - cover and tactics be damned.
Ultimately, though, Hell's Highway is a good game teetering on the cusp of greatness, with only a few incongruous design decisions holding it back. The story, though more or less a movie that occasionally interrupts a vaguely related game, is well implemented, and the tactical gameplay is enjoyable when the A.I. isn't raining on your parade. If nothing else, Hell's Highway is a change of pace from what all the other guys are doing. If World War II shooters are your thing, you'll probably have a good, but not great time with Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway.
Bottom line: With an engrossing character-driven storyline and brain-bending gameplay, Hell's Highway is a wild ride, but inconsistent A.I. and a few perplexing design choices keep the good times from achieving maximum rollage.
Recommendation: Rent it if you've never played a Brothers in Arms title, but can list off The History Channel's weekday lineup in under a minute. Buy it if you enjoyed the other two games in the series.
Nathan Grayson doesn't think they speak English.
