Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway™ Reviews

peak

Tragedy simulator

The best game in the series so far!

Its been 15 years and this is still by far the best ww2 game out there.

This game is a masterpiece, I liked the narrative the cutscenes seem like a movie, and that makes you feel what the soldiers felt in the war. Losing friends and struggling with it. With that amount of narrative you get to know the characters in the game. I liked how they improved the aiming system, graphics are really awesome for a 2008 game. At the beggining it feels weird to adopt to the new controls specially if you come from playing the two first games, but two or three chapters and you are ready to go. I feel this game is the easier one of the franchise, but for me it is the best of them. So sad we don't have the next game to see how the story finishes. I recommend to play this game if you are fan of WW2 and it is one of the best game about that.

I remember loving this game when it came out, and it's utterly surprising that it's holding up so well in 2025. Upon booting the game up, I was taken aback by how good the visuals look at 1440p. The lighting, environmental design, and animations are all very good, and the sound design is stellar. The only real "Ew!" moment I had was when the cutscenes ceased and gameplay started and I was met with what appeared to be 65 FOV (with no slider in the options). I was thankfully able to find a fix on the Steam forums which involved downloading a github file and setting my preferred FOV multiplier. The truly amazing thing about this game is that it's a first person strategy game. It absolutely baffles me that other devs haven't tried to flesh out the formula Hell's Highway had going. You can get through encounters without ever firing a shot from your own gun if you are smart about how you order your fireteams (although sometimes it's fun to fire your own gun for obvious reasons). It feels incredible to direct an assault team to pin down an enemy while you order your bazooka team to move up to a piece of cover and then direct them to blow away the destructible sandbag the enemies were hiding behind... or to instruct your MG team to leapfrog forward while you pin down enemies temporarily. To this day, I haven't seen a smarter or more realistic suppression system in a game. For those of you who don't know, enemies have a little circle above their heads. If it's red, it means they are unsuppressed and dangerous. They will pop up and take accurate shots at you. The more you shoot at and around the enemy, the more the red circle turns grey, and when it's fully grey, the enemy is completely suppressed. While in first person, you are able to direct multiple AI fireteams using 3D markers on the map. So let's say there is an MG in a building that you can't address. You can quite literally use third-person camera behind cover to direct your own MG to suppress the enemy MG while your bazooka team moves into range to blow up the building. The only other game/franchise that offered this kind of gameplay was Full Spectrum Warrior. You end up using realistic tactics to deal with battlefield threats. 20+ years later and the latest Call of Duty titles still have no suppression or squad system, and you are just a rambo dummy clicking on heads and hiding when your interface is covered in tomato juice. Embarrassing. I'd love to have seen a game that takes the Hell's Highway formula into multiplayer. Imagine a 2v2 competitive match where you and a human teammate are each directing 3-5 AI squads against human opponents who are doing the same. Imagine if there was a currency or resource system where capturing sectors allowed you to call in new weapons/squads/tanks. Would be amazing. For all intents and purposes, Hell's HIghway feels like a first person Company of Heroes. There is a slight bit of 2008 jank when it comes to things like low FOV, the sprinting not giving you much directional control, and the AI sometimes bugging out and getting a little lost. But the overall strategic depth you have at your command and the mostly solid execution of it dwarfs any nitpicks I have. It's an absolute travesty we haven't gotten a sequel to this game. One set in the modern era could be brilliant. Right now this game is like 5 bucks on Steam. If you like WW2 FPS and want to use your brain while playing, this is an easy buy.

I would go as far as to say the greatest WW2 game if we purely base it on characters and story the brothers in arms games shaped my childhood and love for history and the fact that there hasn't been a entry in over 16 years is a damn shame (if we don't count mobile games) its un ironically what the current market needs a story driven more tactical story game sure there are multiplayer based ones that are really good but the fact there hasn't been a significantly good WW2 story game in years says a lot. Hell's Highway holds up still even today both gameplay and graphics wise character models although defo aged still are extremely good considering the age and weapon models and overall places you visit are fairly detailed too. The characters are to me is whats most memorable about the bia franchise and when Baker screams their names when doing squad call outs is still embedded into my brain.The game does run fairly well on modern hardware i had no issues starting it up on my windows 11 gaming laptop and so far had no game breaking glitches.To me this is my childhood in a nutshell a game i remember soo fondly and that even still holds up today Ubisoft its really time for a new entry in the series the world needs it.

one of the best Ubisoft classics with a excellent story and good graphics! 100% recommend.

[h3][b]There's Only One Way Out of Hell... And That's Through It[/b][/h3] [b]Story 9[/b] Returning as now Staff Sergeant Matt Baker from the first game, this installment continues the saga of the 101st Airborne Division as they parachute into Western Europe to engage the Germans from behind enemy lines. Participating in Operation Market Garden, one of the largest airborne assaults in history, Baker aims to secure critical bridges at Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and Arnhem. Alongside the 101st Airborne Reconnaissance Platoon, Baker and Red leads 3rd Squad and 2nd Squad, accompanied by original soldiers and replacements tasked with disabling 88mm cannons, securing strategic positions, and paving the way for British Army corps and logistical units. This game diverges sharply from earlier Brothers in Arms narratives by adopting a more generic Hollywood-style World War II epic tale characterized by forced characterizations, reliance on familiar war movie clichés, and an embellished story arc involving a supposedly cursed Colt M1911A1 pistol. Despite plot inconsistencies arising from fabricated casualty reports during the Battle of Bloody Gulch and abrupt changes introducing new enemy bosses, Baker’s transformation into a multifaceted leader remains compelling. His inner turmoil grappling with survivor’s guilt and PTSD adds unprecedented psychological intensity, while his bond with Red fosters an intriguing dynamic showcasing how soldiers rely on mutual trust during wartime chaos, a testament to enduring camaraderie that enriches every aspect of this gripping narrative. [b]Gameplay 8.5[/b] Influenced by trends in the shooter genre, particularly the success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and the cinematic gameplay of Medal of Honor: Airborne, Gearbox significantly revamped the tactical squad-based gameplay, known as the "Four F's" (Find, Fix, Flank, and Finish). Key gameplay changes include a third-person cover system inspired by Gears of War, destructible environments for dynamic strategy, slow-motion headshot or grenade kills reminiscent of Sniper Elite and the health system that is similar to Uncharted, where bullets gradually turn the screen red until a hit results in instant death, encouraging players to seek cover under fire. New features also emerged, with weapons and vehicles like the Gewehr 43 and the M4A4 Sherman VC Firefly tank added to the revamped squad system. Teams like the MG Team can suppress multiple enemies, while the Bazooka Team effectively targets fortified positions and tanks. However, players can no longer use the Browning M2HB or Browning M1919A5 on moving tanks while an Assault Team rallying on foot. Though the game leans towards more linear level design, it still offers unique mission experiences set in the Netherlands, notable missions include Operation Garden, Hell's Highway, and The Rabbit Hole. The AI is improved over the older Brothers in Arms titles, showing better cover use and flanking tactics. However, there are still flaws in gameplay mechanics, such as the underwhelming Tactical Map functionality, buggy AI pathing in complex levels, dead multiplayer, and inconsistencies with weapon handling, where the M1A1 Carbine outshines the M1 Garand and Sturmgewehr 44. These issues sometimes make Hell's Highway feel less polished in its modernization efforts. [b]Graphics 9[/b] Although Brothers in Arms franchise may not be widely recognized for its stunning visuals, this game features some of the best first-person shooter graphics of its era. Utilizing Unreal Engine 3, it offers a cinematic experience with dynamic depth of field and consistent lighting effects that enhance both cutscenes and gameplay. The environmental details and high-quality textures effectively represent the events and locations of Operation Market Garden, while graphic portrayals of war, such as blood splatters, wounds, and realistic dismemberment, add to the visceral combat experience. The game also introduces destructive physics, allowing for a destructible environment that includes concrete buildings, sandbags, and smaller items like bottles and flower pots, which enhances immersion. Furthermore, the user interface has been improved for better visual feedback and a more user-friendly experience, facilitating command issuance and environmental interaction for a more fluid tactical experience. However, the game does have notable shortcomings that can detract from immersion; one significant issue is memory management, which may lead to glitches like missing textures during gameplay and could necessitate restarting entire chapters. Additionally, there are minor concerns, such as less appealing models for British soldiers compared to their American counterparts, inconsistent facial animations, and lip-syncing issues. While some animations effectively convey emotional weight, others can appear awkward and fail to match the intensity of the dialogue. [b]Sounds 9.5[/b] Gearbox is excelling with Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway's soundtrack and voice acting. The game's scores, composed by Ed Lima and Duncan Watt, evoke the intensity and emotional weight of World War II and complement the narrative themes. Five outstanding tracks are "Main Theme", "The Story So Far", "Baker's Dozen", "Eindhoven" and "Farewell is Goodbye". The dynamic sound mix adapts to the gameplay, with the music intensifying during combat and fading to silence during quieter story moments, adding depth to the experience. With Troy Baker as Matt Baker and David McGarry as Red, both reprising their roles, the voice acting is also impressive. Enriched by dialogue that explores the personalities and challenges of the squad members, the cast as a whole delivers more nuanced and emotionally engaging performances. The script's use of authentic military terms and the addition of new accents help to bring the characters and setting to life. The battle and environmental sound design in this sequel is noticeably improved, capturing realistic audio details from the roar of explosions to the ambient sounds of war. [b]Replayability 7.5[/b] On the topic of replayability, Hell's Highway offers fun authentic modes, cool easter eggs, Kilroys, and reconnaissance reports. But unfortunately, these things can't make up for the fact that this game has the lowest replay value of the three Brothers in Arms games; contributing factors include linear level design that makes it predictable and repetitive, a dead multiplayer mode that can't be saved by the AI Bots mod, the absence of Earned in Blood's challenging skirmish mode in this game, and the lack of the Extras mode, which includes behind-the-scenes footage, developer interviews, and the official recording of the game's soundtrack; although there are recon reports, it's still not the same as having an entire Extras filled with those things. While there are some significant improvements over its predecessor, the game doesn't fully capitalize on its potential replay value, so it doesn't quite live up to the expectations of a sequel. [h3][b]Overall 8.7[/b][/h3] Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway offers a compelling narrative driven by Staff Sergeant Matt Baker's transformation into a multifaceted leader amidst the chaos of Operation Market Garden. The gameplay has been revamped with a third-person cover system and destructible environments, introducing new features like the Gewehr 43 and M4A4 Sherman VC Firefly tank. However, the game faces criticism for its linear level design, poor Tactical Map functionality, and inconsistent AI behavior, which undermine its polish. The soundtrack and voice acting excel in evoking the intensity and emotional weight of World War II, but the game's replay value is hindered by its predictability and lack of substantial multiplayer options.

One of the best game franchises ever made imo. Sadly discontinued. I haven't played the 3rd installment (Hell's Highway) in many years. I am shocked how good it is holding up even today. It still looks really good, especially during night missions. Gameplay-wise it is one of the best single player shooters ever made. Highly recommended. It is best to play all 3 games in the chronological order.