Without question, the biggest disappointment about Mercenaries 2 for PS2 owners will be the unappealing graphics that seem to have been simplified for the console. The game lacks vibrancy in color and, graphically, it simply feels outdated. There is a hazy hue that seems to saturate everything in sight, limiting the distance of your view and making the environments appear somewhat dull. Venezuela makes for a unique backdrop, especially while free-roaming and driving through both city streets and the countryside - it's a shame the graphics don't help accentuate the exotic location. Trees look poorly rendered and motionless, and streets look pixelated and jagged along curbs and sidewalks. As the start menu pans along a Venezuelan city street to give the player a sense of the environments and graphics in the game, it is initially unimpressive. The main problem with Mercenaries 2 is apparent before you even choose your protagonist.
The plotline is simple enough and everything from the cutscenes to the introduction are extremely well done. Your job is essentially to become allies with as many factions as possible, while you seek to take out Solano and complete side-missions found throughout the large Venezuelan map. Amongst the civil and political unrests, many different factions are formed throughout the country. This is when the opening credits roll and the storyline sets up much like a film, as Solano becomes the dictator of Venezuela in an attempt to take control over the country's oil supply. After completing the mission, you find that you have been betrayed by contractor Ramon Solano, who attempts to kill you before you narrowly escape. After choosing, you are quickly thrust into the first mission, where you'll have to destroy enemy barracks and recover a hostage from Venezuelan forces. The character models are the same comic book style as before, now wearing different uniforms, and their unrealistic look is somewhat complementary to the over-the-top action of this game (Mattais is cool!). When playing Mercenaries 2, you have the option to choose between the three returning characters from the first title: Chris Jacobs, Mattais Nillson, or Jennifer Mui.
Functionally, this seemingly watered-down PS2 version also has several gameplay issues that may annoy some players. Visually, Mercenaries 2 leaves much to be desired. Those who liked the mission-based sandbox style of the first Mercenaries installment will also enjoy the havoc of blowing up fully destructible environments in this title, though it's not without its flaws. As Mercenaries makes its current-gen debut with World in Flames, PS2 owners don't have to miss out on the destructive fun.
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