Battlefield 1943

The first plus on the side of this game is that it is only 1200 Microsoft points (about $17) on Xbox Arcade. For that you get a well balanced WWII, multi-player, shooter. The game is set in the Pacific. You play either the US or Japan in a battle to control the islands. There are only three maps, but the maps are huge and sprawling. Although there is only one game type (well two, if you count the dog-fight game) the gameplay is varied giving you lots to do while trying to take control of several strategic points on the map.

The variety is accomplished in a number of ways. There are three classes that play differently, a number of drivable vehicles(jeeps, tanks, boats, and fighter planes), anti-aircraft guns, machine gun nests, and the ability to control bombing runs. There are up to a dozen people on a side, giving players the opportunity to support their team's efforts in a variety of different ways depending upon their own style and preferences. Gameplay is fast and fairly quick to pick up with no need to memorize "power spots" on the maps as the only weapons you get are the ones provided with your class (which you are free to change mid game). There are no hidden power weapons.

Graphics are adequate and the sound design is great (the sound of fighters screaming overhead will make you duck in your living room). This certainly doesn't have all the game play in a full-priced game, but what it does provide is slick and fun.