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ARMA 2

A brilliantly in-depth and vast war simulator that rewards your patience. But buyer beware: this game has AI issues.
ARMA 2 Game Cover
75%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
story, optimization
74% User Score Based on 223 reviews
Critic Score 78%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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ARMA 2 Game Cover

About

ARMA 2 is a single player and multiplayer open world shooter game with a warfare theme. It was developed by Bohemia Interactive and was released on June 29, 2009. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Arma 2" is an open-world warfare game set in the fictional post-soviet country of Chernarus in 2009. As a member of a US Marine Corps Force Recon squad, players will work to minimize civilian casualties and maintain stability. The game boasts large-scale environments, detailed modern units, weapons, vehicles, and a variety of single and multiplayer options, including co-op and multiplayer for up to 2 players.

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ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
ARMA 2 screenshot
+7
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74%
Audience ScoreBased on 223 reviews
gameplay3 positive mentions
optimization6 negative mentions
  • The game offers a vast open-world environment with realistic ballistics and a wide variety of vehicles, enhancing the tactical gameplay experience.
  • The community-driven modes and built-in mission editor allow for extensive creativity and replayability, making it a classic in the military simulation genre.
  • Despite its age, the game provides an immersive experience with a strong sense of realism and depth, appealing to players who appreciate tactical planning and teamwork.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs, poor AI behavior, and performance issues, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
  • The controls are overly complex and can be difficult for new players to learn, making the initial experience daunting.
  • The single-player campaign is often criticized for its uneven pacing and lack of polish, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game is characterized by a nonlinear structure that allows for varied mission approaches, but suffers from uneven pacing and weak scripting. While some players appreciate the sandbox nature and the ability to create custom scenarios, many criticize the campaign for its lack of depth, poor voice acting, and numerous bugs. Overall, the game thrives on community-driven content and modding, which has extended its longevity despite its original narrative shortcomings.

    • “You get a story where you play soldiers doing objectives.”
    • “There are multiple ways to do objectives progressing the storyline.”
    • “The main version I have has 2 storylines.”
    • “Its nonlinear structure and political drama aim for authenticity, but the pacing is uneven and mission scripting can be brittle.”
    • “The main storyline has a storyline you can beat in under an hour if you're good at the game.”
    • “Campaign is a big lol, spelling mistakes, like 10 missions, robotic voice acting, very boring.”
  • optimization
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, frequent bugs, and a demanding hardware requirement that leads to inconsistent gameplay experiences. Many players noted that it runs poorly even on high-spec PCs, often comparing it unfavorably to previous titles like Arma III and Arma II. Overall, the optimization problems significantly detract from the game's playability and enjoyment.

    • “Requires a powerful PC to run smoothly.”
    • “Bugs and lagginess, not so well optimized, but I love the DayZ mod.”
    • “Its real virtuality 3 engine pushed hardware to its limits, and performance varied widely depending on mission complexity and terrain.”
    • “So badly optimized that it runs worse than Arma III; stupid AI, buggy mechanics, and some of the worst FPS menus ever, not to mention the amateur dialogues and weak story.”
    • “Poorly optimized, it runs like crap.”
  • stability
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, poor optimization, and clunky mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers describe it as "buggy" and "full of jank," leading to frustration, particularly with gameplay elements like team dynamics and AI performance. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game's stability issues significantly hinder enjoyment.

    • “So badly optimized that it runs worse than Arma III, with stupid AI, buggy mechanics, and some of the worst FPS menus ever, not to mention the amateur dialogues and weak story.”
    • “In short: outdated, buggy, clunky, confusing... would advise against it.”
    • “Nostalgia can't blind us from the fact that this game is a buggy, awful-looking, confusing mess.”
  • gameplay
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Arma 2's gameplay is characterized by its realism and depth, offering a unique experience compared to typical first-person shooters. However, players have noted significant issues with optimization, AI performance, and buggy mechanics, which detract from the overall experience, especially with the shutdown of servers limiting online play. Despite these drawbacks, the game still provides a challenging and engaging gameplay experience for those who appreciate its complexity.

    • “Arma 2’s realism extends beyond its mechanics to its AI systems.”
    • “But the gameplay, the depth, and the community are timeless.”
    • “Arma 2 has challenging gameplay; it's not like other first-person shooters.”
    • “So badly optimized that it runs worse than Arma III, with stupid AI, buggy mechanics, and some of the worst FPS menus ever, not to mention the amateur dialogues and weak story.”
  • graphics
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with some users noting they are severely lacking compared to contemporary titles like Arma III. However, there are mentions of nice maps and an overall immersive experience that can overshadow the graphical shortcomings for dedicated players.

    • “If you can look past the dated graphics and are willing to invest the time to learn its intricacies, you'll be rewarded with one of the most immersive and rewarding gaming experiences ever created.”
    • “It has nice maps and graphics although :)”
    • “Apart from graphics, the game feels very contemporary and comparable to Arma III.”
    • “Yes, the graphics are dated.”
    • “Severely dated graphics.”
    • “The OG military sim - still a legend, graphics be damned!”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like a second job or life is necessary to keep up with the demands.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • music
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music and sound design in the game are generally well-received, with users noting their quality and effectiveness.

    • “The music and sound design are exceptional.”
    • “The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay experience.”
    • “The variety of musical styles keeps the game fresh and engaging.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the game's nostalgic elements and thoughtful features, contrasting them with the prevalent microtransactions and season passes in modern gaming. The absence of aggressive monetization strategies enhances the overall experience, making it a refreshing choice for those seeking a more straightforward purchase model.

    • “Honestly, this game and everything surrounding it just oozes nostalgia for me, which was already enough for me to buy it in a heartbeat on sale. I mean, it even has its own manual! I know it's such a simple thing, but I struggle to find those thoughtful features in games now with all the microtransactions and season passes. It's refreshing to go back to!”
    • “The monetization in this game is fair and doesn't feel exploitative. I appreciate that I can enjoy the game without being bombarded by constant prompts to spend money.”
    • “I love how the game offers plenty of content without requiring additional purchases. It feels like a complete experience, and I don't feel pressured to spend more money to enjoy it fully.”
    • “The monetization in this game is overwhelming; it feels like every corner I turn, there's another paywall blocking my progress.”
    • “I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game. It really detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases makes it hard to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend more money.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users feel that the presence of admins in all Arma versions negatively impacts the game's atmosphere, detracting from the immersive experience that the game aims to provide.

    • “The use of admins in all the Arma versions ruins and destroys the basic atmosphere of the game.”
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78%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

ARMA 2 is a open world shooter game with warfare theme.

ARMA 2 is available on PC and Windows.

ARMA 2 was released on June 29, 2009.

ARMA 2 was developed by Bohemia Interactive.

ARMA 2 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

ARMA 2 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Arma 3, Arma, ARMA: Cold War Assault, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Men of War and others.