Bad Company 2 Map Pack 7 launches

It wasn't too long a wait, thankfully -- Map Pack 7 has just unlocked for Bad Company 2 players on all platforms. If you've not yet downloaded it, it comes in a large 2+GB file. For PC players, if you haven't yet, be sure to update Punkbuster with some recently uploaded files for optimal play.

The new maps of course include two favourites from Bad Company, plus two solid choices from the Bad Company 2 single player campaign -- Heavy Metal and Cold War.

As of now, PC players will likely have to use the filter to find the new maps, but a substantial amount of servers are using them, so there should be little or no trouble finding matches with decent ping.

Our impressions are below -- feel free to share yours.

Impressions

The new content is pretty solid, each map with a pretty distinct feel, though Harvest and Heavy Metal feel somewhat similar.

Both are large, open grassy areas which will definitely force players to develop new tactics. They also make for some wild vehicular fun; recon players should have a grand old time as well, while the firefights rage at the map centers. Conquest seems to be the optimal mode, here.

Cold War, meanwhile, takes place in the very first section of its single player namesake. It's a very small, tight map, with a tank thrown in for good humor -- definitely lends itself best to Deathmatch and Squad Deathmatch modes.

Lastly, we had trouble seeing what all the fuss over Oasis is about, though perhaps this will make itself more clear over time. It's a relatively small and somewhat open area with lots of buildings for cover, and seems to bear similarity to the classic BF2 map Strike on Karkand. It lends itself well to all modes, really.

A minor but neat bonus is the addition of new music for the new map loading screens, which is as solid as anything else on the soundtrack, if not moreso.

Bottom line: these are some really interesting new locales that will definitely add longevity and variety to the Bad Company 2 experience. Word is the community is more lively than its ever been, which should keep up, especially with Vietnam hitting later in the month.