Nine months after Bad Company 2′s successful release on consoles, publishers EA and developers Digital Legends Entertainment released Bad Company 2 for iPhone. At £3, the game isn’t expensive, but how does it compare to other iPhone shooters and Bad Company 2 proper?

The singleplayer campaign puts you in the shoes of Preston Marlowe, the most normal member of the titular Bad Company. The campaign features the standard allotment of shoot-em-ups, stealth sections, and vehicle sections. Whilst objectives are typically just to kill all enemies, the game does mix it up with static targets to blow up with C4 and a memorable timed escape sequence. Overall, the campaign is well constructed and a lot of fun.

Bad Company 2′s multiplayer mode, the strongest point of the series on consoles, is a mixed bag here. On local Bluetooth or wireless, the few game modes on offer are surprisingly fun although a limit of four players is disappointing. Going online is a more awkward experience, where no matchmaking and frequent connection errors make the game difficult to bear. You’re best off leaving out the multiplayer and focusing on the campaign unless you’ve got a few friends handy or a lot of patience.

Players of the console versions will feel right at home as the iPhone game looks and feels suprisingly similar, and newcomers to the series will find a professional looking game. The graphics are a strong point of the title, particularly on the iPhone 4′s Retina display, and the game runs smoothly. Sound is likewise excellent, with the award winning Bad Company 2 sound design being adequately represented. The enemy AI is decent, with enemies realistically taking cover and dodging grenades. Finally, the controls are as good as any other shooter on the iPhone, which is to say they’re passable. Bad Company 2 is certainly living up to its heritage by being one of the more technically accomplished games for the iPhone.

Even given the problems with multiplayer, the singleplayer campaign alone is worth the price of admission. Excellent pacing and a wide variety of gameplay sequences negate the typically droll story. The graphics and sound are also worthy of praise, with the game’s console roots clearly on display with its professional and technically strong appearance. Bad Company 2 for iPhone is a surprisingly strong addition to the Battlefield franchise, and one of the best shooters available for iPhone.