Staring into the scope of the light armored vehicle's gun, I sight multiple targets coming down the road. I fire a series of rounds that miss, but they still serve a purpose as they blast craters into the road and afford me a sense of how I need to adjust my aim. The next rounds fire true, blasting bodies into the holes that I've made, like conveniently dug graves.

Forgive me for that moment of fan-fiction-esque storytelling -- I just wanted to convey a second of what my time was like with Battlefield: Bad Company 2's multiplayer. Between terrain deformation, gorgeous settings, and the ability to create custom classes, Bad Company 2 is already vying for the "My Favorite Battlefield Ever" award.

By the end of a match nothing looks as pretty as this.

And I've definitely played my share of Battlefield, though I regrettably missed out on the first Bad Company -- too bad, as it was well-regarded for its extensive destructible environments. This sequel continues in that vein: By the end of a battle, building walls have been blown out, roofs lay collapsed, and particularly conflict-ravaged areas look akin to the surface of the moon. And while the emphasis on explosions could easily create a scenario where everyone is running around with grenade launchers, DICE manages to keep it from devolving into an explosion-fest by reducing splash damage. Explosives certainly kill, but you have to be much more accurate with them this time, forcing you to focus on tactical usage rather than exploiting them willy-nilly. Combat definitely gets more interesting when you think about it terms of "How can I alter the surrounding terrain to create a tactical advantage?" It adds a layer of depth that's been missing in previous Battlefields.

The increased depth in Bad Company 2's multiplayer goes beyond just destructible environments, though. DICE 's track record is impressive, and no one doubts the developer's ability to make great multiplayer games. That doesn't mean it can't learn from others. DICE didn't try to hide key takeaways from other successful online shooters, and Call of Duty 4 got name-checked several times by staff members who showed off the game. Like CoD4 (and in a series first), Bad Company 2 features customizable equipment load-outs. Players who clock online field time earn awards, which unlock new weapons and gear to mix-'n'-match. The biggest goal, according to the developers: for players to feel a sense of constant gratification as they engage their enemies and meet mission objectives. So far, it looks like Bad Company 2 is poised to do a fantastic job of it.