Mercenaries 2 contracted for PS2, PC and 360

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames will be released on PlayStation 2 as well as PlayStation 3 when the game launches later this year, developer Pandemic has revealed, and will also be joined by Xbox 360 and PC versions.

A 360 version was all but inevitable, given the original Mercenaries' huge success on PS2 in 2005, but Pandemic has surprised by announcing the PS2 edition of the high-powered, next-genified sequel.

Unsurprisingly, the old-gen version will be stripped of much of the visual flair and explosive effects that should amaze gamers on PS3, 360 and PC. It will also lose therecently exposedexciting co-op multiplayer mode.

Above: Will Mercenaries 2 lookthis splendid on PS2?Only on Earth-Two

The PS2 version will be developed outside of Pandemic, and will - at a crude level - be a melding of the original Mercenaries' engine with downgraded models, world design and appearance from Mercenaries 2, Pandemic's senior producer Jonathan Zamkoff has told website IGN in anew interview.

Meanwhile, the three next-gen versions will be on an equal footing, with Pandemic keen to preserve parity across the platforms and unwilling to create new and exclusive features for any single version. However, Xbox 360's edition will, of course, feature Achievement Points.

February 22, 2007

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.