It's at points like these where the Onslaught experience really starts to gel. As things become more hectic and you're yelling out to teammates for ammo resupplies or med kits or sniper or anti-vehicle support, the mode opens up. In speaking with the producers, they've said they intend for Onslaught to serve as a training ground for squads to practice for the challenges of multiplayer at a time where the leaning curve for the online game has become extremely steep, and in that regard it could really work. Working together is the key to success in Bad Company 2 online. Learning to do so against AI opponents just might be the ideal introduction to those dynamics.

The meta-goal of Onslaught is time based. Each attempt is timed, and you'll constantly be working to best previous times by better coordinating and working together with your squad. As you learn each map and objective and learn to better work as a team, you'll finish each scenario more quickly, assuming of course that you can survive. When teammates are killed, they'll respawn just as they do in online multiplayer, as long as one squad member remains alive. If everyone dies though, the game is over. This issue never popped up for my teammates and I in an hour and a half of play however, which is my one concern with Onslaught mode for the time being (other than the still nebulous price point).

While things were often a little nuts and teamwork was encouraged, it rarely actually felt like we were in any serious danger. While I realize that DICE intends to create a mode where people can ease into competitive multiplayer dynamics in a "safer" setting, as an advanced Bad Company 2 player, I'd still like to have the option to join in with some friends to play against the AI and be challenged, and to see the new-ish areas on offer. For example, Valpraiso is a much different experience in the dark. Enemies will rush unseen out of bushes and up the shores of the level from where you can't see them. This often elicited cries of surprise straight out of the movie "Aliens" as we yelled out locations to squad mates, and were forced to use the radar to find pockets of enemy resistance while guiding the tank. The final section of Valpraiso, which sees your squad capping a point out in the open with no cover as enemies parachute in on all sides, feels, dare I say it, new.

Expanding the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 online multiplayer experience, Onslaught Mode delivers the first online co-op Battlefield action to PS3 and Xbox 360

Up to 4 players can team up and put their squad skills to the test across 4 enhanced multiplayer maps, fighting against enemy land, sea, and air forces such as the new Mark V SPECACT boat. Work together to secure and hold a series of capture points in the quickest time possible and compare your stats on the Onslaught leaderboards against your friends and other players across the community.

With 4 different levels of difficulty, including Hardcore, Onslaught is the ideal battle ground for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 players, whether new or seasoned veterans, to perfect their squad play skills!

Objective Details
Squad Mode: 1-4 player co-operative mode against AI enemies
Maps: 4 maps delivering different gameplay experiences, all with new lighting/time of day. Valparaiso, Atacama Desert, Isla Inocentes, Nelson Bay
New enemy vehicles: Mark V patrol boat
Mission: Battle against time and try to beat your personal best
Leaderboards: Compare your stats on the dedicated Onslaught Leaderboards against your friends and other players across the community
Difficulties: Four difficulties - Easy, Normal, Hard, Hardcore
Achievements: 8 trophies and achievements