Brothers In Arms is back with its third installment: "Hell's Highway." The story picks up where the last game left off and once again you'll be controlling Staff Sergeant Matt Baker as the game takes you on a, inspired by true events, journey with the 502nd Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division during World War II.

You'll find yourself in the middle of Operation Market Garden, an operation fought in the Netherlands and Germany, in hopes of gaining control of key bridges in German control, which would then have opened up the advance across the Rhine and straight into Germany. The plan was a failure and eventually abandoned, but Hell's Highway gives you a chance to rewrite history, that is, of course, only if you have the balls for such a task.

Like the series' previous offerings, Hell's Highway is more than just a shoot 'em up no brainer, as strategy, tactics, and tact are more important in this game than simply selecting your weapon and holding down the trigger. If some of the allies' greatest commanders couldn't do it years ago, it would have been shameful if Ubisoft had made the game too simple for those in the comfort of their family room's and so Ubisoft makes sure that the operation is as tough as they could make it for the controller strategist of today.

The first thing you'll notice if you've played the earlier games is that the war has taken its toll on Baker, no longer is he as calm and composed as he once was. Throughout the game, squadmates, as well as himself, question his state of mind. With this aspect of the game Ubisoft has truly done a commendable job of portraying the degradation of one's psyche through a long, draining war. While this facet of character development is a positive, the game features fewer monologues than previous games, which will leave you feeling as if you haven't connected to the characters as much as in the earlier games.

Controller scheme is of average difficulty to learn and those who have logged time in with the earlier Brothers In Arms or games such as Rainbow Six won't have troubles getting used to the control set. This is a good thing because it will take effort to use the controls effectively to make the right moves to navigate yourself through the logical maze that this game is. Finesse in commanding your men using the proper controls will get you much further than brute force. This is perhaps one of the strongest points of the game. Designers have paid close attention to the actual dynamic between the squad, which allows for more effective command of your troops.

Throughout the game you will be able to control either fire teams, special weapons squads, or assault teams. Each team will allow you to establish a different presence in each situation and to become successful in the game you'll have to get a good understanding of when it's best to use which team and how to best use them.

A tactic you must use regardless of your strategy is the cover and shoot. The cover and shoot system has been refined with Hell's Highway and the health system has been revamped. While you take cover, you will actually slowly gain health back, something to keep in mind during one of the many intense gunfights.

While some gunfights will take place in beautifully rendered surroundings, others will take place in surroundings which seem half finished with portions of the map seeming almost a little unfinished. Animations are sporadic too with some being great while others are clearly lacking.

Another sporadic aspect of the game is the AI. At times both your enemies and squadmates will act like the finest of soldiers, while at others they will act like elementary school kids thrown into battle, recklessly walking into the line of fire.

At the end of the day, the story aspects of Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway are some of the best of any title in this class. Erratic graphics and AI, however, bring the gameplay down a little though. For those who want a game that truly captures the emotional aspects of a long, tiring war and lets you rewrite history a little for yourself, this is a must-have.

Our rating: 4 out of 5