Over a year has passed since our last look at Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway and since that underwhelming first impression the game's undergone a delay in the name of improvement. Months of additional work have resulted in a highly polished game, although the fundamentals remain intact. Going hands-on with the PC version proves that the core experience is essentially the same as it was a year ago, albeit fine-tuned and visually impressive. That, however, doesn't change our impression that Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway simply doesn't do enough to standout as more than just another World War II shooter in a genre that has been pushed to the edge of innovation by bigger, better titles.

Entitled "Black Friday," the mission which we played through set us in the middle of Holland pushing back Nazi occupiers. The effort to secure the town of Veghel meant starting with the central plaza, a hub of German activity in the village. Well-placed machine gun nests and several German squads stationed in the plaza ensure plenty of resistance. Only by carefully moving forward, utilizing cover, and working with your squad members to eliminate enemy forces camped in the plaza is it possible to secure the point. As if it weren't difficult enough, a thick rain reduces visibility and makes aiming slightly more difficult. Apparently Hell's highway is drenched with rain.

As we mentioned in our first preview of the game, a materials-based cover system allows for cover to be destroyed based on what it's made from. Shooting a stone wall with an assault rifle, for example, will only leave indentations on the wall; however, the same gun easily splinters a wooden bench into bits. Enemies are capable of employing these principles in attacking your squad, so it's important to be aware of where you're taking cover because there's always a risk of it being blown apart. Moving from the town's outskirts into the plaza, cover was difficult to find as German soldiers blasted benches and pounded stone walls with gunfire. Constantly moving and laying down suppressive fire kept the Nazis at bay until we could move in closer for easy kills.

Suppression plays an important part in combat, particularly when you're outnumbered. Circular icons resting positioned above enemies' heads signify whether they are suppressed or not--fully red means totally suppressed, while a sweeping red circle shows waning suppression. Unload a few more bullets and the suppression icon will fill again, buying you a few extra moments. Since taking cover switches the perspective from first to third-person with a targeting reticle, laying suppressive fire is rather easy.

Once the plaza was secured, the mission pressed forward with two new objectives: the destruction of a flak-37 88mm gun. The stationary gun was located just off the town plaza, making it a short jaunt. The German presence remained strong in the area, despite having been routed out of the plaza, surrounding the gun in an effort to save it. A well-instructed shot from a squad mate's bazooka cleared them out quickly. Like previous installments, Hell's Highway employs a real-time tactical battle system that enables you to issue orders to your team on-the-fly.