<s>
Mercenaries	B-Language
:	I-Language
Playground	I-Language
of	I-Language
Destruction	I-Language
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Pandemic	O
Studios	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
LucasArts	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
gains	O
control	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
three	O
mercenary	B-Application
main	O
characters	O
and	O
completes	O
contracts	O
in	O
the	O
war-torn	O
country	O
for	O
profit	O
and	O
to	O
prevent	O
a	O
nuclear	B-Application
war	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
World	I-Application
in	I-Application
Flames	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2008	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
order	O
to	O
get	O
back	O
in	O
the	O
favor	O
of	O
an	O
offended	O
faction	O
,	O
the	O
mercenary	B-Application
must	O
complete	O
contracts	O
for	O
the	O
faction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mercenary	B-Application
may	O
disguise	O
himself	O
by	O
driving	O
a	O
faction	O
's	O
vehicle	O
,	O
allowing	O
for	O
enemy	O
outpost	O
infiltration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
disguise	O
is	O
rendered	O
ineffectual	O
should	O
the	O
enemy	O
spot	O
the	O
mercenary	B-Application
entering	O
the	O
vehicle	O
,	O
should	O
the	O
player	O
exit	O
the	O
vehicle	O
or	O
if	O
the	O
player	O
engages	O
in	O
inappropriate	O
behavior	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
attacking	O
enemy	O
troops	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
completion	O
of	O
a	O
mission	O
rewards	O
the	O
mercenary	B-Application
with	O
cash	O
,	O
increase	O
in	O
the	O
faction	O
's	O
disposition	O
,	O
and	O
tips	O
regarding	O
the	O
Deck	O
of	O
52	O
;	O
it	O
occasionally	O
unlocks	O
items	O
,	O
vehicles	O
,	O
or	O
airstrikes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
must	O
gain	O
only	O
enough	O
Intelligence	O
by	O
verifying	O
targets	O
before	O
the	O
AN	O
gives	O
the	O
player	O
the	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
contract	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
,	O
the	O
most	O
important	O
figure	O
in	O
a	O
suit	O
,	O
is	O
located	O
in	O
an	O
isolated	O
,	O
often	O
heavily	O
fortified	O
area	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
dropped	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
contract	O
usually	O
consists	O
of	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
required	O
and	O
optional	O
objectives	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
accessed	O
in	O
multiple	O
routes	O
,	O
before	O
the	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
is	O
available	O
for	O
verification	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
is	O
verified	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
transported	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
main	O
region	O
to	O
hunt	O
down	O
another	O
suit	O
of	O
targets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
suffers	O
from	O
an	O
glitch	O
,	O
where	O
saving	O
the	O
same	O
campaign	O
playthrough	O
in	O
multiple	O
slots	O
can	O
result	O
in	O
corrupted	O
data	O
on	O
the	O
memory	O
card	O
though	O
saving	O
in	O
one	O
slot	O
each	O
for	O
different	O
playthroughs	O
with	O
different	O
characters	O
is	O
apparently	O
fine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
are	O
areas	O
that	O
usually	O
surround	O
the	O
province	O
(	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
the	O
Black	O
Gate	O
until	O
after	O
the	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
of	O
Clubs	O
is	O
verified	O
)	O
and	O
are	O
marked	O
in	O
red	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
world	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
North	O
Korea	O
,	O
where	O
General	O
Choi	B-Language
Song	I-Language
leads	O
a	O
violent	O
coup	O
against	O
his	O
father	O
President	O
Choi	O
Kim	O
's	O
government	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mercenary	B-Application
is	O
given	O
the	O
choice	O
of	O
either	O
apprehending	O
or	O
killing	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
deck	O
,	O
though	O
killing	O
them	O
only	O
rewards	O
the	O
player	O
with	O
half	O
their	O
bounty	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
entering	O
the	O
game	O
world	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
given	O
the	O
choice	O
of	O
playing	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
three	O
available	O
mercenaries	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
faction	O
concerns	O
itself	O
with	O
one	O
goal	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
mercenaries	B-Application
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Allies	O
for	O
instance	O
,	O
only	O
intend	O
to	O
remove	O
Song	O
from	O
power	O
though	O
they	O
possess	O
the	O
missions	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
"	O
contracts	O
that	O
advance	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Russian	O
Mafia	O
concerns	O
itself	O
only	O
with	O
exploiting	O
the	O
conflict	O
and	O
setting	O
up	O
illegal	O
activities	O
,	O
and	O
dealing	O
arms	O
which	O
the	O
mercenary	B-Application
may	O
buy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mercenary	B-Application
assists	O
AN	O
forces	O
in	O
repelling	O
the	O
attack	O
,	O
destroying	O
the	O
guns	O
and	O
verifies	O
the	O
Two	O
before	O
venturing	O
on	O
to	O
meet	O
the	O
other	O
three	O
factions	O
in	O
play	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
embarking	O
on	O
these	O
optional	O
missions	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
gathers	O
enough	O
intelligence	O
to	O
unlock	O
the	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
contracts	O
,	O
the	O
theatre	O
of	O
war	O
moving	O
from	O
the	O
Southern	O
Province	O
to	O
the	O
Northern	O
Provinces	O
midway	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
finally	O
arrives	O
on	O
the	O
Ace	B-General_Concept
of	O
Spades	O
contract	O
;	O
General	O
Song	O
himself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
heavy	O
fighting	O
against	O
Song	O
's	O
remaining	O
forces	O
,	O
the	O
mercenary	B-Application
discovers	O
through	O
the	O
still	O
alive	O
President	O
Choi	O
that	O
Song	O
has	O
acquired	O
the	O
launch	O
codes	O
for	O
his	O
country	O
's	O
nuclear	O
armament	O
,	O
and	O
launches	O
them	O
before	O
the	O
mercenary	B-Application
enters	O
battle	O
with	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
three	O
playable	O
characters	O
in	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
:	O
Christopher	O
Jacobs	O
,	O
Jennifer	O
Mui	O
,	O
and	O
Mattias	O
Nilsson	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
are	O
mercenaries	B-Application
employed	O
by	O
ExOps	O
during	O
the	O
North	O
Korean	O
conflict	O
,	O
but	O
only	O
one	O
character	O
of	O
player	O
's	O
choice	O
is	O
dispatched	O
to	O
the	O
war-zone	O
in	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
,	O
each	O
mercenary	B-Application
can	O
speak	O
a	O
unique	O
language	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
English	O
,	O
so	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
understand	O
conversations	O
of	O
a	O
particular	O
faction	O
by	O
reading	O
the	O
subtitles	O
shown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chris	O
Jacobs	O
:	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Phil	O
LaMarr	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
former	O
Delta	B-Application
Force	I-Application
operator	O
from	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
is	O
highly	O
efficient	O
in	O
stealthy	O
maneuvers	O
as	O
she	O
does	O
not	O
alert	O
enemies	O
as	O
easily	O
as	O
other	O
mercenaries	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mattias	O
Nilsson	O
:	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Peter	O
Stormare	O
)	O
was	O
once	O
a	O
Swedish	O
Navy	O
artillery	O
officer	O
until	O
he	O
became	O
a	O
mercenary	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	B-Application
contains	O
unlockable	O
skins	O
as	O
rewards	O
for	O
completing	O
certain	O
in-game	O
tasks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	B-Language
:	I-Language
Playground	I-Language
of	I-Language
Destruction	I-Language
received	O
"	O
generally	O
positive	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Davis	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
"	O
a	O
much	O
better	O
game	O
overall	O
"	O
than	O
Full	B-Application
Spectrum	I-Application
Warrior	I-Application
,	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
Pandemic	O
Studios	O
previously	O
developed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Davis	O
said	O
that	O
at	O
first	O
the	O
game	O
looks	O
like	O
a	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
knockoff	O
due	O
to	O
similar	O
elements	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
,	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
get	O
in	O
any	O
vehicle	O
you	O
see	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
is	O
more	O
non-linear	O
and	O
mission-based	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
was	O
ported	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
on	O
April	O
28	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
Famitsu	O
gave	O
it	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
two	O
nines	O
,	O
one	O
eight	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
seven	O
for	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
33	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Detroit	O
Free	O
Press	O
gave	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
version	O
all	O
four	O
stars	O
and	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
great	O
diversion	O
from	O
everyday	O
life	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sydney	O
Morning	O
Herald	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
four-and-a-half	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
and	O
said	O
"	O
while	O
it	O
's	O
not	O
quite	O
as	O
epic	O
as	O
[	O
Grand	O
Theft	O
Auto	O
:	O
San	O
Andreas ]	O
,	O
the	O
combat	O
within	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
is	O
more	O
focused	O
and	O
polished	O
,	O
thanks	O
to	O
tight	O
controls	O
,	O
amazing	O
graphics	O
and	O
clever	O
physics	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
New	O
York	O
Times	O
gave	O
it	O
a	O
similarly	O
favorable	O
review	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
while	O
most	O
such	O
games	O
overlay	O
this	O
free-form	O
world	O
with	O
rigidly	O
structured	O
missions	O
,	O
Mercenaries	B-Application
allows	O
the	O
player	O
almost	O
as	O
much	O
freedom	O
in	O
action	O
as	O
it	O
does	O
in	O
travel	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Maxim	O
similarly	O
gave	O
it	O
eight	O
out	O
of	O
ten	O
and	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
Missions	O
full	O
of	O
vehicles	O
to	O
wrangle	O
and	O
people	O
to	O
off	O
feel	O
like	O
a	O
cross	O
between	O
'	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
 '	O
and	O
'	O
Metal	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
Solid	I-Application
 '	O
with	O
a	O
dash	O
of	O
'	O
Contra	B-Application
 '	O
thrown	O
in	O
for	O
spice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	B-Application
shipped	O
105,000	O
units	O
for	O
its	O
launch	O
in	O
France	O
alone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	B-Application
was	O
banned	O
from	O
shelves	O
in	O
South	O
Korea	O
for	O
depicting	O
war	O
in	O
its	O
still-hostile	O
region	O
,	O
as	O
was	O
Ghost	B-Application
Recon	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
