Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
A tactical FPS continuing the Normandy saga with improved AI and co-op.
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, Xbox and PlayStation 2. It continues the Brothers In Arms saga as newly promoted Sergeant Joe 'Red' Hartsock, who was part of the historic Normandy invasion in the previous game. The game is notable for its improved enemy AI, more open-ended level designs, and the addition of a co-op skirmish mode.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
- Developer
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher
- Ubisoft
- Director
- Brian Martel
- Producer
- Mike Wardwell
- Programmer
- Patrick Deupree
- Artist
- Matthew Vandolen
- Writer
- Mike Neumann
- Composer
- David McGarry
- Series
- Brothers in Arms
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 2
- Platforms
- Windows · Xbox · PlayStation 2 · Nintendo Wii
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The story is told as a reflection on events that took place earlier, as Army historian Colonel S.L.A. Marshall interviews paratroopers 15+ days after D-Day. It is divided into three parts: Hartsock's time in Sergeant Matt Baker's squad during the initial D-Day invasion, his command of 2nd Squad during the liberation and defense of Carentan and the link-up at Baupte, and the final part in and around Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte. The first part takes place under Baker's command but includes missions not in Road to Hill 30. Hartsock's squad consists of the remains of the original 2nd Squad and remnants of 1st Squad, plus Corporal Seamus Doyle of the 82nd Airborne during the early parts.
Reader's Guide
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood builds on the tactical gameplay of its predecessor, emphasizing the Four Fs tactic—Find, Fix, Flank, and Finish—against enemies. The game discourages run 'n' gun tactics by limiting the player's aim, decreasing health, and placing large numbers of enemies behind cover. The enemy AI constantly repositions according to the player's actions, making stealth and distraction important for flanking. The game supports online multiplayer; the Xbox version's Xbox Live service was shut down on April 15, 2010, but it is now playable online using replacement servers called Insignia. The game received generally favorable reviews for PC and Xbox, and mixed or average reviews for PS2, and was nominated for an Interactive Achievement Award for story and character development.
Did You Know?
- The game includes a co-op skirmish mode added as a patch for the PC version and downloadable from Xbox Live for the Xbox version.
- The story is framed as an interview by Army historian Colonel S.L.A. Marshall 15+ days after D-Day.
- The Xbox version's online multiplayer was shut down on April 15, 2010, but is now playable via replacement servers called Insignia.
- The game uses the same graphics engine as Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, based on Unreal Engine 2.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood?
It is a 2005 tactical first-person shooter built on Unreal Engine 2, developed by Gearbox Software and published by Ubisoft for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2. The game continues the WWII narrative begun in Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, shifting the setting to the Italian campaign.
What makes Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood different from Road to Hill 30?
The sequel overhauls enemy AI so opponents actively flank, take cover, and coordinate assaults rather than simply standing in the open. Level layouts are also more open-ended, and a two-player co-op skirmish mode lets you fight alongside a friend on a separate Italian front.
Who do you play as in Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood?
You command Sergeant Joe 'Red' Hartsock, the same veteran from Road to Hill 30, now leading his squad through a series of Italian missions. Gameplay is structured around squad-based tactics where you direct teammates to suppress, flank, and support your advances.
Why is Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood important to FPS history?
It proved that a grounded, squad-tactical WWII shooter could compete with the faster-paced military FPS formula dominating the mid-2000s. Its smarter AI, open level design, and beloved co-op mode set a benchmark later tactical shooters still reference, and it found a second life on Wii in 2008 through the Brothers in Arms: Double Time compilation.
More in First-Person Shooters of the 2000s, Part 1 1-24
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