The "Blow It Up Again" missions are now available for Mercenaries 2. Just go into the Extras menu, selected Downloadable Content, and you should see it there as a 400MB download.

It's free, so I suspect it's rude of me to complain. But that's never stopped me before. So my first complaint: it's totally self-contained stuff. There is nothing here that bleeds into the full game. It's just four timed missions, each in its own little area, each with its own new vehicle that you can't use in the full game.

Second complaint: the developers at Pandemic include Sarah Palin and Barack Obama character models, which look pretty good, but all the missions are played with them hidden inside vehicles. Furthermore, this is a missed opportunity for bad political humor. After messing around with the four missions, the closest thing to I joke I heard was the rather good Obama sound-a-like saying "This can't be good for foreign relations" after he shot someone.

That's all you guys at Pandemic came up with? Really? You have a game in which you nuke Venezuela, for Pete's sake. Now you have Sarah Palin giving new meaning to "drill, baby, drill" (pictured). How about a little vocal irreverence to keep us entertained while we're playing these uninspired* missions? I consulted writers Kelly Wand, who's far funnier than me, and Christien Murawski, who reads blogs about politics and stuff. They came up with twenty sound bites that Pandemic can have for free.

* Except for a Tango and Cash meet Earthquake race, which is actually pretty good stuff, considering driving isn't one of Mercenaries 2's strong suits.

After the jump are twenty post-kill sound bites that should have been in the Blow It Up Again missions.

20) Obama: Who fragged you? This one!

19) Palin: Real America says "hello"!

18) Obama [in the style of Aliens]: Let's Barack!

17) Obama: I'm Barack Obama and I approve this fraggage.

16) Obama: How about a little audacity of hope...right up the tailpipe?

15) Palin: This is easier than shooting wolves from a helicopter.

14) Obama: Now that's change you can believe in.

13) Palin: Mess with the barracuda and you get the teeth.

12) Palin: That's what you get when you rear your head in my airspace.

11) Obama: Pwned! Next I'll appoint you Secretary of State.

10) Palin: Pal around with this!

9) Obama: You won't be clinging to that gun any more.

8) Palin: Say hello to my little Bush Doctrine.

7) Obama: Yes I can. And I just did!

6) Obama: The fundamentals of your physiognomy are not strong.

5) Palin: I don't need to know any newspapers by name to enjoy your obituary!

4) Obama: Consider your community organized!

3) Palin: Don't get blood on this outfit, I have to give it back.

2) Obama: What I am opposed to is a dumb war.

1) Palin [proudly]: Maverick!

(Huge thanks to Kelly Wand and Christien Murawski for these, but of whom are consummate professionals when it comes to irreverence, politics, and bad humor.)