Battlefield 3

Title: Battlefield 3
Platform Played On:  PC/Xbox 360
Release Date:  October 25, 2011
Date Played:  November 2011+
Time Played:  100+ hours
Completed (Y/N):  Yes
Score:  5/5




Opinion:
This is going to be a two part opinion due to the fact that Battlefield 3 single player and multiplayer might as well be two separate games.

Single Player:

Jets Are Amazing In Both Single and Multiplayer Modes

Battlefield 3 in attempt to take on the juggernaut Call of Duty franchise, whose mantra of providing a solid single player campaign bundled with visceral multiplayer brought it to the top of all games.

I played through the Battlefield 3 campaign on the Xbox 360. Not going to lie, I did it mostly for the achievement points as Ive already put in over 25 hours into the multiplayer on the PC and could have easily played the campaign there as well.

First things first... what a piece of $#it graphics on the Xbox 360, wow. Granted there is the option of installing an HD texture pack which makes them look better, even still the difference between PC and 360 is astounding.  Who's idea was it to have such low resolution textures by default anyways? Battlefield 3's single player does nothing that Modern Warfare 1, 2 and 3 doesnt do (graphically), and they look great without any texture packs. Whats the deal EA? Check out the following screenshots, I kid you not, thats how the WHOLE game is, these are not just selective parts. Its like this from guns to character models to textures on everything from small objects to large ground textures. (Click on the images to zoom).

Pretty amazing huh?  Now with that out of the way I will say that the textures is the worst part of Battlefield 3's Campaign. Everything else is very well executed.  The story is fairly cool with main protagonist being interrogated by the CIA and most of the action taking place in flashbacks.  There are some interesting twists, and cool settings. I actually would like to make a special comment at how good the level layout is, each level feels unique and interesting, and some missions are freaking amazing.  The mission when you are an F18 pilot dog fighting the Iranians is the best air combat level I have ever played in a video game. It looks and feels absolutely incredible.

The same could be said about the Thunder Run (tank) mission, unlike most other games where you feel as vulnerable in a tank as you do on foot, in Battlefield 3 driving an Abram's tank makes you feel invincible.  I was having a blast feeling like I was in a real tank thanks to all of the very well done radio chatter, variety of viewing modes and the ability to speed through the desert as part of an unstoppable tank division.

DICE (developer) did a great job putting together an assortment of levels that feel very different from each other, one moment you are on foot in a city, another moment you are in a tank, then in a jet, then in a villa on a tropical beach, then desert, then you are a sniper with thermal scope, then you are blasting through a door in downtown New York, and the list goes on.  Not only does this make the pacing excellent, it also makes the game consistently interesting.

In Game Screenshot

The campaign does a great job making you feel as a soldier.  This feeling is largely absent from other military shooters, which tend to make you feel like a bad ass Rambo rather than a normal soldier. But in Battlefield 3, you feel like a normal soldier, an essential part of a greater machine; however it still manages to make you feel bad ass with the way everything handles. You do really feel like you have the latest and greatest military technology at your fingertips.  Its just a ton of fun!


Multiplayer:
All of my multiplayer experience is on the PC, so everything I am going to say is in regards to that version only.

Each year video games become more and more sophisticated both mechanically and graphically. We are currently at the point that one can easily argue that video games are a form of art, in that case Battlefield 3's multiplayer is a masterpiece.

Battlefield 3 looks and sounds absolutely amazing.  DICE did an excellent job making the guns (and equipment/vehicles in general) sound as you would expect the real counterparts to sound. From the iconic sound of the A-10 and Su-39 to the sounds of bullets whizzing by your head Battlefield 3 is one of the best sounding games I have ever played.

Diverse maps with epic looking backdrops look fantastic. They make you truly feel like you are in the middle of a massive battle. And in general, the graphics are spot on in every regard. I can not get enough of the detail on every single aspect of the game.

As far as the actual multiplayer is concerned, it is the best Battlefield yet (maybe even the best competitive FPS to date). The mechanics have been re-balanced and streamlined. No longer do you run around helplessly as a medic, those functions have been integrated into the powerful assault class.  And in general every single class is balanced in such a way that it feels powerful.  I have spent 95% of my time playing as an engineer. I love the RPG, and the ability to place AT mines; however lately I have been playing as the Assault class since I have unlocked everything that the engineer class has locked.

Speaking of unlocks, Battlefield 3 features a ranking system similar to the Call of Duty series. For every little thing you do you get experience, with experience you rank up, and with ranks (and certain tasks) you unlock new weapons, attachments, modifications and camouflage. The whole system is balanced in such a way that it is constantly rewarding you with something, after every match, even if it was the worst match ever you will see some ribbons (awards) or new unlocks.  This is a good thing since its not too long in between new toys so you do not get too attached to the "one" and dont bother trying new combinations.

Basically what I am saying is that Battlefield 3 has solid multiplayer.


Conclusion:
Battlefield 3 is a great package. It features a good and diverse single player campaign, and the best competitive FPS multiplayer I have ever played. I have spent dozens of hours in multiplayer alone, and will continue to do so. I am just as excited to play it as I was the day I played my first match.  Battlefield 3 took all of the FPS dials and moved them up a notch. It has the best visuals (PC) I have ever seen in a multiplayer FPS, the largest maps, the best sounds and the best gameplay.  There is nothing like jumping into a 64 player match with jets dog fighting above you, helicopters doing strafing runs and tanks rolling by as you aim your RPG at the window with the sniper in it, consequently taking out half of the building along with the enemy.

Battlefield 3's chaos is insane, its amazing, its fun... This game is a must play! It is soooo good!