The beta version of DICE’s highly anticipated FPS Battlefield 3 was released earlier this week, to mixed responses. So what is our opinion?
When i first began to play the game, i was amazed. Whist the graphics are nothing compared to the superior graphics on the PC, they are still some of the best i have ever seen on a console. They are not as crisp or shiny as one might find on games such as Crysis 2, however the frostbite 2 engine really creates an atmosphere that makes you feel like you have been dropped right in a middle of a war.
On a number of occasions, i have attemped to blow a bridge or building to smithereens using a ‘SMAW’, only to see the rocket go straight through the wall, or only chip of a small amount of the structure. Other than the few times this has happened, the destruction seems to be working very well. Bits of a wall chips off as you shoot over it, trees fall in front of you, and now falling debri can harm your character. The Frostbite 2 engine seems to be worth all the hype, and DICE assure us that the destruction has been limited for the beta, and will be better in the full game.
Glitches, there are many. Using the new prone feature, you may find yourself under the map. Following a team mate, you notice his neck extend comically. These and many other glitches should be finished by the games release later this month, and maybe even be fixed later on in the beta testing process, as they continue to release updates. In my opinion, the glitches to not really effect how much I enjoy the game. Partly as I am aware that it is the beta, and also that the glitches are mostly small, visual glitches that don’t effect the core gameplay.
The actual gameplay is very good, its fast pased and has tense moments. The only playable map, ‘Operation Metro’ is set in Paris, and begins in a park, before going underground in a subway station, and then coming up to the main streets of Paris. This was a great choice of map for the beta, it shows off some of the best lighting moments in the subway, when you turn a corner, and an enemy’s tactical light blinds you. The map allows you to play as almost every class, as the park works well with snipers, and the underground works well for close combat.
Overall i love the beta, and i will love the full game. As i fan of Bad Company 2, i am glad to see that it is still quite similar. It seems like the grabbed the best bits of BC2, such as destruction, vehicles, weapons etc, and then they combined it with the best bits of call of duty, making the game feel alot smoother.
