You know I expected this from EA. How many more Developers must we bash for them to finally get it right?
First off was my main draw to the games, customization. I was under the impression that there would be a wide array of customizable weapons and to have a truly unique game play online as well as in the campaign mode. This is true for the campaign mode to an extent. It's not exactly "customization", it's more of unlocking the weapon upgrade in order until you fully "pimp"( Gold plate and jewel studded weapons that look shinny and increase AGGRO). Being that it is a third person shooter, it limits itself naturally on mechanics like scopes, but things like grips, mounts, and barrels, etc, fall short. With your primary weapon, you get your 4 basic classes. 1)Assault Rifle, with customizable front mount Either grip, shotgun mount, or 40MM grenade launcher, 2) Shotgun, with front grip, 3) Heavy weapons which includes a turret and a granade launcher, And finally light machine guns. Now all weapons have the "Pimped", assault riffles and light machine guns have "shields" which increase your AGGRO(still don't understand that) and pretty much it's the same for all weapons, increase the cartridge, and/or stock depending on the gun. Some weapons aren't even customizable because these are what I consider "AGGRO" weapons due to their higher than normal stats, only allowing you to "Pimp" them. Secondary weapons fallow the same unlockables. The "Special weapons" class is sniper rifles and rocket launchers. The last sniper rifle isn't customizable other than "Pimping" it, and neither are the 2 rocker launchers. For the most part, I though that you could truely make the weapons unique. But that doesn't really matter since it only applies to single player and co-op campaigns. My big draw was thinking that you could use customizable weapons online in versus mode, but you just buy premade weapon packs. Anot no real customization for your character, other than choosing a mask in campaign and choosing a skin online. For the most part, I give the customization for this game a 6/10.
One thing I would like to point out is the AGGRO system which is a nice standout in the game. Pretty much AGGRO is how much attention your character has at that time. It is useful to draw attention away from an injured partner, or distracts a heavily armored foe so you can attack him from behind. This works well in both online versus and campaign modes. Being that this is the only truly unique thing in this game, it stands out the most. I give this feature a 8/10.
The graphics of the game are 6.5 generation. Not quite 7th gen, because the only good thing that looks good is you, your partner, and your guns. The areas are bland, enemies look like rag dolls and there is no real mechanics to the game. For example, rolling, You roll up a hill and down the hill the same way, with no change in speed, high, or reactions, There are no true life like physics implications, just basic rag doll physics. The movement and the camera bobbing is only good when your moving forward, and when your standing still, try rotating the movement stick really fast in circles and see how characters move. That is usually a tell when there is no real life like implications in the game. Sometimes when your completing goals, like planting a bomb, you see the bomb there, but the the game "moves" your character into place, or even their robot like movements when performing actions like praising, just "moving" into spot, not walking either. This is proof of how lazy they were. Next Gen? Try next time. I give the graphics and game play mechanics of this game a solid 5/10.
Campaign mode isn't all that bad, contrary to what most think, I actually like the banter between Salem and Rios. The story isn't that bad, it actually looks logically possible if you think about it. And further more, the cut scenes look good, but fake, and gameplay and cutsense are on a completely diffrent level in terms of graphics. The characters each play an important role, and help push the story along. The story does have some cliche's in it, but for the most part, it was the reason I continued to play the game until beating it. So I give the story a 8/10.
Online Is another. I hope people don't give me that "Ps3 vs 360" deal here, and/or 360 is better than Ps3, because the online sucks period. I don't know if it's like this on both consoles(Ps3 owner) but the online is laggy, The leaderboards never really update, and the game play over all takes a huge hit because of this. Although when a game is good, which is very rare, the online games are fun. Extraction, assasination, destruction are a nice twist throwing in NPCs to fight as well. Online level designs are nice and diverse. Money is the "point system" for AO2 online. Pretty much complete missions, get money, buy weapons pack, and repeat once you have died. It has a relatively small community being that it's only 4 people per game and once one person leaves, the game is over, with no penalties or record of what you did. If they had spend a little more time working on the online mechanics, I think it would be worth it, but there is always the next army of 2 game. Online versus gets a 5/10.
The controls are simple and easy to learn. Nothing hard about aiming and shooting. Although the controls feel sluggish at first, but weapon upgrades give you better aim, especially with sniper files, and give you a nicer feel. They don't give you many options to changing your sensativity because they pretty much feel the same regardless, the only noticable diffrence is the highest and the lowest, other than that, all 4 aren't that much off to each other. Controls gets a 8/10.
I think this game could have been great if they have a few adjustments, improvements, implications, and actually cared they could have done a good job. If they would have allowed greater weapon customization as well as character customization online, for example, buying weapons online, choosing weapons to start with, customizable skins and armor, and variables that actually affect your gameplay other than aiming and damage out put, for example, how armor affects your speed for example, just to keep it diverse and fresh. Offer diffrent types of bonuses and changes to give players a unique playing experience. Since it's all about playing online, you think they would make it more online orientated, but it seems like their focus was getting the game out, and just making your character look good while playing. I just wish they took the time to actually try and make a good game then just put out what ever they felt was acceptable. EA is getting lazier and lazier on every single game the put out and aren't even trying to do something new, especially with their Madden series. If they reuse the same engines and don't develope anything new they are going to go out of buisness. I give this game an overall score of 5.5/10. I know now to rent every game from EA before buying it.