So the Battlefield franchise continues with the highly acclaimed "Battlefield 2".
I guess it starts with the engine itself. Battlefield 2 feels like a system hog of sorts. Your not going to get a great experience from the game unless you have a high-end PC on your desk. I'm just not one of those players, and I've barely been able to play with solid FPS (Frames Per Second) with my Radeon 9700 Pro without having to play on low settings. So it's not my position to comment on the overall graphics of the game. Make sure you at least have a decent mid-range system when you play this game, it will save you the trouble of that ill-timed frame drop while flying your squad via helicopter.
To get into game-play aspects, there are many features that I personally enjoy about the game. EA/DICE made a solid attempt at increasing the overall teamwork in the Battlefield franchise with this game. Most noticeably is the in game squad system which allows players to join a squad which activates the in-game VOIP (Probably the best aspect of a squad for those playing with headsets). There are also some smaller aspects that aren't worth mentioning but indicate the developers were looking to encourage teamwork. However I feel that the teamwork falls short in this game. The game-play mechanics and the infamous "stat-padding" diminish the incentive of working together in a squad. Overall I feel that the squad system within "vanilla" Battlefield 2 is flawed, however there are a number of modifications that help make better use of it. I'll mention them later if interested.
The commander mode is also something a bit new. It’s actually a pretty handy feature. Once the round begins players have the opportunity to “apply” as a commander for their respective team. If one person applies they may very well receive the role of commander, however if multiple players apply several factors play in. Mainly rank for the most. If the commander plays his/her role properly, they can make quite some difference on the battlefield. There are several key assets to the commander's abilities. You have artillery, supply drops, a UAV and satellite scan. The newest feature includes the ability to drop a vehicle on the map. Most of the assets are self-explanatory. The artillery decimates a targeted area with explosive shells for several seconds; the supply drop delivers a crate that resupplies players and vehicles with ammunition and health. The UAV circles a specified area, and reveals all enemies and links up to each individual's mini-map. The scan just scans the entire map, revealing enemies as red dots. The vehicle drop well.. drops an FAV (Fast Attack Vehicle) on the map. Another important thing about the commander is the ability to communicate with your respective squad leaders. You can assign each individual squad an order to attack, defend move and repair. Although during "pub" play you're not going to find too many squad leaders enthusiastic about following the commander's orders.
Anyhow, I happen to think that the game-play mechanics don't allow BF2 to be called a "tactical shooter". In the early days, players constantly "bunny-hopped", "dolphin-dived" and took advantage of numerous other exploits within the game-play mechanics to gain an edge. The ranking system more than likely fueled that need to be competitive regardless if the player needed to use some cheap exploit to do so. Although I see less and less of it now, the game still seems way too fragmented and fast-paced to be called a "tactical shooter". But I must admit, there are some modifications that do quite well in altering the game-play fundamentals into a much more "tactical" experience. One that comes to mind is Project Reality, which can be found at "realitymod.com".
One of the things I do dislike is the ranking system. It may sound pretty cool at first glance, but it doesn't work well with BF2's game-play mechanics in my opinion. I said earlier the ranking system more or less encourages players to play in the most effective style they could. Battlefield 2 has it so that the best way to play is as the infamous term of "Rambo". So unless you’re playing with some good friends, clan-mates, teammates or some really cooperative players, you’re not going to find an abundant use of teamwork on public servers. Another aspect worth noting is the fact that if you don't own Battlefield 2 Special Forces (A BF2 expansion), you'll be placed at a somewhat disadvantage in terms of firepower. The SF expansion allows veteran players to unlock tier 3 weapons. The tier 3 weapons in the hands of a seasoned player are much more deadly and accurate than the tier 1 and 2 weapons.
When it comes down to vehicles though, I think playing in a tank or an aircraft has really lost their touches. When playing with a vehicle on 64 player servers it's just constant "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEEEEP" and some clicking noises that sound like a cash register. Using a tank seems like playing in a deathtrap. This is because using anti-tank weapons has become a lot easier over previous Battlefield games. This whole guidance system almost makes it difficult to avoid being hit by an anti-tank weapon. For whatever reason, choppers seemed to have lost a lot of versatility over past battlefield games. They virtually fly like tanks for the most part, and can withstand a lot of abuse for some reason (You would think that a single tank shell to a chopper would equal kill right?). Airplanes seem to dominate maps more than they did before. I get killed more by aircraft than tanks or other armored vehicles. And all it takes is a tap on the flares key to save yourself from being killed by an incoming missile.
The value of the game is probably what keeps me from shelving it. There is large modding community for the game. I'm talking total-conversion modifications that change the game visually and game-play wise. My personal favorites belong to Point of Existence & Project Reality. There’s a mod on this game that suits just about anyone's playing style and preferences. This game could last you for the years to come.
I would recommend anyone who enjoys first-person shooters to purchase this game. Even if you dislike the vanilla experience you can always look at the modding community for something different without purchasing a brand new game.