BC2 reminds us that consoles have a long way to go and, as always, it must be compared to MW2.
The age old description comes into play here... Quantity versus quality. By the end of this review you will see why Bad Company 2 excels in quantity while Modern Warfare 2 excels in quality and I hope it will help you make your own decision with how you spend your time.
As with most of my reviews, I skip the whole part about describing what the game or plot is about. Admittedly I never finished the Bad Company 2 single player campaign so I can't tell you how it may have compared, as a whole, to Modern Warfare 2's garbage excuse for a campaign. What I can tell you though is the few hours of it that I did play were disappointing. It was movie-like, like Modern Warfare 2, and extremely linear. Yes, you can flank some enemies but generally speaking you only have one path to follow. What I really hated was that the old horrible method of blocking you in to a path with a green texture that is suppose to be a tree line was used. This isn't the 1990's here folks.. Games have moved past this by now.
So let's get to actual tecnhicalities and gameplay...
Let's get three strikes against Bad Company 2 out of the way:
There is no full-team open chat during online play. So those great games you had in Modern Warfare 2 where everyone talked and helped find the enemy won't be found in BC2. It's quiet, though some games will pair you with a squad where you can hear a few people. Missing full open mic chat is a huge step backwards. A big step back in quality versus MW2, World at War, the original Modern Warfare and many other shooters in the past decade.
Another big strike.. There is no prone. You can stand and kneel but not prone. Ouch. In an age of gaming where many games have impressive cover and lean systems, Bad Company 2 doesn't even have the ability to lay on the ground. There is no way I'd ever go to war if my commander told me I can never lay down in cover. This is laziness on the part of the developer and really hurts quality.
Finally, there are multiplayer server issues right now. I bought the game over a week after release and am having trouble logging in to a multiplayer game. There is a news article out where EA admits its having trouble handling the load. Well, I'm unimpressed to say the least.
So anyways, right off the bat you'll notice Bad Company 2 is big. There will be plenty of online games where you don't even see the whole map. This is where BC2 excels in quantity over Modern Warfare 2. I won't go as far as to say this size achievement is impressive though since, as I discuss later, the graphics are extremely questionable.
Let's discuss sound. Modern Warfare has excellent sound but there's a certain extra thing that is there in BC2 that makes it sound so much better. The distant and constant rumbling of explosions and vehicles really help out. Also BC2 has some pre-defined sound modes for certain types of home stereos, as well as a mode for true war sound. It's nice to have these options.
As for graphics... BC2 is in shambles. First, its pixelated compared to MW2. It reminds me of a game at least 15 years old. The exception are the soldiers, they look great, but everything else is really old school and unimpressive. A clear sacrifice for quantity over quality. Additionally the frames-per-second is horrid. Maybe 30 FPS... I went back to MW2 directly after playing BC2 and was shocked by how silky smooth it was.
BC2 also uses bland ground textures. You won't see the realistic grounds and environments like in MW2 where the dirt has 3d aspects to it, papers fly in the wind and more... In BC2 its flat ground with textures painted on to make it look detailed. We aren't fooled. BC2's graphics are below par and the frame rate stinks.
Something that is hyped for BC2 are the vehicles. The truth is they don't matter much. Yes, they help you travel the land faster but they're generally no better than you would do while on foot. You become a quick target in vehicles and you'll die just as fast as you'll die on the ground. I'm certainly not saying MW2's half effort at vehicles by placing vehicle guns in perks is the correct thing to do but BC2 didn't get it right either.
BC2 definately excels in the realism area. Simply having an explosion or a tank nearby can disturb your ability to aim and shoot straight. Also, explosions can alter sound in a realistic manner without the movie-ish sound that MW2 tries to pull of when theres an explosion nearby. Running and trying to lift your weapon and fire is frustratingly real in BC2 while in MW2 you'll suspiciously rambo-like. If there was one thing in BC2 I loved over MW2 it was the pain and frustration of having my every action affected by what happens around me.
Bc2 also has destructible environments. This is vital for modern day games. Walls, homes, cover, everything can be chipped away or blown up. Obviously this ability probably is a contributing factor to why the graphics are overall so poor but its still a huge advantage to BC2 to have interactive destructive environments.
Multiplayer is a bit crude. The menu's aren't clean and self-explanatory like MW2. Luckily the strangely unfair perk and weapon attachment system is more evened out in BC2 than MW2. You'll still have to unlock things but noobs won't hate the game when they begin. Its max 12 v 12 in BC2 which is fine - even for these large maps. It's the lack of open chat that leaves me scratching my head. For MW2 users of hardcore mode - yes there is hardcore mode in BC2.
Make no mistake: BC2 is a good game but it competes more with older games than with games from 2009/2010. It rivals BattleField 2, released in 2005, and Delta Force Joint Operations and its add-in released 2003/2004. Though fun, it simply doesn't fit in to the required quality of a modern day game.
Conclusion: Each game has its benefits. If you want a large, realistic and destructible environment where you're basically a grunt thrown into war, with some not-so-important vehicles to use, then BC2 may be for you. But if you like a refined game with silky smooth and excellent looking graphics that is well done in every aspect, but the maps aren't breathtakingly large, you have to earn rewards instead of hop in vehicles, and you don't mind being an unrealistic rambo, then MW2 may be for you.
Verdict: 7.5/10 - BC2 is gutsy with its size and realism and shows that console technology may just not be strong enough yet. BC2 is what it is and for $60 its probably worth the experience whether you stick with it or not.
Pros: Big, realistic, excellent sound, destructible environments, vehicles exist if you find a way to make them work well.
Cons: Horrid graphics and even worse framerate, confusing multiplayer interface, no open mic, no way to lay prone, unreliable servers so far.