Let me preface this post by saying that I am well aware there are numerous discussions comparing these three games, however I would like to see some intelligent intercourse between individuals that have played numerous games in this genre.Although I did not participate in the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Beta, I do own Battlefield 1943. Further, I partook in the MAG Beta, and I own Modern Warfare 2.
I have owned a number of the major first-person shooter titles since the respective releases of the Xbox 360 and the PS3. I recall purchasing Call of Duty 2 at the launch of the Xbox 360 and marveling at the game's graphics, and when Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter debuted, I was equally impressed.
I picked up Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare the day it was released, and praised it for its fantastic multiplayer gameplay. I did not purchase Modern Warfare 2 until a few weeks ago because, long story shot, I sold both my Xbox 360 and PS3 before I started law school. I only lasted a year without a video game console, and I picked up a PS3 Slim on Black Friday. I think Modern Warfare 2 is a great game. Actually, I'm pretty addicted to the multiplayer portion of the game. I have always been good at "twitch" first-person shooters such as Halo. I was ranked in the top 100 of both Halo 2 and Halo 3 for the time period in which I played those games. Therefore, it is pretty obvious that I love Modern Warfare 2. Sure, there is some strategy, and knowing the maps is very important, but what the game boils down to is who sees who first and who reacts more quickly.
The graphics of Modern Warfare 2 are good, not great. Killzone 2 is unrivaled aesthetically, and it shows when compared to Modern Warfare 2. The graphics Battlefield: Bad Company 2 look outstanding. Not only are all of the buildings destructible, but the guns look cleaner, the trees move and sway in the wind, and the soldiers look more realistic. I find it slightly annoying in Modern Warfare 2 when I throw a semtex grenade or shoot a grenade launcher, aim just a bit too low, and be shot to death because the semtex/grenade blew up against the wall and did not injure my opponent at all. Not only is it unrealistic, but it is annoying. Imagine if you could kill anyone in any structure using the predator missile killstreak bonus. Pretty realistic, huh?Furthermore, in Battlefield: Bad Company 2, you can use tanks, fly helicopters, and control UAVs. I think that is pretty cool, and I really enjoy using tanks, planes and jeeps in Battlefield 1943. Ultimately, I believe that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will bring some healthy competition to the genre. Will we ultimately be able to compare the two games? Yes. They are not that different. It appears that Bad Company 2 will be a more polished game than Modern Warfare 2.
The MAG Beta really opened my eyes to the game's potential, or more specifically, it's lack thereof. I pre-ordered MAG because I loved the thought of 256-person online multiplayer. In addition, I liked how the developers set up the troop leader system. However, in practice, I am of the opinion that the troop leader system will fail. Why, you ask? Play Modern Warfare 2 online for an hour, try to get more than one other person to work with you, and see how that goes. Plus, in the 64 person games in the MAG Beta, you are only really playing 12 v. 12 games. The maps are so massive, and because each troop has its own objective, you really aren't playing 64 v. 64. Furthermore, it is an online only game. If the servers or your internet go down for whatever reason, you will not be able to play the game. There is no single-player campaign. Additionally, the graphics are sub-par, and the weapons customization (and weapon choice, for that matter) is anemic. Yes, the graphics need to be toned down to accommodate 256 players, and that is fine. I still see it as a negative, however. Another thing that bothers me about MAG is the the animation when a grenade is thrown. It looks like the puppet arm of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. Ultimately, I cancelled my pre-order of MAG. If people really adhere to the troop leader system, and the game becomes a massive success, then I will reconsider purchasing the game. However, until that time, serious server problem with the Beta will keep me from purchasing MAG (along with the above-mentioned reasons). I, instead, pre-ordered Battlefield: Bad Company 2 because I plan on keeping Modern Warfare 2.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree? Weigh in!
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