Gamer Unit

The mention of Battlefield brings to mind a picture – one of mass destruction, vehicular action, and ridiculous snipes. Battlefield 3 has delivered in terms of overall pandemonium, with the new Frostbite 2 engine setting a standard for all FPS games to marvel at. The achievable destruction in Battlefield gives the player the satisfaction of being to take matters of war into their own hands, and manipulate the battle to their own needs. This feeling of of omnipotence and power is what makes BF3 a sellout and a great game among the masses. 
Frostbite 2 did redefine map interaction in gaming when it came out, but it did have a down side. Not everything in Battlefield was destructible. Some buildings could be brought down completely, whereas some buildings only had exploding walls. This lent to a rather unpleasant effect where the player felt like their power was limited by DICE’s coding shortcomings. It felt like DICE made collapsing buildings just for the sake of it, and not with their heart and soul. For a player to experience such great fun for the first time in an FPS, then be limited by something like this is a disappointing aspect of Battlefield. Nevertheless, Battlefield 3 is the first in the league of FPS to offer this level of destruction. 
Which brings me to the graphics. Battlefield has awesome graphics, and the fact is undeniable. Try and walk closer to a building or a rock while playing. You might notice that from very up close, the graphics aren’t as great as they appear to be. Walk farther away, and the rock looks just about real. Why? Because Battlefield has used lighting techniques well, and has efficiently made use of lens flares to give the screen a bright and vivid look. Even the smallest details have been handled, like the muzzle flash of a gun a mile away, or a flashlight in your eye, or the trees swaying in the direction of wind. This adds to the visual appeal, and makes me say say that the game definitely has pleasing aesthetics. 
The gameplay itself feels like seamless reality; partly because of the graphics, and partly because of Frostbite 2. Vehicles also add to the war like feeling of the game. The game is aptly named Battlefield – it’s the closest war like game made till date. The freedom of choice adds a new facet to the rather limited gameplay of other multiplayers. The ability to have three options to get from point A to B or to destroy target C is what makes the multiplayer worth playing. Vehicle mastery is challenging to acquire is BF3 and one can spend hours trying to achieve it – hours put to good use. Battlefield 3’s unlock system is rewarding, and makes you feel like a soldier getting a promotion. Every kill is satisfying, but not necessarily for the right reasons.
The maps are very large scale, and on consoles 32 player games are the max. This tends to make large maps very boring if there is a less number of players. All COD players coming to battlefield definitely need time to adjust because in COD, enemies are around every corner, whereas you might have to walk for minutes on end in battlefield, which could ultimately result in an irritating sniper taking you out; enjoy repeating the whole process. The fact that longer distances have to be travelled to get a kill does make every kill more satisfying, but the 32 player maps for console are just not satisfactory.
Coming to the story – let me be straightforward with you. The story is plainly and simply – bland. It doesn’t offer the same freedom of choice as the multiplayer, is painstakingly linear, and doesn’t offer as much vehicle gameplay as I would have liked. Not to mention the fact that it is heavily clichéd: Russians, betrayal, stealth missions, the typical stuff. The story is definitely a turn off, and literally ruins the game for those not playing online. BF3 also does not offer any extras like Spec Ops in call of duty to provide even more entertainment.
The sound in BF3 is amazing, I just love the soundtrack. The guns sound real and deadly, and the song creation makes the game feel epic.
If only online is taken into account, Battlefield 3 is a force to be reckoned with, including graphics and sound. But with a story, the game loses some of its value.
GAME HARBOR SCORE – 8.6