Battlefield 3: Beta (Written by Robert Smith)

       I don't consider myself the kind to jump bandwagons.  I generally don't interact with wagons in any way that might make anyone uncomfortable.  In this spirit, I will admit to two things; I largely ignored the Battlefield series before the first Bad Company installment…and I adored Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.  When Modern Warfare 2 launched, I was making my transition back to PC gaming.  Needless to say…some wounds don't heal easy.  Bad Company 2 did quite a bit to patch up the sore spots MW2 left, and if the recently released beta is any indication, Battlefield 3 may be a new convert's long-awaited reward.

      The recent months have seen their fair share of grumbling over EA's new Origin service, so it wasn't much of a surprise when EA announced that Battlefield 3 would require Origin to run.  It was a pleasant surprise to see that Battlefield 3's Battlelog website takes a large chunk of the interface away from origin and puts it in your browser of choice.  This is both a refreshing new direction for the interface and an unfamiliar landscape for gamers comfortable with the typical in-game menu.  The ability to surf the web while waiting for a server is surprisingly liberating, to the point that it feels like you're doing something wrong.  You're not. Embrace it. 
      The Battlelog service itself is thorough enough, even in Beta.  The server browser doesn't introduce any groundbreaking new features, but it's seamless and easy to navigate - a far cry from the olden days of in-browser server lobbies.  The server list integrates nicely with the rest of the features of Battlelog, including the player profile which tracks stats across both PC and consoles and shows up-to-date scoring and unlockable progress, as well as introducing Platoons which feature a surprisingly sophisticated Emblem creator, and personalized pages.  Tie it all up with a comprehensive friends list that allows for browser-based voice chat and a clever party/invite system, and the uneasiness I felt when first trying the system soon fades.  Now if we could figure out what the hell Gravatar is and why we should care, we'll be golden.
      The game itself is, at its core, a Battlefield game. A few minor introductions serve to keep the experience fresh for returning fans, however.  Jumping straight from Bad Company 2 into Battlefield 3 is not as flawless a conversion as you might expect, and the new class names and revamped Equipment/Specialty trees take a few rounds to get comfortable with.  The separate teams each have different starting kits, and some unlockables are specific to one side's weapon of choice.  The menu system between spawns and rounds is familiar, but oddly lacking, though whether this is strictly for Beta remains to be seen - needless to say if I have to wait until after I spawn to change my key bindings in the final release, someone has some explaining to do.
      The core gameplay, however, shines like a beacon.  Weapons are punchier and more tactile than ever, and the movement does a great deal to bring you into the game.  The terrain-vault animation, which automatically reacts to a player jumping over a low obstacle, adds a surprising element to the feel of movement without actually adding anything. It gives a sense of fluid motion without really slowing you down, and the fact that it requires no specific key to perform makes it seamless and exhilarating.  The new firing position, where three separate buttons denote Hold-to-crouch, toggle crouch, and toggle prone add a new level of maneuverability to top it all off.  Knife kills are animated now, and grisly fun to pull off.  Little else has changed, fortunately.  Rush and Conquest are still the modes of choice, and the standard rules apply for each.  The maps are as expansive and complex as ever, as well - a fact that becomes painfully aware after your millionth death while trying to sort out your position. Though I didn't get a chance to peruse the password-locked Caspian Border map, vehicles seem to operate largely the same as before, and the maps that support them are vast and gorgeous.

Remember, this is Battlefield.  Plan your approach, use cover, and AIM.

       The level of detail in the entire game is designed to bring the player into the action, and Battlefield 3 does this better than most games in the last few years without even seeming to try.  Little things like the slight tilt of a zoomed-in sniper scope while looking around, and watching your character reach to flick up a bipod when you go prone are subtle but intense nudges.  The sound hits like a jackhammer.  Every round you fire is crisp and distinct, and incoming fire is more intense than anything since Saving Private Ryan.  Visuals are breathtaking, even on the lowest settings, and the physics are a cut above. The first time an explosive bowed nearby trees and sent them swaying, I was hooked.
      There was some concern about mid-range PC's being able to support the game's impressive graphics, and the beta has given many a chance to finally see if their kits were up to the challenge.  I recently upgraded my own PC in preparation for this Fall's lineup, and with my GPU (a GeForce GTX560Ti) I was concerned about how far I would be forced to lower the settings to get a decent framerate.  Surprisingly, the game runs incredibly well on the default “High” settings with my kit. Even shy of the “Ultra” settings, textures are reach-out-and-touch-it detailed, fires are as realistic we've ever seen them in-game, and particles drift lazily through the air in the dusty tunnels of Operation Metro.  Step out into the more demanding sunlight, and the entire world opens up.  The lighting is top-notch, and the environments are crisp and very much alive, and the game doesn't suffer for it at all.  It doesn't seem too much of a stretch to guess that even players with lower-end PC's will be able enjoy a fair amount of detail from a game this beautiful.



High-detail smoke and particles make these moments all the more intense.


       I decided try out Beta on the Xbox 360, since low-res YouTube videos didn't show much graphic difference, and the drop in quality is staggering.  Textures are dull and plastic-looking, and details take time to buffer, creating a noticeable break in the ambiance.  I regret to inform our console-centric friends that the visuals they're getting?  Yea, that's not the real Battlefield 3.
      While there are still some bugs to work out before the end of the month (at least we're not falling through the ground anymore,) and a few features that are noticeably absent or awkward, the beta has been a surprisingly solid play experience overall.  Battlefield 3 looks to be an uncompromisingly artful shooter - complex and unforgiving enough for the precise franchise die-hard, but accessible enough for any recent refugee from the Call of Duty series.  Be Advised: 10.25 can't come soon enough.