Battlefield 3 – Game Analysis & Review
By James Tjaden
Developer: EA Digital Illusions CE
Publisher: Electronic Arts, Sega (Japan)
Engine: Frostbite 2
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Genre: First-person shooter
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Rating: Mature
Graphics – 10/10
The visuals in this game are simply stunning. On the 360 there is an HD video upgrade download included with the game that takes up 1.5GB of space on the hard drive. The improvements are minimal, but it does give the game a sharper look all around. If you only have the 4GB hard drive though, or are limited on space the “default” graphics do not disappoint. The textures of the models give the game a much more realistic feeling than what has been offered on the 360 prior to its release. What really helps add to the realism factor, though, is the destructible environments. They went beyond adding a few things in the environment that can be shot out, and actually incorporated it into the game design. Objects that your player is forced to hide behind to avoid gunfire can be destroyed, forcing you to continuously move and find cover. This helps give a realistic feeling to being a soldier under fire.
The thing that made this game stand out in a visual sense is the attention to detail. Not just the overall detail of characters, but the minute details that are often overlooked or cut due to time/budget. The art team definitely had great leadership in making sure these details were not missed. Most noticeable were the tiny dust specs floating in rays of light, the imperfections that naturally exist in curved glass while in the cockpit, and the lens flares from light sources that can play a role in visibility. By focusing on these details it really helps bring the player into the environment and immerse them in the action.
Gameplay – 7/10
Battlefield 3 definitely will draw the player in and make them want to play more. This is a result of the graphics being top notch, as well as the sound. A very strong attention to detail was also applied to the sound as it pertains to the characters position. The audio is perfectly handled when wearing a gas mask to where the character’s voices are muffled, while environment audio is crystal clear since the mask does not cover the character’s ears. The controls are easy to learn and quick to pick up and run with. There is a mini tutorial at the beginning that gives the player a brief intro to the basic controls to help alleviate a learning curve. The difficulty increases as you play through the campaign so it doesn’t feel trivial and mindless killing enemies toward the end.
That being said the game has many shortcomings that are hard to overlook. The campaign does seem a little convoluted and an afterthought to a largely multiplayer game. The game also seems to hang up each time it has to save, sometimes resulting in frustrating crashes. (The worst spot for a game to crash as it can potentially corrupt the save data.) While the destructible environment adds to the realism feel of the game, there are certain objects that do not work well. Shooting a computer monitor results in the monitor being knocked down while the light emitter remains. What you are left with in an office after a hail of gunfire is a bunch of glowing lights with no real sources. The AI is also somewhat lacking and relatively rigid in their path construction. There were multiple instances where an enemy would run past the character ignoring its existence because it was designed to run to a point and then shoot regardless of the player’s character. Possibly the most frustrating gameplay element is the laziness of environment creation. A prime example of this would be when running through a street and seeking cover behind a destroyed car. A gap in the texture allows a clear shot at an enemy, but when the shot is fired it is affected by a full shaped collision box. This forces you to move your character into the line of fire to be able to make a shot despite having a clear line of sight while behind cover. On the hard difficulty the player is only able to take 3 shots before dying so being forced into gunfire can make it very difficult to progress through the game for even the most accurate shooter.
Multiplayer – 9/10
With the reputation that Battlefield has of being one of the best multiplayer games to date, this edition had a lot to live up to. It passed the test with flying colors, literally. Battlefield 3 could have gotten by on creating a simple shooter multiplayer and gotten by on graphics/sound alone. It clearly wasn’t satisfied with being equal to that of the Call of Duty series and wanted to give the players a different experience. While keeping an unlocking system that rewards players for accomplishments, it was expanded upon by giving even top players something to desire. What set the original Battlefield apart from traditional FPS multiplayer was the ability to control a multitude of armory to decimate your enemies. This latest version does not disappoint. Not only are there tanks and jeeps, but the ability to pilot jet fighters and helicopters. Now yes these were available in previous Battlefield games, but the addition of these vehicles to the superior graphics give it a whole new feel. One downside to the game is that if you do not have the money to afford the game and choose to rent it, you will need to have an EA Origin account. You can get access to a 48 hour trial account, but will be required to purchase an Origin account after the trial period. A free code does come free with the purchase of the game.
Overall – 8.5/10
Battlefield 3 is one of the most visually stunning games to date. There really is no equal to how this game looks in HD. It is finally nice to see a game that has pushed the envelope to see just what the console is capable of. While it is at the top of the spectrum for visuals it also lacks in other important features that prevent it from getting a perfect score. Most notably is the lack of an in depth single player campaign. That being said, though, Battlefield 3 could be purchased solely for the multiplayer and would not disappoint. After all Battlefield was built on the premise of creating the best multiplayer experience for an FPS game. If you are a gamer that doesn’t have an internet connection or refuses to play online, the single player campaign will allow you to see what HD graphics should look like. Just don’t get too excited about wanting a good story that will leave you wanting to find any excuse to get back to the game.
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