BO2 (PC) short review from experienced BF3 player.

[Bhaya]

A little background. I have been playing Battlefield series for the last 10 years. I own them all. I have over 600h in BF3 and I consider myself a very good player, finishing most often in top 3 out of 32 or 64 players. I know BF in and out, and I prefer run & gun over vehicle, although I use them all. BO2 is my first COD game ever.

After playing it for over 20h, I decided to write a few thoughts for those Battlefield players who are thinking about trying out COD BO2, as I did, skipping silly parts like "it sucks" or "it rules" encountered in many discussions BF3 vs BO2. .

As the game has been out for months, obviously I had no chance competing in multiplayer. I don't know maps well, I don't know game mechanics well, I don't know modes well, I don't have gun attachments and so on. In Combat training (mix of humans and bots) I do already fairly well, though. But in "Core" multi I am always somewhere in the bottom, with with 1-2 scorestreaks per game. Very frustrating, but understandable.

First impressions
My first impressions were very positive. Game is fun. No questions about it. Scorestreaks and unlocking stuff is nearly perfect. Instant respawn felt great, after BF's death timer. Although the matches are very short in comparison to BF3, it fits very well with the game character, as a mindless shooter. There is always something to do in-between the matches, especially for a new player like myself.

Then, I jumped to "Core", were I was expecting a true "run and gun" experience, but where instead, I witnessed a silliness of it all. BO2 is only in 50%, a shooter game, and the other 50% is, what I would call a "hopping & diving" plus "head glitching camping" game, what in early BF games was called a "dolphin diving" and because it went out of hand, it was later removed from the game entirely, with a great success. That part is pretty awful in BO2, as the "hopping and diving" skill, is as much, or perhaps even more important than shooting itself. That is a huge disappointment for BF player who would rather prefer to focus on shooting alone than on completely unnecessary silly hopping and diving unheard of in BF3.

Graphics and Maps
The graphics and game engine is old but fine. Still, comparing it with BF3's Frostbite engine like comparing a S-class Mercedes with red neck's old pick up truck. There is just no comparison. Maps are small, mostly in a style & design of uninspired comic book like drawings of the sizes of shoes boxes, but it fits well with the game profile.

Game play

Game play is fast. Perhaps even too fast, since probably because of the net code, you can be killed by somebody who from your perspective didn't even enter the room, but he can be seen in the room in a replay. Spawn points are horrendous. You can be killed both, while respawing, or by somebody who just re-spawned behind you. Awful but tolerable and understandable on those shoe box size maps.

In my opinion, BF3 DLC "Close Quarters" game play is superior to BO2. It is very fast too, but it is manageable, because there are no "head glitch" spots for camping, while in BO2 those camper's spots are plentiful and fully manned, preventing from a real "gun and run" game play as it is in BF3 CQ DLC.

The guns handling and the movement in BF3 is much better than in BO2 which in comparison feel sluggish and unresponsive. I was hoping for something even more fluid than in BF series because of the fast game's pace. For BF3 player it will take some time to get used to, as it just does not feel right.

The soldier classes and freedom to setup your own class is truly great. Experimenting with various setups and combinations of perks and weapon attachments is interesting and fun.

Bottom line

Those two games, BF3 and COD BO2 can't be really compared head to head as they serve a different purpose. The first is more tactical and team oriented with moments of break for thinking, and the latter is mindless and short fun focused on Rambo style. If you like unlocking plenty (but much, much less than in BF3) stuff and multi-kill with scorestreaks then you will have fun with BO2. If you, like myself never played COD before, beware, gun handling is very different and in my opinion much worse that in BF3 which can be annoying and will take you some time to adjust to.

If you don't want to experience a frustration of being killed every 2 seconds by people who have played COD games for the last decade, then there is an option to play for half XP with mix of human and bots, and for no XP with bots only. In such games, you can easily learn the maps and game mechanics.

Will I see myself playing it for a long time to come and purchase another COD game? The honest answer is "I am not convinced about it at all" since have been playing for only couple of days and there is still plenty to discover and unlock. But if they put a gun to my head and told me to decide between those 2 games, telling me that I have to chose only one of them, then the answer would be very simple and not troublesome for me at all.

BF3 is a much more mature game, which offers so much more content adjustable to various game styles (with DLCs) that it would be my game of choice. However, I am glad that I decided to purchase COD BO2 and give it a try. No regrets at all.

Thank you for reading and good luck!

*****************************************************************

EDIT

SIX DAYS LATER

After exclusively playing BO2 for 6 days, I went to BF3's "Close Quarters" DLC to see the difference. And it was quite hilarious. First, when I started to move, it felt as if I were swimming in molasseses or had 50 pounds weights chained to my ankles. It was weird, but so easy at the same time. Just imagine if suddenly the BO2's movement speed and game pace was cut to half but you retained the habits & skills & twitches from the current game speed!

In two matches, I've got a K/D ratio easily over 2.0 and was sooo much more aware of the corners and surrounding due to awareness required in BO2. So, if you are a BF3 player and want to have fun AND improve your reflexes, map awareness and aiming skills I recommend you to check out BO2. It really helps in CQ BF3!

On the other hand, the BO2 is not even close to chaos and immersiveness of what Frostibe 2 engine and map design of CQ DLC of BF3 has to offer. The flying debris, explosions, shouting, weapon suppress effect, shaking screen and so on, are so real and impressive in comparison with somehow aseptic and cartoon-like sterile simplicity of BO2. CQ DLC has MUCH more intense game play than any of the BO2 mods.

Another important piece of info for new and seasoned players alike it to set "Depth of Field" in Advanced setting to LOW! That solves the problem with the sluggishness of aiming down the sight what I was complaining about. That was a game changing discovery, and my K/D ration immediately sky-rocketed.

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

You might be jealous of one player lol.

Jealous of his cheats or synchronize swimming skills? lol

[Jamebonds1]

Publicado originalmente por Bhaya:

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

You might be jealous of one player lol.

Of his cheats?

Just because one player is very good didn't mean you can called player a cheater. That Hunter is very close in between care package and hunter.

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

The neg thing about BF3 is some corrupt admins player. She/he want to be first, never second.

As always, there is a room for abuse from server admin, but in 99.9% of cases they are fair, or mostly not present.

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

Just because one player is very good didn't mean you can called player a cheater. That Hunter is very close in between care package and hunter.

I have counted several hunter killers circling all over the map at the same time and many other machines & turrets. I had an engineer perk and could see them all over the map. Then, I quickly disconnected because it was obvious somebody was cheating. Do you think that it is possible or I am mistaken? I know that people can be good and I respect that, but not THAT good. lol

Anyway, I am on lvl 41 on a 3rd day, and I am not giving up. Have to prestige... have to prestige... have to prestige... lol

[Jamebonds1]

Publicado originalmente por Bhaya:

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

Just because one player is very good didn't mean you can called player a cheater. That Hunter is very close in between care package and hunter.

I have counted several hunter killers circling all over the map at the same time and many other machines & turrets. I had an engineer perk and could see them all over the map. Then, I quickly disconnected because it was obvious somebody was cheating. Do you think that it is possible or I am mistaken? I know that people can be good and I respect that, but not THAT good. lol

Anyway, I am on lvl 41 on a 3rd day, and I am not giving up. Have to prestige... have to prestige... have to prestige... lol

I think I'm finish reasonable with you.

BTW, I think it is Swam hunter that's fly all over map.

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

BTW, I think it is Swam hunter that's fly all over map.

Perhaps you are right. I haven't seen Swarm, yet, but it had very characteristic beeping sound, similar to Hunter Killer, when it was approaching me and killing me every few seconds after respawning. After 3rd death-on-respawn, I disconnected from the server. Anyway, thank you for your help.

[Jamebonds1]

Publicado originalmente por Bhaya:

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

BTW, I think it is Swam hunter that's fly all over map.

Perhaps you are right. I haven't seen Swarm, yet, but it had very characteristic beeping sound, similar to Hunter Killer, when it was approaching me and killing me every few seconds after respawning. After 3rd death-on-respawn, I disconnected from the server. Anyway, thank you for your help.

You are not only person who saw it.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=124162745

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

You are not only person who saw it.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=124162745

Then that wasn't Swarm for sure. It was Hunter Killer. Many of them at the same time.

[Statsministeren]

Im playing both and agree with your statement. But for soloplay fast fun action i prefer cod series and when i play with friends i play bf.

But i would recomedn trying out the older cod's. Black ops 1, cod4 and world att war have much better gun feeling than bop2/mw2/mw3. Downside is ofcourse not so great graphics and customization.

[Jamebonds1]

Publicado originalmente por Bhaya:

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

You are not only person who saw it.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=124162745

Then that wasn't Swarm for sure. It was Hunter Killer. Many of them at the same time.

It is Swarm when i was played out there where player got lucky by care package. Swarm is word where there are many hunter killer flow over map. BTW. What do you mean it wasn't swarm for sure?

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Jamebonds1:

It is Swarm when i was played out there where player got lucky by care package. Swarm is word where there are many hunter killer flow over map. BTW. What do you mean it wasn't swarm for sure?

Never mind my friend. Perhaps you are right.

After 3 days of playing I am doing much better in multi. like ground war, domination and TD. In objective based modes I still die much too often. Perhaps because I don't know maps, yet and I focus too much rushing to the objective instead of advancing in a more moderate way.

[Bhaya]

Publicado originalmente por Cpt. Zer0:

But i would recomedn trying out the older cod's. Black ops 1, cod4 and world att war have much better gun feeling than bop2/mw2/mw3.

Finally, I've realized what it is that I don't like specifically about the gun feeling in BO2, in comparison with BF3. It is ADS, when you use your sights, the movement suddenly slows down and become sluggish, while in BF3 in ADS the movement is as free as with hip fire.Also, I don't know if it is just me, but I kill more often shooting from hip, and die more often when using ADS, to players who use hip fire.

Also when I use ADS, for millisecond, far objects become blurry and then recover back to sharp. I am know sure whether it is intended in that way, on it's my video card Nvidia GTX580.

[Jamebonds1]

I'm good with sniper. You better watch out me :P

[Duende Robacalcetines]

I declare my self a fan boy of both games. The thing is that BF players are used to dEDICATED SERVERS, which means: choose the best ping for you, play in almost real time response. COD series has always a lag compensation and broken cameras (the thing you said about people that suddenly appears and kill you). With all those facts against you, COD players become "smart", they develop a pattern of being super alert (no time to think, only react in a precise and efficient way)

Let me tell you something, when I first discoverted FOURDELTAONE and TEKNOGODS community mods for Mwf2 and Mwf3 my game experience changed alot...from a 1.0 kd ratio I grew up to a STEADY an CONSTAND 2.0 or more kd ratio....why did this happen? Because this community mods allow you to play in dedicated servers.

I dont know about you, but a 40 to 80 ping in COD makes a whole difference to the user´s final experience (thats why I have been saying in the forums that P2P should be "illegal" in competitive leagues and professional FPS games).

And strangely, as many good COD players as I am, in BO2 we see a "lack of skills", I go back to Mwf2 dedicated servers...and boom! Even when playing against tough players Im always one of the three first players....

My point: I play COD alot because it has improved my time reaction to close quarters situations, but I NEVER STOP PLAYING BF series because it gives you the real thing about tactical gaming and more important: THE ART OF PUSHING, the persitance of HOLDING A PERIMETER and even more more important: THE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS for helping your mates in every moment of the match...

thanks

[Jamebonds1]

Publicado originalmente por Duende Mago:Yoga Dance:

I declare my self a fan boy of both games. The thing is that BF players are used to dEDICATED SERVERS, which means: choose the best ping for you, play in almost real time response. COD series has always a lag compensation and broken cameras (the thing you said about people that suddenly appears and kill you). With all those facts against you, COD players become "smart", they develop a pattern of being super alert (no time to think, only react in a precise and efficient way)

Let me tell you something, when I first discoverted FOURDELTAONE and TEKNOGODS community mods for Mwf2 and Mwf3 my game experience changed alot...from a 1.0 kd ratio I grew up to a STEADY an CONSTAND 2.0 or more kd ratio....why did this happen? Because this community mods allow you to play in dedicated servers.

I dont know about you, but a 40 to 80 ping in COD makes a whole difference to the user´s final experience (thats why I have been saying in the forums that P2P should be "illegal" in competitive leagues and professional FPS games).

And strangely, as many good COD players as I am, in BO2 we see a "lack of skills", I go back to Mwf2 dedicated servers...and boom! Even when playing against tough players Im always one of the three first players....

My point: I play COD alot because it has improved my time reaction to close quarters situations, but I NEVER STOP PLAYING BF series because it gives you the real thing about tactical gaming and more important: THE ART OF PUSHING, the persitance of HOLDING A PERIMETER and even more more important: THE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS for helping your mates in every moment of the match...

thanks

Problem with BF3 is there are a lot of corrupt kid admins. Which is I don't like the idea of under 18 being admins for server. You can say that I did met one of corrupt a while ago.