Both games take a jab at modern combat albeit in different ways, so which is better then?
In all cases the first paragraph is on Modern Warfare 2 and the second on Bad Company 2.
Gameplay
Platform Specifics
Modern Warfare 2 is the same game on all three platforms, it does not take advantage of anything and has even insulted PC gamers with a lack of dedicated server support, a staple of the PC gaming industry since literally the dawn of multiplayer first person shooter gaming.
Bad Company 2 has a whole team dedicated to its PC port and comes with dedicated server support as all multiplayer PC games should. Unlike consoles PCs are an open platform and if such measures as the ability to kick players who are cheating is not implemented as part of the multiaplayer infrastructure then it will end up with cheaters all of which can roam freely. There is no Microsoft or Sony to reign in the cheaters, PC gamers have always relied on each other to do that.
Tactics
Modern Warfare 2 is a much faster paced game than Bad Company 2, you run at the enemy, kill as many as you can, get killed, respawn instantly and start over. There isn’t much strategy involved, you gear up and run out and attack. There are some minor choices which may effect how you play slightly. For example you may equip a smoke grenade in a domination match to hide flag areas, though given how small the area of control must be around the flag it doesn’t present much of an advantage as it gives the enemy an advantage knowing you are within the smoke which only covers a limited area they can just spray it.
In Bad Company 2 players have to think about what they do, they can’t just muck around and expect to win based on one player doing a really good job. Running out into the open and dying pointlessly will probably end in a long walk back into the action. In Bad Company 2 it pays to take your time before an attack by planning it and preparing for it. Vehicles have been added to the mix and they definitely add a whole new dimension of thinking. Tanks spawn rarely but when they do they are a force to be reckoned with, easily being able to mow down wave after wave of the enemy. However they are also slow to aim and can easily be overwhelmed by RPG teams. To compensate for this the team with the tank has to rally around it to protect it from smaller infantry units the tank might miss.
Classes
Infinity Ward decided the best thing to do is not have any classes at all in Modern Warfare 2. Instead players get to choose what guns and grenade types they can spawn with coupled with some perks. The perks are all invariably selfish in nature and despite some of them helping your team as a whole none really give an incentive to players to act as a team.
Bad Company 2 has a set of pre-defined classes each with a specialization. The classes are all balanced out each having advantages and disadvantages. By doing this DiCE has ensured that the only way a squad can win is by having a healthy spread of classes. Medics can revive players, assault units can resupply ammo, engineers fix vehicles and recons are excellent at spotting enemies from a distance. When you have an effective squad setup you will take control of the battle. In Modern Warfare 2 any individual could be the best player and carry a team, Bad Company 2 takes a squad.
Presentation
Graphics
There is a lot going on in Modern Warfare 2′s environments. Chickens flying around in their cages, fans spinning, the list goes on and on. Despite being detail heavy the environments are extremely static, things may explode but it doesn’t really change the game, players are unable to really feel they are a part of the environment but rather are put in the awkward position of simply observing it.
Bad Company 2 relies on epic sized battlefields, we’re talking literally kilometers of gameplay area. The BF:BC2 beta takes place in a snowy area which entwines itself from forest to buildings to vast open expanses. Virtually everything in the game is destructible which ensures the game remains dynamic throughout, a grenade doesn’t just make a big noise but it breaks things, buildings can collapse if subject to enough punishment. Players are sometimes forced to clear out trees snipers are using for cover or bring down buildings the opposition has turned into a strong hold.
Atmosphere
Like its environments Modern Warfare 2′s atmosphere feels stale and artificial. Sure it looks nice from a superficial level but when you try and get down to the gritty bits you end up feeling dissapointed that despite its good looks there is nothing further to explore.
Every gun shot, explosion and vehicle in Bad Company 2 contributes to the games atmosphere. There is nothing faked about it, there is no ambient consisting of a looping audio stream of a battlefield. Instead everything which makes a sound on the battlefield caused by players is what you hear as the ambient. You hear that shooting off in the distance? You can go there and see what’s happening. On top of this the destructible environments add a whole layer of awesome into the game, you may go hide behind cover only to have it blown away leaving you exposed, sometimes you find yourself hiding as an enemy tank rolls by and you pray it won’t spot you. There are countless experiences you can have in this game all of which come naturally as a result of the gameplay.
Conclusion
To summarize Bad Company 2 is the thinking mans FPS, twitch reflexes while important in the game cannot substitute planning and thinking ahead. Modern Warfare 2 removes the need to think and simply puts emphasis on reflexes making for a much shallower game.
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