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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 vs Battlefield: Bad Company 2
I'm reviewing these games together as they were released within 4-5 months of each other and as I see it, are direct competitors for the FPS market. Plus I own them both, so a direct comparison is the best way for me to approach them. I'm currently online Lvl 37, 200 + hrs on BC2 and Lvl 38, 30 + hrs on MW2.
Just to confirm, I am personally biased towards Bad Company. It was the first out of the 2 I owned and it suits my playing style better. However, I will do my best to give an unbiased review (bar the 'gamestyle' review, sorry for that) and comparison as I see it. I am basing my review on the online experience through PSN, without DLC or perk effects.
Graphics
On first impression, MW2 is more polished, with BC2 having a more 'gritty' feel to the environment. In both, I find the 'particle' effects on a par with each other. Distance effects are difficult to determine as MW2 maps are generally far smaller than BC2 maps. For MW2, they are fine. BC2 occasionally wrestles with the extremely large maps it has on offer, but rarely to the detriment of gameplay. Usually noticed as a juddering when scoped in on a distant aerial vehicle. I feel the majority of players will consider the MW2 graphics to be superior.
Explosive Effects
MW2 appears more 'Hollywood' in its rendering and effectiveness of explosives. Explosives in MW2 do more damge to 'you' than in BC2, but leave the environment, barring windows and explosive objects such as cars and barrels, intact and standing.
BC2 has more 'actual' effects on surroundings thanks to its fully destructable environment. In BC2 you can actually knock buildings down, blast away walls and shred undergrowth in a progressive manner, ie: C4 on structural walls will bring a house down. On non-structural walls, they'll just destroy the walls but the house will still stand.
Player Movement
MW2 has more 'realistic' movement, your player tires after running and slows to a jog. Weapons seem heavier and are relative, ie: you can run for longer armed with a pistol or SMG, than with a Stinger Missile or Shotgun. The fact that you can 'run' indefinitely in BC2 can however be justified by the larger maps available but does detract from the realism.
In MW2 you can go into the position position, something BC2 noticeably lacks and can be most irritating at times, especially if you are used to MW2. Sensitivity adjustment is comparable in both. Player directional control, although relative to the correct settings for the player, is also smooth and tactile in both.
Aiming / Projectile Behavior
Aim assist is available in MW2. This is good for beginners I guess, but I urge players to dispense with it as you can be far more effective without, plus it can throw off your aim if another target runs between you and your intended 'victim'.
In MW2, what you see, is (hopefully) what you hit, depending on distance and spray of course. BC2 on the other hand, has gravity applied to your projectile. When shooting over medium to long ranges, with any weapon, (bar guided missiles) you need to adjust for bullet drop. Both games have 'bullet time', so both MW2 and BC2 require target leading on moving targets and this is relative to distance, ie: long distance requires further lead, short distance requires minimal lead. I personally find BC2's sniping far more satisfying as more judging has to be used for a long range headshot due to bullet drop.
BC2 Vehicles
In BC2, all vehicles are freely available to all players and are usually located in, or close to, the main bases or spawn sites. Depending on the map, different vehicles are available. From Heavy Tanks and Attack Helicopters, to Smaller Tracked vehicles, All-Purpose mini-gun bearing Helicopters, HumVees and similar 4WD type 'cars' with mounted machine guns to Boats with mounted weapons. For a more personalized form of transportation, you can choose from Jetski's and Quadbikes. Unarmed but ideal for 'rushing' the enemy and getting up close and personal, in as fast a time as possible from re-spawning at base camp.
There are no vehicles for general use in MW2, barring the use of Killstreak rewards.
Hosting vs Dedicated Servers
Unfortunately this is MW2's biggest failing. BC2 uses dedicated servers to ensure a smoother and more reliable online experience. MW2 relationships on a hosting format, which, if the 'host' player drops out or suffers a connection glitch, means at best, gameplay is interrupted, at worst, the match simply ends. To make the most of MW2 and to overcome 'some' of the problems, ensure you have a good reliable connection, preferably hardwired and invest in the best broadband speeds you can justify. This will overcome some of the 'lag' problems many suffer from. This is not to say BC2 is perfect, it is not. There are occasional dropouts and inexplicable difficulties in initial connection and some lag at peak times but on the whole, these happen far less frequently and intrusively than on MW2.
Gameplay Style / Heavily Biased and Unfair Rant Against MW2
I apologise for the heavily biased review below but this is my take on the gameplay styles, mainly aimed at other players, rather than the games themselves, from my perspective and I do not believe it detracts from the information above.
BC2 is more biased towards playing as part of a team, where even inexperienced players can contribute. I find MW2 is more biased towards a 'gung-ho' style of play, rewarding only those who are more skillful / experienced and enabling those same to win, even in 'team' matches, by taking up the slack with killstreaks. This is great if you are one of the skilled in MW2, not so great if you are not.
Another area of contention for me is 'unfair' play, which seems rife in MW2. I know 'unfair' is relative and that 'all is fair in love and war' but 'noob tubers' abound and this attitude, combined with perks such as 'danger close', can irrefutably (IMO) affect the outcome of a match, especially if you are hampered by low level weapons and perks. In BC2, this looks much less a problem and the majority of players 'seem' to have a more mature attitude, combined with the limited upgrades available so advantages are reduced. I will not rant about commando-pro too much … You know who you are … I only hope that running around, pressing 'melee' repeatedly and randomly, gives you an RSI, much like the one you suffer with on your forearm and wrist …
However, I must balance this when playing with and against players of skill and discretion, the online experience in MW2 is fantastic. The ability to talk to your whole team and co-ordinate is unparallel, even by BC2, where you are limited to comms with your immediate 4-man squad only. To get the most from MW2 I would highly recommend joining a 'Clan' if you are able and eligible to do so. The coaching from more experienced players in training sessions will be invaluable to your own skill-set and abilities and enable you to play to your strengths, rather than highlighting your weaknesses.
Summary
Overall, it is dependent on your initial ability, own playing style and commitment to the game in question, that will determine which game is more enjoyable for you. There are too many pro's and not enough con's in both games to determine which is best. I happened to prefer BC2 but I recommend you buy or at least hire both if you are interested in 'the dark side', which that may be. But for FPS fans, I can wholeheartedly and highly recommend that both games should be part of your collection.
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Source by Andrew J Garner