Battlefield 3

[Paddy]

I personally hope EA wipes the fucking floor with Activision. I've had enough of them lauding it over everyone.

For Trent:
How Call of Duty Destroyed the World

[Trent]

Nice article. Not sure he quite knows what he means to say - he contradicts himself quite a bit. He's got the gist of it though. COD has not only made it ok to keep charging over the odds for a repackaged copy of the last game in the series, but also convinced the entire FPS genre that sticking to the norm is the best thing to do. FFS, if they took that attitude back in the day we'd have no left trigger zoom, no destructible environments, no tactical team games, no fucking nothing. Innovation and progression is what makes games better, it is the lifeblood of the industry. Churning out the same shit every time will only work for so long motherfuckers.

I don't think COD has killed the FPS but I see his point. Almost every new FPS copies the look, the style, the cinematic leanings, the holey story style, even the controls. A to jump, B to crouch, X to reload, Y to switch weapons. Sometimes they'll throw in an extra, like LB isn't special grenade but some limp power chosen from the d-pad or something. It's fucking disgraceful.

Of course there is a standard. The left trigger zoom was a genius stroke and, like the cover system before it, has been folded into standard practise. Like many things have been. But copying a control system note for note just because you know the plankton who play COD 24/7 will be able to pick up and play with little effort is sad. The amount of complaints I heard online when playing Bad Company 2 because DICE hadn't stuck to the template and had tried to innovate with the controls. I like my melee attack on a bumper, it feels meaty. I like clicking the RS to crouch, I don't have to stop moving. I like having a proper action button. But I go pissed off with COD wankers moaning constantly about stabbing someone when trying to throw a grenade. 'Shit maaaaaan. This game sucks I tried to grenade you but cos the controls suck I did a melee instead. if this was COD you'd be so dead right now' THEN FUCK OFF AND PLAY BLOPS YOU SAD C**TS!

We do not need it any more. I recently picked up Prey on 360, one of the 360's premier FPS titles. It's brilliant. And you know what; it's intensely refreshing to play a good FPS that was made WAY before COD4 came along. It could be used as an example that there was life in the FPS world before COD... although the zombies would probably hate it. Because Y isn't switch weapon. X is not reload. You don't zoom with the left trigger. And you can't sprint or melee. Sorry tossers, you're cheap tricks are all for nothing here.

[Paddy]

Check out the brand new Battlefield 3 trailer: 'My Life'.



Head on over to their Facebook page, facebook.com/battlefield and 'like' it to help unlock the full 12 minute trailer with producer's commentary.

[Paddy]

[Andy K]

Bit of a let down, basically just all the other 3 trailers edited together. Only new bit seems to be that bit with the earthquake, which does look cool!

[Trent]

1) YAY PRONE! I've missed that tactical position!
2) If something as simple as eliminating a sniper can be this gripping, I can't wait for the big set peices.
3) This is ALPHA footage. I can't imagine how fucking awesome the full release will be.
4) The lifelike movement of the soliders and enemies, coupled with the hectic, realistic nature of the firefights and the exemplary enviromental damage is already SO MUCH BETTER than COD.

I'm so excited I'm going to burst. Not even Mr Cynical Knight can bring me down!!

[Paddy]

Battlefield 3: 12min Gameplay Commentary with Executive Producer Patrick Bach:

[Paddy]

[Paddy]

[Paddy]