This game will take you for the best ride of your gaming life thanks to it's amazing multiplayer.
So I was reading all the hype surrounding this game a few years back and decided to pick it up. Upon turning my machine on and inserting the disc, I noticed that this game was huge and my expectations soared. More content is more gameplay after all, right?
Once in, I was very surprised to find no servers. If this game was so revolutionary and fun, you'd expect to see a number of servers comparable to that of counterstrike. I realized that I had to patch the game myself ( that's right, no auto patching ) and so I did.
Finally, I found a server that I had low latency on. It took an agonizing amount of time to load up but I had a good feeling that it was worth the wait. It took me a while to figure out how to spawn and choose a kit because I was too anxious to try singleplayer. And then I figured it out.
*graphics*
I was amazed by the beautiful objects surrounding me as they looked more realistic then any other game I had played before. The textures looked great, incredible at the time and nothing could rival the detail on the guns at the time. Even today many new players will complement the game on it's visuals and for a game that's been out for almost 4 years now, that's impressive.
*gameplay*
I do have to admit that I was frustrated for a while playing this. Getting a kill can be incredibly difficult during your fist few sessions. After about 20 hours though, you'll be able to hang in there with the more experienced players. The gameplay it's self is phenomenal despite the difficulty. The maps are huge, most providing substantial cover and always letting you know where the action is happening. Spawning at the wrong control point can be frustrating however because of the size of these maps. Luckily, the goal is not to kill everybody because that would make it very difficult to find anybody. The name of the game is conquest, pitting 2 teams against one another where both teams are trying to reduce each others reinforcements to zero, ending the match. Every death will reduce a teams ticket by one ( that is unless a medic revives you ) but what really sets this game apart from others is that you need to capture control points to further reduce the opposing teams tickets. If one team controls all flags, and there are no players alive on the opposing team, it means you win. There is just so much depth and strategy to the game .
*Sound*
A game is nothing without sound and this game does not falter at all in this department. You will hear the roar of an incoming tank or apc in the distance letting you know that you must take cover and hide. The terrifying sound of artillery pounding down in your general area will certainly frighten and even make you jump if you're in the moment. Everything from the gun sounds to the sound of a soldier parachuting will redefine what can be done with sound in video games.
* Multiplayer *
The multiplayer of this game is what sets it apart. The game is so unpredictable that you never know what to expect and it never gets old. If played as intended,the two teams will squad up and that is where this game shines. No game before this allowed you to fight as a squad. It wasn't something that seemed possible. The game can be relaxed or very competitive . It can be based on vehicle combat ( Which is very good in this game ) or infantry combat or a mix of both. All this depending on the server and map. This makes for lot's of variety.
In conclusion, Battlefield 2 is certainly the best of the series, even surpassing it's newer sequel Battlefield 2142. The superb graphics, fun and addictive gameplayer, realistic and often mesmerizing use of sound and outstanding multiplayer all contribute to making this one of the greatest online multiplayer to ever grace the PC.