{tag [PS3]} {tag [X360]}

Although officially it comes out today, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the Battlefield: Bad Company Demo a few days ago.  I participated in the beta and was not all that pleased, but playing the demo for the PlayStation 3, I can honestly say was a pleasant surprise.

The graphics have greatly improved over the beta version; instead of a somewhat muddled mess, I was treated to something wonderful.  The view is crisp and the HUD is well-implemented: informative but not overwhelming.  The player models are also what I would expect from a current-gen console, and the cutscenes, which are rendered in game, are interesting.

The problem with the cutscenes is the voice acting, which can be best described as sub-par.  Its certainly tolerable, but not what I would expect from a game of this caliber.  The sound effects, on the other hand, are superb.  Realistic and plentiful, they really made me feel as if I were in the midst of a battle.

In terms of gameplay, this is the better of the two console translations of the Battlefield series.  I have long been a die-hard fan of the series, and am happy to see the elements of the PC version nearly perfected in this console version.  The single player campaign offers an interesting plot, in which the player takes on the role of Preston Marlowe, a rookie in B-Company, a squad of insubordinate soldiers.  The story is told through narrations and cutscenes, but I think if the aforementioned voice acting had been a little better, it would be that much more interesting.

But Battlefield has never been about the single-player campaign.  Battlefield IS a multiplayer experience, and Bad Company’s online battles are pretty darn cool.  With support for up to 24 players, this is one of the bigger online console battle games.  The game improves on Warhawk, with a greater variety of vehicles and weapons and far more interesting environments.

Speaking of environments, one of the coolest features of the Bad Company is its destructible environments.  Buildings and other static objects in the playing field aren’t so static anymore.  Buildings are no longer a match for a tank cannon.  I found that out first hand.  Taking cover around the corner of a house, I suddenly died after the tank blew the corner of the structure to bits, and me with it.

The default controls are a little strange, but made sense after some continued play.  The triggers in particular seemed to be incorrectly assigned, but I easily adapted after a few rounds.  Other than odd button placements, the controls are standard fare, and work well for this game.

I am excited to play the full version of Battlefield: Bad Company, and think this could be the title to bring me back to Battlefield again.  But considering the unique style and free play of the forthcoming Battlefield: Heroes, Bad Company has a lot to live up to.