BF3 Beta compared to RO2
+ Better looking interface.
+ 3D sound positioning somewhat more accurate, and more sound setup options.
+ Squad system easier to manage and understand.
+ Movement animations excellent (considering the rapid movement speeds of characters)
+ The 'running > dive to prone" move is awesome.
+ Many animations as seen from first person are great (such as crawling prone, jumping over obstacles). It has the same kind of quality and look as Mirror's Edge (gold standard).
+ Objective progress & game status, relayed through radio voice in a calm, clear manner, keeping the player briefed of what is going on (instead of the text popups of RO2).
+ Minimap on left side (I see better with my left eye and have a wide monitor, can barely see it on the lower right in RO2).
+ Discrete animation & sound effect when switching fire selector on weapon.
+ Interesting achievement awards (ribbons, medals and such, as per the other BF games). Superior to Steam achievements.
+ The aftermath report screen does not just appear for a few seconds. Can read stuff there.
- The weapon 'float' of RO2 is not present; weapons are always dead center, and the lack of this removes a lot of immersion. A 'static' feel.
- Graphics quality & performance (this part suprised me the most by far)
- Iron sights look terrible, both in depth of field effects and in geometric shape/positioning etc.
- Most weapons handle pretty much the same regardless of their size and chambering. The difference between an SMG and a battle rifle (think PPSh vs AVT-40) is not significant. A bland flavor.
- Sluggish, unresponsive controls (another big surprise. Perhaps related to the nice looking animation system).
- Not on steam. Uses EA's steam-clone called "Origin". Not terrible in itself but I already have everything on Steam).
- The gun sounds are highly unrealistic in most circumstances, weapons sounding like shotguns in their low frequencies, when there should be high brief cracks. Hollywood movie sounds.
- No cover system.
- No leaning.
- No proper FOV when shooting.
- Recoil lacking.
- No checking if weapon chambered (the 'hold R' thing in RO2).
- Huge, slow flying tracers in all weapons.
- Lacking the more reaistic squad loadouts with fireteams (as far as I know).
- Lacking the different artillery call-ins of the commander of RO2.
- Lacking the fantastically realistic/well made armor of RO2.
- The maps are not as intriguing or plausible (albeit cool looking - the subway city one looks a lot like Stockholm, where the DICE offices are - I live nearby).
- The general 'feel' of all aspects of the firearms deeply unsatsifying.
- No cool 'bleeding to death - why me why me', and the terrific animations of RO2. People just collapse.
- The HUD with its constant indicators take away more of the immersion than I expected (I used to complain about RO2 tactical overlay button. Not as much anymore. But the tactical overlay in RO2 could never the less use some cleaning up and having certain items toggleable/fade into view when appropriate).
- Shooting through cover?
Overall summary
It feels a bit like Call of Duty, counter-strike and Battlefield 2 rolled together. I personally would prefer "CoD: World at War" over Battlefield 3. It can't scratch the itch of wanting certain realism and settings while retaining ease of setting up a game and playing/leaving. Only RO2 seems to fit that nich
