Our very own Jim Hargreaves (you may know him as PangTong_Blademaster) has written an in-depth preview of the ongoing Battlefield: Bad Compnay 2 beta for the PlayStation 3 version.

Definite must-read for those who've been wondering how this stacks up against Modern Warfare 2, what with all the "friendly competition" between DICE and Acti/Infinity Ward as of late.

Activision’s Modern Warfare 2 launched only last week, so it was definitely intriguing to hear Battlefield developers DICE would be launching the first private beta for the upcoming rival Bad Company 2. Available only to those who have been sent invites through community events or via DICE themselves, we were lucky enough to obtain one, so let's dig up some impressions.

The initial menus are pretty much laid out as they were in the first game, minimising the amount of time taken to jump straight into a match. Apart from the quick-play option, squads can be formed with friends. Viewable are statistics and pins, along with the weapons and gadgets you have unlocked.

After hitting up with a friend, it's a matter of seconds before an aerial map pops up, zooming closer and closer every few seconds while the game loads. In the beta version, the only map available to players is Arica Harbour, with Rush being the only playable mode. It may not sound like much, but DICE knows it will take hours upon hours of play to get bored of a single map.

The detail present in Arica Harbour is outstanding. The sand-blasted shantytown is littered with wrecked buildings, treacherous roads and small outposts. Two buildings never looking the same whether inside or out. Attention has been paid greatly to the vehicles and character models also, though when it comes to variety, you often end up with a handful of soldiers who look identical.

RabidChinaGirl via neoseeker.com »