Both PS3 users and PC gamers will find “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” a blast with its visceral explosions and stunning sound, but will also run into connection problems and pricy hardware requirements.
Finding a game on consoles is simple — pick a game type, a specific map, or join a friend, and you start playing. PC gamers have more search options, most notably the ability to search for and choose a particular server. Oddly enough, PC players can’t search or input by IP address, an option found in previous “Battlefield” games.
All platforms — Windows, PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 — have had significant connection problems, though DICE, the game’s developer, has been slowly fixing them. Crashing to desktop, lost connections and being unable to connect to EA Online are irritatingly familiar problems PC users cope with that PS3 users don’t have to deal with as much.
Both consoles and the PC require good hardware to enjoy the explosions and gorgeous sound “Bad Company 2” has to offer. For consoles, gamers will need a decent surround sound system and a good TV, preferably a high-definition one. For PCs, gamers will also have to deal with their operating system, graphics drivers and their processor. “Bad Company 2” runs reasonably well on Windows Vista 64 with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, though loading levels took about two minutes on average.
A hint: turn up the volume and switch your sound system to “War Tapes.” Try not to duck in real life as the crack-hiss of a sniper round flies past your virtual head.
E-mail Victor Gonzales at vgonzales@dailynewsgroup.com.
