Battlefield 3

I purchased MW3 on the week of release and despite being very tempted by BF3 the beta didn't tempt me sufficiently to purchase. If you are happily playing MW3 (and lets face it millions are) then please carry on - and enjoy. If on the other hand you are reading this then chances are, like me, you are becoming bored of MW offering little new at each instalment.
I didn't really want to review MW here but am finding it almost impossible to write a review without comparison.
The main reasons I have given up on MW are that the maps have become rat runs and there is almost no teamwork or any benefit to teamwork. This is where Battlefield takes over, the maps are enormous and it encourages your team to act exactly as a team. The addition of vehicles and a destructible environment significantly add to the enjoyment.
I have only ranked up a couple of times so far but there is a huge amount of potential for this game and I am enjoying it far more that MW3.
This is not the perfect game however. The buttons cannot be set up as per COD, the weapons set up is cumbersome and far from user friendly. The weapons aiming is taking some getting used to and there is a significant amount of recoil (then perhaps that's down to my lack of experience) Graphically it's not fantastic and on the PS at least MW looks better.
I would love to see the best of BF and the best of MW merged into one game but that is just not going to happen. I will update in another month but for the time being I'm going to conclude that for its faults this beats MW 3 by a mile.

EDIT 2 weeks on. I have not played MW once since i started BF. Nor have i been tempted to. It has taken me some getting used to. This game is very different to MW and i have had to learn all about FPS all over again. Apply MW tactics here and you will not do well. I have found both the jets and helicopters very challenging to fly and getting time piloting both is rare, so my skills are improving very, very slowly.
To conclude though MW the king of shooters is dead. Battlefield has taken the crown - and rightly so. It is better than MW in almost every single way and i am looking forward to spending many hours here.

I am a rare breed a gamer that is i am over 50 years old!!
since my son obtained bf3 i am unable to stop playing it racking up 108 hours already.
The game is so realistic and apart from a few irritations it really does have it all.
everytime you play you seem to unlock something good for the guns or vehicles your using, and the awards system is nice with multi coloured ribbons adding up towards your medals.
when you first play dont worry to much about your KD as you will like me get mullered for a while until you learn the maps and get used to the guns and upgrades. Flying is tricky and i just cant do it but there are plenty of other vehicles which are easy to drive.
As you get better the game gets better if your reactions are slow due to age dont worry you can use things like claymores, very effective if you place them in well used places. The mortar can get you a few kills unhindered but dont fire too many shells before moving position as the enemy like to stalk the mortar crew and knife them.
In my opinion this is the best fps shooter on the market and if an old duffer like me can enjoy and do well that get it and give it a go.
good choice of game modes, great graphics and addictive gameplay.
dont talk about it get it.
dont buy it for the campaign it is truly a god of a multiplayer
if anyone is 50 or over and would like to be in a squad of oldies i can be found in bf3 as Oldbutnotcrap
Thanks for reading

While the campaign on this game is somewhat mediocre for a first person shooter, most people picking up Battlefield 3 are going to be interested in the online mode. In comparison, the multiplayer should be the selling point of this game - forget the campaign. Many want to compare this game to Call of Duty, and perhaps that's valid. As a basic comparison, Battlefield provides a somewhat more realistic and (dare I say) adult online environment compared to it's competition - don't expect to find a large community of snipers doing 'trick shots'.

Gameplay is far more team-based than most other titles and this works really well. If you're looking for something which resembles a typical deathmatch-esque shooter, this probably isn't the title for you - the Battlefield series isn't about running around alone shooting everything - there's much more strategy involved and playing a specific role is a must.

For a few quick points on the multiplayer:
+ Great selection of weapons which are largely well balanced.
+ The new engine looks great and functions well. Few glitches.
+ Getting into a game is surprisingly easy, I've had no issues with matchmaking.
+ Vehicles are very well implemented, adding a great deal of depth to the game.
+ Unlocks, unlocks, unlocks. Pretty much everything can be modified. However, it would be nice to have some more starting unlocks for vehicles, since you may struggle at first with limited aircraft weaponry.
+ Very good maps - beautifully sculpted, although destruction tends to change that pretty quickly!

- Some bugs do exist. Few are a problem, and should be patched soon. I'm yet to find anyone exploiting them.
- Menus are somewhat clunky (not terrible given the sheer amount of customisation). This is irrelevant once you're in a game, and so shouldn't stop you from buying it.
- Needs a mode for flight training. Would advise against jumping into air vehicles as a passenger for the first few weeks, since crashes are common for new players. Flying isn't too easy or too difficult, but does take some practice, which can be very frustrating for your teammates.

It's worth noting that patches are quite large in filesize, but do make a LOT of improvements. There's some indication they may revamp the UI to one designed by the community - DICE do listen to their customers.

Overall: It's a good game, with enough features to keep players busy for a LONG time. COD players should give this a go if they're looking for something a little different, since the two play very differently. Some bugs could use work, but with any luck DICE and EA will pull that together. With DLC coming as soon as December, it's looking like a bright future for this game.