Battlefield Vs Call of Duty: Which is the Best?

Accessibility is a necessity if you want your video game to become popular. While the Battlefield series IS popular, it certainly isn't easy. The series features so many weapons, vehicles, and a variety of other choices that mastering the game becomes difficult. Each map and game type requires a different approach, and players need to adjust their playing styles accordingly throughout each individual match. Speaking of maps, the ones featured throughout the Battlefield series are HUGE, requiring players to spend a lot of time in them, mastering each corner, pathway, shortcut, and route. There can be so much going on, and so many masterful, experienced players in a match that jumping right in may prove difficult for a novice player. On the other hand, the Call of Duty series is much more reliant on its pick-up-and-play approach, including quick kills, a rapid pace, and aiming assistance. While there are numerous weapons, they don't necessarily require mastering; you can just pick it up and start blasting. The maps are also much more compact, limiting the difficulty and nuance and upping the explosion and shootout factor. These games are extremely popular for a reason - anyone can pick up a controller and start shooting. Give a noob a controller, and he'll die a ton throughout a Battlefield match due to the steep learning curve. Give a noob a controller and let him loose in Call of Duty, and he'll be shooting others in no time. Winner: Call of Duty Battlefield 0 / Call of Duty 1

Round 2: Weapons/Upgrades

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If there's one thing the Battlefield series is known for, it's the weapons. Featuring a plethora of unique and realistic weapons from a host of time periods, ranging from World War One to the distant future, each weapon sounds and looks amazing, and each require specific practice to master. The weapons are meant for FPS connoisseurs, as each behave realistically, including distinct recoil, reload animations, and firing speeds. Sniper rifles alone is a thing to behold, as there's nothing quite like sitting prone, intricately strategizing throughout a 30 minute match, and pinging the perfect head shot from across the map. The Battlefield series is also host to numerous vehicles, ranging from jets and helicopters to APCs and tanks. Each require tons of practice, but are oh so satisfying once you get the hang of them. Just try not to get shot out of the air from an enemy sniper. The Call of Duty series also has many unique and realistic weapons, but as was mentioned before, they don't take nearly as much practice to handle. While the weapons aren't quite as memorable, the COD series brought us perks, which included unique variations like faster reloading or extra ammunition, allowing for each player to individually customize their experience and loadouts. These perks allowed players to adapt to different game types and opponents’ play styles, as well as complement differing approaches, whether they be more confrontational or more strategic players. While this may seem old hat now, it was once revolutionary. As original as the perk system was, the weapons and vehicles of Battlefield are just too numerous and complex to ignore. We love the realistic and loving approach that the series takes towards its weapons, and the feeling of finally mastering a given piece of machinery is better than any you'll get playing Call of Duty. Winner: Battlefield Battlefield 1 / Call of Duty 1

Round 3: Maps

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The maps throughout the Battlefield series are meant to spur player exploration and creativity. There are a host of different options you can undertake in order to take full advantage of the massive maps - you can snipe from afar, take a jet for a spin, commandeer a tank, rush in guns blazing, etc etc. Due to the massive size of these maps, players are required to actually learn their layouts and strategize accordingly. That’s not to say that all the maps are wide open fields, The Metro map offers a unique 2 level approach, either through the city streets or through the tight underground tunnel network, Strike at Karkand offers very narrow city streets with multiple alleyways and chokepoints to cover, while fan favourite Wake Island’s unique layout allows for a unique tug-o-war conflict while large enough for full scale air combat. As mentioned previously, the maps of Call of Duty are much smaller and more compact. As a result of this, many matches eventually turn into high-octane shootouts, complete with explosions, air strikes, and tons of grenades as players all focus in to one distinct area of the map where all the action is occuring. Fan Favourite Nuketown, offers a symmetrical layout ideal for team battles, Terminal has a perfect balance of small and large spaces in a maze like layout, while Summit’s low visibility and labyrinth of buildings is guaranteed to keep players on their toes As classic as some COD maps are, the maps of Battlefield are simply breathtaking, featuring a wide variety of locales, massive sizes, and intricate layouts. While novice players may prefer the more intimate maps of Call of Duty, the larger maps offer higher replay incentives, allowing players to take different approaches each match. Winner: Battlefield Battlefield 2 / Call of Duty 1

Round 4: Single Player

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Unfortunately this is where Battlefield falters. While the characters of Bad Company may have been fun and interesting, the campaigns since Battlefield 3 have been boring affairs and easily the worst aspect of the games, with many people even forgoing the campaigns altogether. Most of the AI is laughably bad, the characters are completely forgettable, and the stories themselves tend to have pacing issues. On the other hand, the Call of Duty campaigns have been making waves for quite some time, and even feature Hollywood stars like Kevin Spacey & Gary Oldman. Memorable characters like Captain Price, and many moments from the campaigns have since been ingrained in video game culture, including the famous nuclear bomb scene from “Modern Warfare” and the infamous and controversial airport shootout from its sequel. While some stories may be a little dry, the standout moments definitely make up for the wholes. Sorry Battlefield, but you need to seriously up your game in the campaign department. Winner: Call of Duty Battlefield 2 / Call of Duty 2

Round 5: Multiplayer

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Encompassing all that we've talked about, it's clear that Battlefield’s multiplayer is truly a thing to behold. Featuring an extremely large variety of weapons and vehicles and up to 64 players, it's hard to become bored, as there's simply so many things to try out and master. The matches themselves are long, complex, and involving. For Battlefield you have the hallmark “Conquest” mode, there’s also standouts like “Obliteration”, Defuse and Team Deathmatch allows for smaller battles for those preferring something more close and personal. However, we can't call it quits on Call of Duty quite yet. The series has been extremely popular for a long time, and this is no doubt helped by its approachable nature and easily digestible gameplay. Even if it's not as complex or involving as Battlefield, it's still a blast to play, and many matches are intense, chaotic, and intimate. The perk system was a revelation (and has since been copied many times), the maps are classic, and the games quick and easy. With that said, as great as the two games are, there's no denying that Call of Duty has since grown a little repetitive and derivative. Call of Duty’s most popular mode is Team Deathmatch and has standards like Capture the flag and Search and Destroy, but it also has standouts like Kill Confirmed. Cod’s response to Battlefields Conquest is Domination which requires the players to hold 3 control points, however it is nowhere near as elaborate or varies as the Conquest mode. Ultimately, Battlefield has modes that can match Call of Duty’s close combat multiplayer, but Cod can’t replicate Battlefields large scale open warfare. Winner: Battlefield Battlefield 3 / Call of Duty 2 out Call of Duty with a score of 3-2! While COD may have better campaigns and easier accessibility, Battlefield has everything else which matters more to gamers, including more detailed weapons, better maps, and deeper multiplayer matches. Do you agree with the outcome? Be sure to debate in the comments and be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.