Battlefield 2

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1140 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 929 out of 1140
  2. Mixed: 134 out of 1140
  3. Negative: 77 out of 1140
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  1. Quaoar
    Jun 23, 2005
    7
    Really a 7.5-8. All the fun of Battlefield 1942 with elements stolen from those poor DC guys. Glad to see scoring is based on classes now, so there's acutally a point to being a medic, engineer, etc. The sticky interface, sluggish response time, and plethora of bugs often make it unplayable. And spawn point locations really suck - feels easier to spawn camp than in BF1942.
  2. SamF.
    Jun 27, 2005
    7
    Apart from being able to blow up bridges,artillery there is nothing really new here. The physics are no where near Far crys as objects simply dissapear in the game ... Just another version of Desert combat Mod . Too much hype. there are better explosion effects and graphics in games like mercenaries and Battlefront.
  3. ChrisT.
    Apr 28, 2008
    7
    Not nearly as good as overpaid reviewers make it out to be.
  4. Militaizi
    Jun 10, 2012
    7
    Well.. This game used to be good, but it is not so good anymore. Anyways there is really pretty much bugs, like when you go crouching next to a wall your legs appear on the other side, and stuff like that. But the mod community has saved this game from disaster. Pros of Battlefield 2 are good map making, but that's pretty much it. BF2 was the most realistic looking game of the time it wasWell.. This game used to be good, but it is not so good anymore. Anyways there is really pretty much bugs, like when you go crouching next to a wall your legs appear on the other side, and stuff like that. But the mod community has saved this game from disaster. Pros of Battlefield 2 are good map making, but that's pretty much it. BF2 was the most realistic looking game of the time it was released, but the guns were like potato guns, only with sniper + pistol combo could one kill other in less than half a second.… Expand
  5. UncleEd
    Jul 28, 2018
    6
    I have decided to give Battlefield 2 a go, after reading in various places that it is the best Battlefield title. Having played and enjoyed Battlefield 1942 when it came out, I was curious how its sequel holds up 13 years after its release. To my disappointment, I have found it to be a mediocre game by today’s standards. In my opinion, everything Battlefield 2 tried to achieve, is doneI have decided to give Battlefield 2 a go, after reading in various places that it is the best Battlefield title. Having played and enjoyed Battlefield 1942 when it came out, I was curious how its sequel holds up 13 years after its release. To my disappointment, I have found it to be a mediocre game by today’s standards. In my opinion, everything Battlefield 2 tried to achieve, is done better by another online shooter in 2018. Note that I am very fond of classic shooters and do not mind wearing my nostalgia goggles at all. Yet, I did not enjoy the time I have spent playing Battlefield 2.

    First and foremost, that horrid game presentation. The game menu has such a bad design and does a wonderful job making you lose the little excitement you have until you spawn. You choose a class which ranges from medic to engineer and the game encourages team play. The more you play the game, the better weapons you can unlock. In a way, Battlefield 2 is one of the early examples where the developers implemented grinding into online FPSs. It is true that you do not need better weapons to be able to kill your enemies, yet they do make a difference. Unfortunately, I did not spend enough time to find out how long you need to invest to get higher up the ranks, mainly due to some gameplay elements which I did not find enjoyable. Combat feels like a huge mess. From aircrafts consistently bombarding the map, to infantry throwing grenades to every possible square, the game made me feel overwhelmed with its imbalanced and chaotic design. Let’s not forget that you can literally throw grenades to very long distances and bunny hop the whole time while you are engaged in combat (provided you have stamina), the game was far from finding the sweet spot for me in an arcadey shooter. Last, but not the least, the shooting mechanics are quite poor and do not feel satisfying.

    There are, however, still some objectively good things about Battlefield 2, mainly the audio design and the open world feeling that does not feel dumbed down. Sound effects are very impressive and the native language voiceovers add a good amount of realism. Graphics are ahead of its time and the explosions look good. To give the game its due, Battlefield 2 is not a dull shooter trying to appeal to console gamers the way its sequels are. In its large map, you can immerse yourself and implement your own strategy to reach your goal. The maps also have a distinct and good design.

    To summarize, I did not love Battlefield 2, the way many others do. I know it is often regarded as the best Battlefield game ever made, which is probably not very far from the truth (although I prefer Battlefield 1942) considering how bad the modern Battlefield games are. I do get why the game can be charming for some players, but unfortunately it just did not click for me, as a new player in 2018.    … Expand
  6. EliasO.
    Oct 20, 2007
    7
    I've had alot of fun with this game.. :-) Love the squad action.
  7. ChrisE.
    Jun 30, 2005
    5
    BF2 has many features to recommend it (maps that scale based on the number of players, integral VOIP), and manages to recapture the team-based magic lost in BFV. However, the unpolished features (including one of the worst server browsers in years) and logjammed, lag-addled ranked servers kill the fun. In my case, the killing blow was a bug that caused the game to lock up my system when I BF2 has many features to recommend it (maps that scale based on the number of players, integral VOIP), and manages to recapture the team-based magic lost in BFV. However, the unpolished features (including one of the worst server browsers in years) and logjammed, lag-addled ranked servers kill the fun. In my case, the killing blow was a bug that caused the game to lock up my system when I first tried to start a game, and corrupted my Windows XP install so badly I had to reformat and reinstall. Great QA, guys. I returned my copy and will be returning to BF42. I don't play games that lobotomize my computer.… Expand
  8. LewisW.
    Nov 23, 2007
    5
    Great fun at the start, however... After you have played it for a while you realise that its a bit shallow. The overpowered Vechiles take most of the fun of infantry combat away and oversized maps make it feel empty and also forces you to use vechiles to get anywhere in a reasanable time. The new commander feature is basically a guy that can fire artillery at spawn points before they can Great fun at the start, however... After you have played it for a while you realise that its a bit shallow. The overpowered Vechiles take most of the fun of infantry combat away and oversized maps make it feel empty and also forces you to use vechiles to get anywhere in a reasanable time. The new commander feature is basically a guy that can fire artillery at spawn points before they can be captured. If you are a begineer to the series you will not find any help in controling the complicated aircraft and when you DO crash them into the ground you will be repeatedly called a newbie by everyone, this is just one of those games that attracts those types of people. Gamplay aside its not worth trying to get the game to work, EA are notorious for their bugs, crashs and freezes and this game is no exeption. If your a fan of the series this game will be fine, but as a newbie to the game, dont bother.… Expand
  9. MikeN.
    Mar 11, 2008
    5
    Played for about 2 years on various top o the line PCs. Good fun for a while but it has glaring balance issues and problems from release with bugs/glitches/bad code. Theres also problems with the hitboxes on models causing hits not to register. This means you can repeatedly knife someone in the face and they dont die... among other things. Support by EA has been so poor that they have had Played for about 2 years on various top o the line PCs. Good fun for a while but it has glaring balance issues and problems from release with bugs/glitches/bad code. Theres also problems with the hitboxes on models causing hits not to register. This means you can repeatedly knife someone in the face and they dont die... among other things. Support by EA has been so poor that they have had to actually withdraw their infrequent and badly needed patches, they made things worse in some respects. It has "issues" with some hardware combinations, as I personally discovered. I had to UNDERCLOCK some RAM on one PC ( PC was way above system requirements) as it couldn't handle the speed. It will probably work fine for you but dont surprised if your awesome gaming PC has lots of disconnects or crashes to desktop. This is the only program in years that I've seen reset any of my computers. Its a good game, it could have been the best multiplayer game ever but EA rushed it out in a beta stage and never bothered to finish it.… Expand
  10. MatthieuR.
    Jul 2, 2005
    7
    Good game, but I share many of the gripes that others have posted. Namely, the interface is horrid, the multiplay is buggy, and the game just isn't as revolutionary as it was marketed to be. To "Bill F." who advocates the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" angle: if we only expected the status quo, technology would never move forward. This isn't the sequel to Battlefield Good game, but I share many of the gripes that others have posted. Namely, the interface is horrid, the multiplay is buggy, and the game just isn't as revolutionary as it was marketed to be. To "Bill F." who advocates the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" angle: if we only expected the status quo, technology would never move forward. This isn't the sequel to Battlefield 1942, this is essentially Battlefield 5 (if you count the expansions and Vietnam), so I think we have a right to expect something new.… Expand
  11. Chimp
    Jun 11, 2005
    7
    Yeah, its a great game. Great sound, good use of strategy, nice maps, and the vehicles are well done. Why the 7? For some reason I can barely run this game, at all, on lowest settings. I have a computer that can play Splinter Cell 3 with all settings to their absolute max, highest shaders, highest AA, etc. I can play HL2 and Doom 3 perfectly on highest settings. However, with this game I Yeah, its a great game. Great sound, good use of strategy, nice maps, and the vehicles are well done. Why the 7? For some reason I can barely run this game, at all, on lowest settings. I have a computer that can play Splinter Cell 3 with all settings to their absolute max, highest shaders, highest AA, etc. I can play HL2 and Doom 3 perfectly on highest settings. However, with this game I have to use 1024 resolution and put every setting on lowest to get a consistent decent framerate in singleplayer. i cant even play multiplayer, no matter what settings its about 10fps. I have roadrunner too, by the way. My computer is above the specifications for this game, and the graphics are very good but not good enough to warrant this sort of thing.… Expand
  12. ZeroKelvin
    Jun 18, 2005
    7
    A good game marred by a poor menu interface and bad design decisions.
  13. JustinS.
    Jun 24, 2005
    7
    Really nothing special. The online advancement adds a bit, but other than that things are the same. The physics engine is very limited, there is no major building destruction or object manipulation. Graphics are nice, but too hard on even high end system to use a res above 1024. Worth it if you're comfortable spending $50 for a game you'll play 10 hours and be sick of.
  14. Deestrees
    Jun 25, 2005
    6
    I cannot find my friend intill atleast half an hour or more.......No favs. NO way....
  15. Unknownperson
    Aug 5, 2006
    7
    Great concept. It sucks until you get the latest 1.3 patch then you have Co-op, and you no longer have to worry about team killing, bunnyhopping, dolphin flopping, hacking, teens. But the most annoying thing is the watered down weapons, random bullet box (so Halo players can pull their queer crap out online) and the fact that so many noobs are whining about being owned by chopper pilotsGreat concept. It sucks until you get the latest 1.3 patch then you have Co-op, and you no longer have to worry about team killing, bunnyhopping, dolphin flopping, hacking, teens. But the most annoying thing is the watered down weapons, random bullet box (so Halo players can pull their queer crap out online) and the fact that so many noobs are whining about being owned by chopper pilots or snipers that spent weeks perfecting their trade to have a little m**********r whine to EA and have it changed so they can noob tube or TK you easier. But to get the ABSOLUTE most out of this game wait until the Project Reality mod is finished then start having LAN parties with friends or just go join a decent clan.… Expand
  16. HonchoRyanC.
    Jun 26, 2007
    7
    A 7 this a good most of the time. before you six hours have gone by. While it works most of the there are problems. I went bought the nice big include all games bf2 complete edition for $40. Let say on the one dvd. It took well over an hour to install. The first time while it was patching itself, stopped froze had to restart. eventually worked, not my other okay computer for some reason. A 7 this a good most of the time. before you six hours have gone by. While it works most of the there are problems. I went bought the nice big include all games bf2 complete edition for $40. Let say on the one dvd. It took well over an hour to install. The first time while it was patching itself, stopped froze had to restart. eventually worked, not my other okay computer for some reason. The first thing noticed I could not play euroforce, code did NOT work. Had to take itback. I only got a new cause I knew the geek squad at best buy. the works. Other than all the other dumb crap I'v been through such sum random crashes I can put up with. But what really got me mad was the stats tracker from ea stopped working right before I would have got some guns. Big pisser, That is what got me mad. let's just this there help support phone is a robot that was zero help at all. After the stats problem I have not played BF2 since.… Expand
  17. JeremiahG.
    Nov 27, 2005
    7
    I am a huge fan of Battlefield 1942 - played it to death, and still play matches now and then. I am a bit disappointed by this sequel for a few reaons: I find the commander-based artillery strikes rather frequent and annoying. If you are pinned back at one base, the enemy relentlessly pummels you with this artillery, which gets old fast. (respawn, die, respawn, die). I don't I am a huge fan of Battlefield 1942 - played it to death, and still play matches now and then. I am a bit disappointed by this sequel for a few reaons: I find the commander-based artillery strikes rather frequent and annoying. If you are pinned back at one base, the enemy relentlessly pummels you with this artillery, which gets old fast. (respawn, die, respawn, die). I don't understand why EA didn't allow a "classic" mode for people who want to play without the commander stuff and artillery. Secondly, as other people have mentioned, your soldier with full battle gear can leap effortlessly like an olympic athlete 5 feet in the air repeatedly. This is really annoying as it makes dodging bullets a lot easier and looks totally ridiculous. If they must keep the bunny hopping, why not tie it to the fatigue meter so it similates exersion like the sprinting? I do like the sprinting in Battlefield 2. It is probably my favorite addition. There are some other nice additions like shooting from vehicles. But my main criticism for Battlefield 2 is the lack of serious innovation - Battlefield 1942 was pretty revolutionary, and Battlefield 2 feels a bit like a "Desert Combat 1.5" (a popular mod made for BF 1942). I think they should have taken a cue from all the historically diverse mods that came out for BF1942, and made a game that spans multiple time periods. This just doesn't seem ambitious enough.… Expand
  18. Lokesz
    Jun 21, 2005
    7
    I suppose the game is good enough, but I dont go for it. Same commercial thing as before. Never played Battlefield? Then you can give this one a try.
  19. DC
    Jun 27, 2005
    5
    Game is great. The weapons and player classes are very well tuned, and the maps are passable. But, it really doesn't matter, as the networking is so abominable that I cannot play. And I have talked to 2 others that suffer the same plight--I'm on DSL and can't get a stable ping under 1000 ms. Additionally, the front-end menu system will crash if I click more than 1 button at Game is great. The weapons and player classes are very well tuned, and the maps are passable. But, it really doesn't matter, as the networking is so abominable that I cannot play. And I have talked to 2 others that suffer the same plight--I'm on DSL and can't get a stable ping under 1000 ms. Additionally, the front-end menu system will crash if I click more than 1 button at a time. Unfortunately, this is the EA reputation--ship things before they're ready. Hopefully a patch will follow soon and alleviate these problems.… Expand
  20. C4K3
    Dec 13, 2011
    7
    Despite it's unsmooth movement, ridiculous hitboxes, and constant vehicle camping, it's still surprisingly fun to play. It's not competitive, it's not particularly balanced, but it delivers a fun experience. Will still be playing this over BF3.
  21. AI
    Mar 10, 2009
    5
    The game feels like it is early beta, at best. Ja there are crashes, yes there are bugs, but this is not even what I am talking about. The game itself seems to be missing a lot of polish. When I was playing bf1942, it felt like a finished game. I cannot say the same thing for the sequel.
  22. J.Annoyed
    Jul 3, 2005
    6
    Addictively fun game, but serious issues like an absolutely terrible menu / server browser, lag so bad in 64 player servers as to make the game unplayable, random crashes, and a ridiculous problems with teamkilling (accidental and puposeful) destroy this game's potential greatness. I impatiently await patches!!!
  23. Dendari
    Sep 20, 2014
    5
    NOTE: As of July 2014 the Gamespy servers were shut down forever. Use GameRanger to play online.

    I really tried to enjoy this game while playing it online but I couldn't. In theory it's a very good game, but in practice it was one of the most frustrating game I've ever played. One main problem is the overall balance, opposed to what BF1942 was about BF2 it's an unbalanced mess. The    NOTE: As of July 2014 the Gamespy servers were shut down forever. Use GameRanger to play online.

    I really tried to enjoy this game while playing it online but I couldn't. In theory it's a very good game, but in practice it was one of the most frustrating game I've ever played. One main problem is the overall balance, opposed to what BF1942 was about BF2 it's an unbalanced mess. The infantry gameplay is terrible, a lot of explosives spam, inaccurate and unbalanced weapons. The land vehicles combat is very good but it's ruined by the overpowered air vehicles. What it does well it's the teamwork aspect, with the introduction of the squad system, the commo-rose and the commander BF2 can offer a lot of good teamwork. Too bad the netcode and the hit registration are terrible (probably the worst in the FPS games). Funny thing is you can have a lot of fun while playing it on LAN.    … Expand
  24. Ukyoasdf
    Jun 21, 2005
    6
    I haven't played the full version yet, but the demo horrifies me. I think the gameplay seems fairly compelling, but the interface makes that almost irrelevant. The menus, HUDs, map, and basically everything in the game is unintuitive, slow, and hard to use. On top of that, the graphics are pretty unimpressive. Unless you're impressed by a lot of bland boxy tan ground.I haven't played the full version yet, but the demo horrifies me. I think the gameplay seems fairly compelling, but the interface makes that almost irrelevant. The menus, HUDs, map, and basically everything in the game is unintuitive, slow, and hard to use. On top of that, the graphics are pretty unimpressive. Unless you're impressed by a lot of bland boxy tan ground.

    Overall I get the impression that they just made some new maps and command features and tacked them onto BF1942 or Desert Combat.    … Expand
  25. PeterS.
    Jun 27, 2005
    6
    Great gameplay, I like the graphics but could do way better. This would give it 10, but..... Multiplayer interface is a joke, crashes , it was a pig to set up LAN. EA did this to me with Pacific Assault I returned the game. Patch for all this better be comming out soon or EA will lose a customer. Why are we beta testers for $60 canadian bucks??
  26. WilliamK.
    Jul 4, 2005
    5
    Where has the fun gone? No music radio; bumped by rubber raft kills you; chopper rockets exploding at soldier's feet does nothing; the guy who 'helps' you along sounds like he's on life support; tanks only get 1 smoke screen (that's stupid); can't repair a tank from the inside (that's really stupid - i could see not fixing the whole thing, but half would Where has the fun gone? No music radio; bumped by rubber raft kills you; chopper rockets exploding at soldier's feet does nothing; the guy who 'helps' you along sounds like he's on life support; tanks only get 1 smoke screen (that's stupid); can't repair a tank from the inside (that's really stupid - i could see not fixing the whole thing, but half would be good); jets are ridiculous b/c you're ALWYAS flying out of bounds (it's like a really fast car on a very short street); Arab special op's gun is an off-rhythm knee slapper; it would be cool if the vehicles had fuel limitations; and so much more. Basically, there's nothing new here, the maps are boring, 'verifying the client' takes for freakin' ever.… Expand
  27. KyleH.
    Jun 23, 2005
    5
    Nice looking game with some great improvements. Would've given this game an 8 if not for three major design flaws 1. No bots in multiplayer. I just about fell out of my chair when I found out they'd removed this feature. What were they thinking??? 2. For some odd reason the game only supports 8 graphics card chipsets. Don't have one of the 8? Can't play it all all. 3. Nice looking game with some great improvements. Would've given this game an 8 if not for three major design flaws 1. No bots in multiplayer. I just about fell out of my chair when I found out they'd removed this feature. What were they thinking??? 2. For some odd reason the game only supports 8 graphics card chipsets. Don't have one of the 8? Can't play it all all. 3. Game only runs on Windows XP. Outrageous.… Expand
  28. DCStillisbetter
    Jun 26, 2005
    6
    I was somewhat dissapointed in this title after so much hype. Have about 15 hours of playtime into it and I am starting to feel like firing up DC again. Hardware requirements are out of hand. Was looking at this as DesertCombat 2 but I don't think this even does DC justice. Don't get me wrong though... still fun once you get passed the horrible menu system and into the game. I was somewhat dissapointed in this title after so much hype. Have about 15 hours of playtime into it and I am starting to feel like firing up DC again. Hardware requirements are out of hand. Was looking at this as DesertCombat 2 but I don't think this even does DC justice. Don't get me wrong though... still fun once you get passed the horrible menu system and into the game. Some will like it more than others. I will juggle game play between DC and BF2 but BF2 doesn't give the same rush as DC. Just my opinion.… Expand
  29. ImaGamer
    Jul 17, 2005
    6
    10/10 ??? Is this the only game you own?? Honestly , this game could be 9+/10 but is too time consuming to: 1) find an online game 2) find one that runs smoothly. You will die often because of random re-occuring high ping spikes, from 20ms to 1500+ms, usually right in the middle of shootouts.You can see this occure to others who are flying helecopters into the ground or driving Hummers 10/10 ??? Is this the only game you own?? Honestly , this game could be 9+/10 but is too time consuming to: 1) find an online game 2) find one that runs smoothly. You will die often because of random re-occuring high ping spikes, from 20ms to 1500+ms, usually right in the middle of shootouts.You can see this occure to others who are flying helecopters into the ground or driving Hummers into the only obsticle in open areas. I get connection problems warnings every couple of minuts, and get disconnected most of the time, even on local servers. My other on-line games work fine. This game is a good game but not a great game. All tech stuff aside, DC or FH on '42 is better on the " Fun factor " scale, BF2 would be the same but is unplayable on-line. Single player is great though. Commander feature is challenging. BF2 is like the last Metallica album, lotta hype a great dissappointment. Save your coin and wait untill the reviews improve after things get patched up.… Expand
  30. Khyrid
    May 17, 2013
    7
    I like what the battlefield series is trying to do, but they have some issues. BF2 has way too many exploits. Hit-boxes come unglued when player's run around. Bunny hopping can make you immune to being blasted by an entire clip at point blank range. Often the game involved running this marathon across the game map only to die and start all over again. I did get some real enjoyment out ofI like what the battlefield series is trying to do, but they have some issues. BF2 has way too many exploits. Hit-boxes come unglued when player's run around. Bunny hopping can make you immune to being blasted by an entire clip at point blank range. Often the game involved running this marathon across the game map only to die and start all over again. I did get some real enjoyment out of the game tho. The urban maps were a lot more fun to me.… Expand
  31. Basilone
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    I tried to go back to playing this game recently, and the ballistics is terrible. I'm not complaining because there is no bullet drop, but the bullets simply do not hit where you are aiming most the time. Instead of recoiling your shots just radiate further and further away from your aim point. So I tired using the semi auto fire modes often and even though it is more accurate theyI tried to go back to playing this game recently, and the ballistics is terrible. I'm not complaining because there is no bullet drop, but the bullets simply do not hit where you are aiming most the time. Instead of recoiling your shots just radiate further and further away from your aim point. So I tired using the semi auto fire modes often and even though it is more accurate they still don't always hit where you are aiming which is very frustrating. Otherwise a great game, but the gun play is lackluster.… Expand
  32. Axilley
    Jul 22, 2021
    7
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good
  33. The_D4RknesS
    Jun 22, 2022
    5
    While this one doesn't even have a story, it's focused 100% on online.......

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2005
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
7
#7 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55
  1. GameSpy
    100
    Once you strap into an F/A-18 and rocket over the landscape, once you're crouched next to a tank trying valiantly to repair it while bullets ping off of the armor inches above your head, once you defend a waypoint and ask for new orders from your commander over the radio, all of those nitpicks about map balance or sniper power fade.
    Read full review
  2. Yahoo!
    100
    With incredible communication tools, top-notch visuals, and a fantastic balance of vehicles and classes, EA has won the battle and the war of online team-based shooters.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    89
    The thing to remember about Battlefield 2 is that it's exceptionally fun.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »