(Still trying to recover from that Failtoid I posted earlier...)

I know there are still a few days left until the beta ends but I wanted to share my thoughts and impressions now before I forget them or get preoccupied with something else.

First off; presentation. I know it's just a beta but the visuals are stunning. Yeah, I've noticed some minor flaws here and there but nothing that gets in the way of gameplay. The HUD is very nice and simple; hopefully it will stay unchanged for the most part. The weapons are nicely crafted and there is this feel of realism that accompanies them that makes you feel even more like you are really in the game.

Second; sound. Wow, the sound quality is amazing... truly amazing. The guns sound so real and the chatter is seemingly authentic. The sound quality was one of the first things I noticed as soon as I started playing. I don't know what else I can say; it seems perfect in every way.

Third; gameplay. This slightly modified version of the Frostbite engine is simply outstanding. The controls are so fluent and the soldier and vehicle physics are a mix between realism and slight hilarity (which is good because it never seems to get boring). I'm not sure if the destruction mechanic is dynamic or not but it does a good job at doing what it was meant to do. The award system is nice and class leveling seems to be quite solid. The only issue I have with this is the lengthy amounts of XP that needs to be acquired for some of the better weapons.

Fourth; bugs/annoyances. Surprisingly, not that many for a beta. However, the ones that I have experienced were very annoying. I've played a round or two where I couldn't spawn off any squad-mates and then gotten spawn killed, which pissed me off. Another time I spawned in a tank and then tried to commit suicide because I chose the wrong class, only to be permanently stuck in the destroyed tank. The final and most recent bug I encountered involved me accidentally calling a mortar strike on a buddy in at a recon terminal. Somehow I killed him and the text "_OBSOLETE_" appeared on the screen. That was slightly scary because after that the player text was a weird color instead of the normal green, blue, and orange. A simple reset fixed that.

Final thoughts. The beta is outstandingly fun and anyone who has played it will tell you that the finished product will be one of the best games of 2010. Now I haven't played the first Bad Company, but I have played most of the others and let me tell you; it's looking to be the best in the series.

Also, I have an extra beta code that someone gave me. I don't know if it works but if anyone wants it ask me. First come first serve.