Let's sit down for a few minutes and talk about Battlefield 3.

Let's step outside of the hype, the constant back and forth between fans of the series and fans of, you know, that series. Let's leave the baggage attached by EA's masochistic desire to sidle right up against that game, and we can ignore that beta too. I know it's hard. But let's do it anyway.

Instead, let's talk about what we've been told is DICE's most ambitious, biggest game ever. And let's talk about how Battlefield 3 is simultaneously disappointing in that respect, and brilliant in others, and why that might be OK anyway -- maybe even great.