Battlefield 4 Review
Developer DICE
Publisher EA
Platform PC, PS3, Xbox (Next Gen To Come)
Release Date Out Now.
Battlefield has always been a series that delivers moments that no other game can. The open sand box approach to multiplayer boast massive sprawling, destructible maps that are jammed packed with 64 soldiers. At their disposal is a wide range of vehicles from Quad bikes, Jeeps, APC’s and tanks to air vehicles such as Helicopters and Jet Fighters. This Year DICE have added to the water vehicles with new Jet Skis and powerful attack boats.
What happens when you let the world lose in such a playground? Well they have a lot of fun! Things like sniping a pilot from the roof of a sky scrapper and then diving from the roof to steal his chopper mid-air only happen in Battlefield. Others will then pile C4 onto a quad bike and ramp it into the enemies base before detonating it. These are things that just happen, you can’t pre-script these things and this is what makes Battlefield so great.
On top of all madness you have the Frostbite 3 engine delivering one of the most visually appealing games ever seen, a true start of the next Gen. Battlefield 4 is a much richer, lush and colorful environment. If there was one big criticism of BF3 it was that it always looked a little washed out but this is not true for BF4. Stunning cities, lush vegetation, spectacular beach resorts all play host to the epic battles.
It is not Battlefield without destruction and thanks to advances in Frostbite 3 BF4 has been able to introduce us to “levelution” the ability to totally change the map via key moments of destruction. Many players would have first encountered “levelution” during the Beta. The map “Siege of Shanghai” had at its center a massive sky scrapper. Carefully taking out structural pillars would result in the whole building coming crumbling down in a cloud of dust and concrete.
This continues throughout the new maps allowing players to drop overpasses, take out dams and flood cities. DICE also brings in a new weather system that can whip up a storm mid game, in one map it sends a battleship careering through the small middle island. What this all allows for is to allow the map to be refreshed mid game and to offer something new mid round. Games in Battlefield are often quite long so having this change is welcome just to keep things interesting as well as being pretty dam epic.
Outside of the levelution or destruction that the player can inflict there are further ways to alter the maps. Raising tank stopping pillars, lowering shutters around buildings, turning off power to cut the lights, these and more can all be used within the game and it is up to the players to co-ordinate in game to make the best use of these features.
This is the key to Battlefield, the maps are big and you don’t get the best out of it unless you can play with others. Squad sizes have been increased from 4 to 5 players and a greater enfaces has been placed on squad combat. You gain XP faster in a squad following Orders set by your squad leaser.
The chain of command goes one step higher as the much loved commander mode makes a comeback. One player on each side can play as a commander. Their job is to issue orders, drop supplies in the form of ammo or vehicles and rain in the artillery. The fastest way to rank up is to have a good commander setting tasks that are then followed by a good squad. But this is Battlefield there is no “set rules” you play in whatever way you like
The base game comes with 10 set maps with more coming on stream through the Battlefield Premium service with China Rising set to release later this year with another four or so map packs over the next 18 or so months (going on what BF3 premium offered).
Overall : This is the full package a good story campaign is included but the game really shines online and this is where you get your value for money. People played BF3 daily for the last two year, very few games offer this longevity and BF4 is set to match it.
It was reviewed on PC but there are console versions, while they are also pretty good this really is something you want to see on Next Gen to fully appreciate it.
SCORE 5/5
Please Join us on your Social Platform of choice
