The end result is that no other game can create moments like Battlefield. We found having a pair of Assault class characters in our squad to revive the rest made pushing through tighter points in maps just that bit easier.
Despite only bringing an additional player to each, it does actually make a big difference during multiplayer matches, especially larger games. Squads are now five players rather than four. The number of guns themselves on offer has also been greatly expanded, while the usual accessories for each soldier type are there. Players are treated to different outfits as well as various sights, lasers and lights for guns. As usual, experience points are gained in large amount for team-work, but the amount on offer to unlock here means you are actually encouraged to help out your squad even more. Guns and kit unlocks have been greatly expanded in Battlefield 4. It can get very manic, especially as each bomb requires arming at an objective, usually resulting in enjoyable last stand moments. This tasks you with dashing about on a map in vehicles trying to deliver explosives and destroy the opposition's objectives. We do have a bit of a soft spot for the Obliteration game mode. You do however have a range of other modes to enjoy, including the standard team based deathmatch options. There is something especially terrifying about watching cover disintegrate in front of you, while an opposing squad slowly whittles away your hiding place with machine gun fire.Īs for gameplay types, the standard capture-point based Conquest mode is where Battlefield 4 is best, especially when played on 64 player maps. Multiplayer map Siege of Shanghai has a skyscraper that can be levelled, while Flood Zone starts out as a normal map and switches to water-based combat as the game goes on.įor all its scale however, destruction actually makes the biggest difference during the average firefight. The trademark environmental destruction also returns, albeit this time on an epic scale. When it all works perfectly and squads operate together, is when Battlefield 4 is at its best. The flipside is that Commander's can only get access to support if squads do as they say, so the two need to work together in order to win a match.
One player from each team in a match will be given a full overview of the map and be able to issue orders to individual squads, offer reinforcements and even bring in additional weapon-based support. Making its return to Battlefield in this latest entry is the 'Commander Mode' of older games. Multiplayer, however, is where Battlefield 4 really starts to sing.
It's a slightly different take on things that could have brought a fresh feeling to Battlefield 4's otherwise predictable storyline. While Battlefield 4 continues on from the story of Battlefield 3, we can't help but think we miss the slightly off-hand and black comedy approach of Battlefield: Bad Company's single player.
The big expansive maps are there but the slightly muted intelligence of your team-mates mean you just never get those perfectly co-ordinated moments of chaos you see when playing Battlefield 4 online. While multiplayer is impressive, the campaign is where DICE runs riot every graphical trick in the book is pulled and such is the level of quality that we found ourselves wanting to play through, simply just to see what the next mission would look like. In reality, though, it's the stunning visuals that will be the reason you play this game through to the end. There is a predictable twist thrown in for good measure and enough background information and radio chatter to keep you playing. Without giving away too much, missions include VIP rescues from the top of skyscrapers in Shanghai, to chase sequences across both land and sea, as well as a fairly incredible rescue sequence towards the end of the game.