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Overview
The folks at the EA DICE studio released Battlefield 4 as a launch title for the PS4 and (in a few days) for the Xboxone. Battlefield 4 already released for PS3 and Xbox 360 a few weeks prior, players got what they were expecting. That is, a very good (if not great) team work based first person shooter that leaned heavily on the online component of FPS gaming. The only question was; “Will it just be a simple port over to next gen?” Hopefully this review will give you the answer to that question… at least from our opinion.
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Presentation
Presentation Expectations:
1). Visually pleasing. Is this what we expect from a next gen game? (Worth 2 points) 1.5 points
2). Sound: does the game audio help you stay immersed in the experience? (Worth 3 points) 2.5 points
3). Cut Scenes: Does the voice acting and overall feel of the cut scenes add to the experience (Worth 2 Points) 1 point
Battlefield 4 is certainly a graphical upgrade over the PS3 version. However, it isn’t leaps and bounds ahead. Given that the team was working on 2 games, the visuals are enough of an upgrade that users shouldn’t have much of a complaint. On the audio side of the coin; this is where BF4 stands out from others. With explosions and gunfire going off all around the player, it definitley gives you the feeling of being on the battlefield. Cut scenes are on par with the rest of the presentation elements, not spectacular but not necessarily bad either. Voice action is what we expect and no better/worse than other games in the genre. The lighting is where this game really stands out, second to none as far as FPS’s go.
The bad… I expected a bit more from this game visually for next gen systems.
Single Player
Campaign Expectations:
1). Must have at least a basic controls tutorial (Worth 2 points) 2 points
2). Enemy/Teammate AI must be competent (Worth 3 points) 2.5 points
3). Storyline with plot and twists that pull the user into the game (Worth 5 points) 3.5 points
Tutorial
“Story Mode”, “Single Player”, “Campaign Mode”… whatever you would like to call it; is normally the mode most gamers overlook when it comes to first person shooters. I like to think of the single player mode as a tutorial for the games controls and also to help teach tactics. This is a great experience and must play for anyone who may be new to the FPS genre. In this case, Battlefield 4 does a great job of introducing users to the control system as well as different gadgets such as the “Range Finder” which is used online in the scout class, and also vehicle controls and maneuvering. This is a key factor in creating a successful FPS, as your target audience will grow with the learning curve reduced exponentially.
Enemy/Teammate AI
Team and Enemy AI is always a huge element of first person shooters. Too often we end up with computer comtrolled players/adversaries that make the game way too easy/difficult. In BF4 I have yet to encounter any real issues with the AI. Your teammates do a great job at helping you fend off the bad guys and the computer controlled enemies do a great job at hiding behind cover and giving you all you can handle in battle. Enemy accuracy is very good as they will make you pay for not using cover. The bad… There are times when your team mates could do a much better job helping you. And as usual the enemies almost always focus their gun fire on you.
Story
The storyline is exactly what you would expect from a Battlefield title. It isn’t the best in the FPS genre but still very serviceable with several plot twists and turns. The story takes place in several different locations including some water battles in boats, on a battleship (or 2), mountains, cities… everything we expect. You start as a regular soldier and end up as squad leader in the “Tombstone company”. While the promotion doesn’t mean much in the game, being the leader is a nice change of pace from other titles. You will lose several team members along the way and gain valuable help from suspicious sources whom you have no choice but to trust.
The bad… Typical storylines and are pretty much predictable
Online Multiplayer
Multiplayer Expectations:
1). Weapon/Class Balance (Worth 7 points) 6 points
2). Map Variety/Sizes (Worth 7 points) 7 points
3). Is there a team aspect of the mode? (Worth 7 points) 6.5 points
4). Game Mode Variety (Worth 8 points) 5.5 points
Weapon/Class Balancing
Weapon balancing is a huge part of the online FPS world. If not done correctly you will have some weapons that are heavily over powered and therefore, everyone will be trying to use them. Battlefield 4 does a great job of balancing it’s weapons and the result is a wide range of weapons that each perform differently and are suited for different tasks. The same goes for the different classes, they must be well balanced for online play to help stop exploits. Once again BF4 does a wonderful job of this, picking a class each time is a thought provoking experience. Do you want to be the solider that keeps everyone else alive, or the guy that has ammo for everyone and can keep the battle going? Do you want to be the solider who spots enemy infantry and vehicles from afar and takes the long distance approch or do you want to be the guy who goes head first into battle looking to take out tanks? Pick the style that best suits your personality. The bad… Bullet damage is improved on next gen, but is still a bit lower than it should be. Even if you are wearing body armor if you get hit in the chest with a round from a sniper rifle it should damn near kill you.
Map Variety/Sizes
Quite possibly my favorite aspect of the Battlefield series and Battlefield 4 specifically, is the map variations. There really are maps for everyone, no matter what you are looking for… it’s here. The map sizes vary depending on the type of game mode you are playing. several locations are also playable including epic air and water battles. Different lines of site are created through maps that aren’t just horizontally expansive but also vertically large. Different elavations give great advantages over your adversaries. Sniping enemies from the top of a skyscraper or lobbing grenades into a prison block are just two of the possibilites in Battlefield 4. The bad… Sometimes you get stuck far away from the actioin and have to travel on foot/swim.
Teamwork
For a game in the first person shooter genre to become great it HAS to require it’s users to work together, in Battlefield 4, team work is a requirement for everyone to be successful. Supporting your sqaud members as they take objectives is how to get things done. I am very partial to feeding my teammates ammo while defending objectives. One person has ammo, one has health and everyone else just keeps shooting. Battlefield 4 is set up to force communication between players, which is a great thing. The bad… if you get stuck on a team with a bunch of cowboys doing their own thing… you will be forced to follow them and support them or you will lose.
Game Mode Variety
Battlefield 4 has several online game modes including “Rush” which pits one team attacking and attempting to plant bombs in two locations while a defending team trys to stop them. If the attacking team is successful, more of the map opens up and other points are available to attack and defend. While the game does have very solid game modes, it would really benefit from developing more. I would personally love to see an “escort” mode where one team has to take VIP’s to safety.
The bad… like I said before, there are several game modes but they could really use some more variety. Not exactly on par with other first person shooters.
The Final Verdict:
Battlefield 4 is very similar on Next Gen to what we got on Current Gen… that is until you get to multiplayer. The online multiplayer aspect is so much better it’s almost not even fair to compare the two. If I were recommending this game for online, I would say it’s a must buy. If you are looking for an offline experience, not so much. Still a good game offline but nothing different than any other FPS. That being said, an all around solid effort for a launch title. Pick it up and you won’t be disappointed.
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