Campaign review only.
It seems that DICE took the initial praise for Battlefield 1's campaign literally, and did the same thing here. Once again, it has a good prologue, this time globe-trotting from theatre to theatre, then promptly falls on its face for the most part for the main campaign.
There are 4 episodes this time (one less than the predecessor), and first two acts are essentially the same, just set in different continents: you start in a big open level, there are three things you have to do, and you do them with very little difference in how you do it because of the lack of tools at your disposal (oh yeah, it's usually bombing something). The last two are comparatively more refershing, even though one of them is just a series of multiplayer maps with bots, while the other is a long tank level, both broken up by the dreaded "stealth" sections.
I also want to talk about story. The first one, following the exploits of British SBS Commandos, is cliched, but in a wrong way. It irks me that they tried to make this into a Dirty Dozen, when they were volunteer servicemen. I get it, it's a game, but really, if you want to it to be less serious about accuracy, then maybe you shouldn't make it all sound real with the solemn intertitles?
The other three were nice. While the Norwegian one barely had any interesting narrative arc, we never really see something set in Norway unless it's some Allied spy infiltrating German facilities. As a fan of Ousmane Sembene's absolute masterpiece Camp de Thiaroye, I was very happy to see Senegalese soldiers being given their due here. And as for the German perspective in The Last Tiger, it gave me an eerie feeling that I got from The Downfall, which is always a good thing.
But yeah, should've been a TV series, not a single player campaign of a video game.
It seems that DICE took the initial praise for Battlefield 1's campaign literally, and did the same thing here. Once again, it has a good prologue, this time globe-trotting from theatre to theatre, then promptly falls on its face for the most part for the main campaign.
There are 4 episodes this time (one less than the predecessor), and first two acts are essentially the same, just set in different continents: you start in a big open level, there are three things you have to do, and you do them with very little difference in how you do it because of the lack of tools at your disposal (oh yeah, it's usually bombing something). The last two are comparatively more refershing, even though one of them is just a series of multiplayer maps with bots, while the other is a long tank level, both broken up by the dreaded "stealth" sections.
I also want to talk about story. The first one, following the exploits of British SBS Commandos, is cliched, but in a wrong way. It irks me that they tried to make this into a Dirty Dozen, when they were volunteer servicemen. I get it, it's a game, but really, if you want to it to be less serious about accuracy, then maybe you shouldn't make it all sound real with the solemn intertitles?
The other three were nice. While the Norwegian one barely had any interesting narrative arc, we never really see something set in Norway unless it's some Allied spy infiltrating German facilities. As a fan of Ousmane Sembene's absolute masterpiece Camp de Thiaroye, I was very happy to see Senegalese soldiers being given their due here. And as for the German perspective in The Last Tiger, it gave me an eerie feeling that I got from The Downfall, which is always a good thing.
But yeah, should've been a TV series, not a single player campaign of a video game.
i don't know why dice decided to give soldiers random lines of dialogue when you revive them but I thank them for it. it really enhances the authenticity of the world war 2 experience. i rush across the battlefield to revive "c0ck4ndb4llT0rtur3" and their character tells me "man is as a wolf to itself" while my squadmates sit in a truck honking the horn to the tune of cruel angel's thesis. truly, these are the fields watered with our fathers' blood
Not too much to say here other than as a first time Battlefield experience, it's pretty fun.
Shooting feels great here and the audio and graphics department works well here to give each battle feel like well a warzone. I also like the semblance of teamwork here when it works, the usual good feeling when picking a role your team needs and it paying off for everyone.
That said, people tend to rarely work as a team as it is which sorta plagues most first person shooters that utilizes team play elements. Cheaters are uncommon enough that it doesn't completely ruin the experience but it's still there. Not too much the usual stuff with EA games being monetization and the process of getting things.
That said, I picked this game up for 5 bucks and got a good 10 hours out of it. I don't really recommend spending 10 bucks max on that if you want something that scratched the WW2 FPS itch that it did for me and there's probably way better games in this genre but the shooting was good, what can I say?
Shooting feels great here and the audio and graphics department works well here to give each battle feel like well a warzone. I also like the semblance of teamwork here when it works, the usual good feeling when picking a role your team needs and it paying off for everyone.
That said, people tend to rarely work as a team as it is which sorta plagues most first person shooters that utilizes team play elements. Cheaters are uncommon enough that it doesn't completely ruin the experience but it's still there. Not too much the usual stuff with EA games being monetization and the process of getting things.
That said, I picked this game up for 5 bucks and got a good 10 hours out of it. I don't really recommend spending 10 bucks max on that if you want something that scratched the WW2 FPS itch that it did for me and there's probably way better games in this genre but the shooting was good, what can I say?
[campaign]
There's a sense of good intention with each short story, although each is equally as underwhelming as the other. I enjoy stealth in games and it has some fun gunplay, but both are genuinely broken at times here. In fact, there are numerous game-breaking bugs still in the game that seem to only affect the campaign and it makes it that much more of an effort to play through.
It's admittedly enjoyable, but that's about it...
Overall rating: 4.8/10
There's a sense of good intention with each short story, although each is equally as underwhelming as the other. I enjoy stealth in games and it has some fun gunplay, but both are genuinely broken at times here. In fact, there are numerous game-breaking bugs still in the game that seem to only affect the campaign and it makes it that much more of an effort to play through.
It's admittedly enjoyable, but that's about it...
Overall rating: 4.8/10
A pretty good installation to the Battlefield series. It was a rather entertaining game at first but quickly got repetitive and rather frustrating at the lack of diverse game modes in multiplayer in particular.
The multiplayer is engaging, although the modes are way too long and would benefit from having some shortened modes in there as well like free for all for example.
The story mode starts off well with an intriguing couple of characters and the missions were laid out well and it was enjoyable for the most part. Beyond the first episode though it got stale and they copied the format to a T on the second mission so much so that it was a carbon copy except for the characters being not as interesting. The third mission was just a frustrating trude through muddy warfare and repeat objectives to do along the way.
Rating - 5.7
The multiplayer is engaging, although the modes are way too long and would benefit from having some shortened modes in there as well like free for all for example.
The story mode starts off well with an intriguing couple of characters and the missions were laid out well and it was enjoyable for the most part. Beyond the first episode though it got stale and they copied the format to a T on the second mission so much so that it was a carbon copy except for the characters being not as interesting. The third mission was just a frustrating trude through muddy warfare and repeat objectives to do along the way.
Rating - 5.7
Bit of a mixed bag of a campaign this one. For a start, it's basically unfinished, with another of the war stories coming later. Secondly, graphically it's really rough at points, particularly when I turned the graphics down to medium to try and help my 1070 stay above 60fps (pro tip - try and keep the Terrain setting up otherwise it looks awful!) and you can't turn off the TAA.
On the other hand, once it actually gets into the shooting part it's pretty damn good. As you'd expect from a game like this, the guns are great to shoot and when it feels like it the game can throw some interesting scenarios at you. The problem is, it rarely does and when it does it's all over so quickly. I liked what they were trying with the story and settings too, particularly the Norwegian one. Skiing across frozen lakes and throwing knives at guys was my favourite part of the game - again, too short though.
Good trial for the Origin Premier service though, I'm happy enough to buy a month and maybe pick up another month later once the co-op stuff comes out/Anthem arrives.
On the other hand, once it actually gets into the shooting part it's pretty damn good. As you'd expect from a game like this, the guns are great to shoot and when it feels like it the game can throw some interesting scenarios at you. The problem is, it rarely does and when it does it's all over so quickly. I liked what they were trying with the story and settings too, particularly the Norwegian one. Skiing across frozen lakes and throwing knives at guys was my favourite part of the game - again, too short though.
Good trial for the Origin Premier service though, I'm happy enough to buy a month and maybe pick up another month later once the co-op stuff comes out/Anthem arrives.